32 Plants You Can Propagate from Hardwood Cuttings

Hardwood cuttings are cuttings that are taken from trees and shrubs that are fully mature, dormant stems. These cuttings are normally taken during the late fall or over winter several weeks before spring growth will begin.

Hardwood cuttings differ from softwood or semi-hardwood cuttings. While those are taken from soft, flexible new growth in spring and summer, hardwood cuttings are taken after the plant has finished its growing season and the wood has become firm, woody, and resistant to snapping.

Below is a short section on why it’s great to take hardwood cuttings and after that are the 32 Plant ideas. I tried to put some notes on some of them as well as links to other articles on propagating them. Feel free to bookmark this post and come back to it as needed!

Advantages to taking Hardwood Cuttings

Propagating plants through hardwood cuttings is a favorite technique for many gardeners because it works with the plant’s natural life cycle to maximize success with minimal effort. Sometimes it is much easier than other types stem cuttings! Not all plants will root best from hardwood cuttings, some prefer softwood or semi-ripe, but try expiriment and see what works best for you.

Here are the primary advantages of using hardwood cuttings:

1. Timing and Natural Dormancy

Hardwood cuttings are taken while the parent plant is in its dormant phase—typically from late autumn through late winter. Because the plant is “asleep,” taking cuttings causes minimal stress to the donor plant. For deciduous species, the absence of leaves means the cutting doesn’t lose precious moisture through transpiration, which is the biggest hurdle in summer propagation.

2. Built-in Energy Reserves

By the time a stem has reached the hardwood stage, it has spent the entire growing season storing carbohydrates. These mature stems are packed with energy. This “on-board” fuel supply allows the cutting to survive for months and eventually develop a robust root system without needing leaves to perform photosynthesis.

3. Incredible Resilience

Hardwood is significantly tougher and more durable than the soft, succulent growth found in the spring. These cuttings are resistant to wilting and can withstand harsher environmental conditions. In many cases, you don’t even need a greenhouse or a complex misting system; many varieties can be “stuck” directly into a protected outdoor nursery bed or a simple pot of sandy soil.

4. Low-Maintenance “Set and Forget” Process

While hardwood cuttings take longer to root than softwood—often several months—they require very little intervention. Once they are tucked into the soil, you can essentially leave them alone through the winter. As the soil warms in the spring, the cuttings naturally “wake up” and begin to push out roots and new buds right on schedule with the rest of your garden.

32 Plants to Root from Hardwood Cuttings

1. Red Twig Dogwood (Cornus sericea)

• Zones: 3–8
• Needs: Full sun to partial shade; prefers moist, boggy soil.
• Propagation: Cut a pencil-thick, 12-inch stem of one-year-old wood. Strip buds from the bottom half and push it directly into the ground or a pot, leaving two buds above the soil.
• How to Propagate Red Twig Dogwood

2. Forsythia (Forsythia × intermedia)

• Zones: 5–8
• Needs: Full sun for best flowering; well-draining soil.
• Propagation: Take 8-inch cuttings from the current year’s growth. Dip the base in rooting hormone and place in a trench or pot. They root reliably by spring.

3. Elderberry (Sambucus)

• Zones: 3–9
• Needs: Full sun to part shade; consistent moisture.
• Propagation Cut 10-inch segments with at least 3 nodes. Bury two nodes deep in the soil. They are fast growers and often produce foliage within weeks of the ground thawing.

4. Fig (Ficus carica)

• Zones: 6–10
• Needs: Full sun; well-drained soil; sheltered from harsh winds.
• Propagation: Take 8–10 inch cuttings about the thickness of a thumb. Wrap the bottom half in damp newspaper or stick directly into a sandy potting mix in a sheltered spot.

5. Willow (Salix)

• Zones: 4–10
• Needs: Full sun; very wet or moist soil.
• Propagation: Take 6 inch to 2 foot long branches and simply hammer them into wet soil. They contain high levels of natural rooting hormones and root nearly 100% of the time.
• How to Propagate Willow

6. Blackcurrant/Redcurrant (Ribes)

• Zones: 3–7
• Needs: Full sun to light shade; rich, moist soil.
• Propagation: Take 10-inch cuttings of straight, healthy wood. Remove all buds except the top two to three to create a “clear stem” for the bush.

7. Gooseberry (Ribes uva-crispa)

• Zones: 3–8
• Needs: Cool climates; partial shade in hotter zones; well-drained soil.
• Propagation: Use 12-inch cuttings. Ensure the bottom cut is made just below a node.

8. Grapevines (Vitis)

• Zones: 4–10
• Needs: Full sun; deep, well-draining soil; trellis support.
• Propagation: Select pencil-thick canes. Cut 12-inch lengths with at least 3–4 nodes. Store in a refrigerator in damp moss until early spring, then plant with only the top bud exposed.
• How to Propagate Grape Vines (Greenwood Cuttings)

9. Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus)

• Zones: 5–9
• Needs: Full sun; adaptable to most soils.
• Propagation: Take 6–10 inch cuttings of the past year’s growth. Use rooting hormone and place in a protected cold frame or unheated greenhouse.

10. Viburnum (Viburnum spp.)

• Zones: 3–9
• Needs: Full sun to part shade; moist, slightly acidic soil.
• Propagation: Choose straight, one-year-old stems. Cuttings should be 6–8 inches long. These are slower to root and may take until early summer.
• Viburnum Propagation

11. Mock Orange (Philadelphus)

• Zones: 4–8
• Needs: Full sun to part shade; moist but well-drained soil.
• Propagation: Take 10-inch cuttings in late winter. Insert them into a slit trench filled with sand and grit to ensure drainage while they callous.

12. Spirea (Spiraea)

• Zones: 3–8
• Needs: Full sun; well-drained soil.
• Propagation: Take 3 to 6 inch cuttings. They root easily in a simple mix of peat and perlite. Keep them in a cool, bright area.

13. Mulberry (Morus)

• Zones: 4–9
• Needs: Full sun; very adaptable to poor soil.
• Propagation: Take 12-inch cuttings from the mid-section of a branch. Use a rooting hormone and keep them in a cold frame to increase success.

14. Weigela (Weigela florida)

• Zones: 4–8
• Needs: Full sun for the best foliage color and flowers; prefers well-drained soil but is quite adaptable.
• Propagation: Take 8-inch cuttings from the straightest vigorous growth of the previous summer. Weigela roots very well from hardwood. Use a rooting hormone and “stick” them into a nursery bed or a tall pot. By late spring, they usually have a well-developed root system ready for transplanting.
• Notes: popular plant that is easy to root.

15. Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)

• Zones: 5–9
• Needs: Full sun to partial shade; very wet soil or near water.
• Propagation: Take 8–12 inch cuttings from dormant wood. These root very easily when placed in moist soil or even in a bucket of water during the transition to spring.

16. Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica)

• Zones: 5–9
• Needs: Full sun to full shade; prefers moist to wet soil but is surprisingly drought-tolerant once established.
• Propagation: Take 6–10 inch cuttings of dormant, one-year-old wood. Itea roots very well when the cuttings are “stuck” in a medium of 50% peat and 50% sand or perlite. Ensure at least two nodes are buried. They typically callous over the winter and push strong roots as soon as the spring thaw begins.
• Notes: Itea is a U.S. Native plant that is in demand for commericial and residential landscaping.

17. Beautyberry (Callicarpa)

• Zones: 5–10
• Needs: Full sun to part shade; prefers loose, organic-rich soil.
• Propagation: Take 6-inch cuttings of the previous year’s growth. Remove the lower buds and stick into a potting medium.
• More About Beautyberry
• Notes: I highly recommned selecting the American native variety. They will spread and the non-native types do so readily.

18. Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius)

• Zones: 2–8
• Needs: Full sun to part shade; very cold hardy.
• Propagation: Use 8–10 inch cuttings. Ninebark roots well from “heel cuttings” where a side shoot is pulled off the main branch.
• How to Propagate Ninebark

19. Poplar (Populus)

• Zones: 3–9
• Needs: Full sun; moist soil.
• Propagation: Use 18-inch stakes and drive them 10 inches into the earth in their permanent location. Like willow, they have high success rates.

20. Rose (Rosa spp.)

• Zones: 3–10
• Needs: Full sun; rich, well-drained soil.
• Propagation: Use pencil-thick stems about 9 inches long. Remove thorns from the bottom half and insert into a sandy soil mix. Avoid grafted tea roses; stick to “own-root” varieties.

21. Bluebeard (Caryopteris × clandonensis)

• Zones: 5–9
• Needs: Full sun; very well-drained soil; drought tolerant once established.
• Propagation: Take 6-inch cuttings from the woody base of the plant. Use rooting hormone and place in a sandy potting mix in a cold frame.
• How to Propagate Caryopteris

22. St. John’s Wort (Hypericum prolificum)

• Zones: 4–8
• Needs: Full sun to partial shade; adaptable to various soil types including rocky or clay soil.
• Propagation: Take 8-inch hardwood cuttings in late winter. They root reliably when kept in a moist, sheltered nursery bed.

23. Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum)

• Zones: 3–8
• Needs: Full sun; highly acidic, moist, organic soil.
• Propagation: Take 6-inch cuttings of dormant wood from the previous year’s growth (avoid wood with fruit buds). Place in a mix of peat and sand to maintain acidity.

24. Panicle Hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata)

• Zones: 3–8
• Needs: Full sun to partial shade; well-drained soil; more sun-tolerant than other species.
• Propagation: Take 8-inch cuttings from the straight, pencil-thick growth of the previous season. Ensure you have at least two nodes below the soil and one or two above. They root vigorously as the soil warms in spring.
• How to Propagate Panicle Hydrangea
• Notes: Panicle hydrangeas flower off of new wood so you aren’t removing blooms with hardwood cuttings taken in the winter.

25. Smooth Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens)

• Zones: 3–9
• Needs: Partial shade; consistent moisture; native to the Eastern US.
• How to Propagate: Take 6–10 inch cuttings in late winter. Because these stems can be hollow or pithy, use a sharp bypass pruner to avoid crushing the stem. Insert into a well-draining medium.
• Notes: same as Panicle hydrangeas, they flower on new growth.

26. Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia)

• Zones: 5–9
• Needs: Part shade to shade; well-drained, acidic soil.
• Propagation: Take 8-inch cuttings from healthy, dormant stems. These can be slightly slower to root than Panicles, so using a rooting hormone and a cold frame or “low tunnel” is highly recommended.
• How to Propagate Oak Leaf Hydrangea

Tips for Evergreen Success with Hardwood Cuttings

Unlike dogwood or willow “stakes” that you can often stick directly in the garden, evergreens are more sensitive to desiccation (drying out). They continue to maintain their leaves where decisuous plants don’t. Below are a few tips for evergreen hardwood cuttings.

• Wounding: For evergreens, lightly scraping the bottom inch of the cutting to reveal the green cambium layer helps the plant absorb more rooting hormone.
• Humidity: Since these have leaves, they are still “breathing” and losing water. A clear plastic cover or frequent misting is helpful until roots form.
• Check for Resistance: In late spring, give a very gentle tug. If you feel resistance, roots are forming!

27. Winterberry (Ilex verticillata)

• Zones: 3–9
• Needs: Full sun to partial shade; prefers acidic, moist to wet soils.
• Propagation: Take 8-inch cuttings of one-year-old wood. Using rooting hormone significantly increases the success rate for these slow-to-root deciduous hollies.

28. Eastern Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis)

• Zones: 3–7
• Needs: Full sun to partial shade; moist, well-drained, alkaline soil.
• Propagation: Take 6-inch tip cuttings in late winter. Strip the foliage from the bottom 3 inches and wound the base by scraping a small sliver of bark off one side. Use a strong rooting hormone and place in a sand-based medium.
• How to Propagate Arborvitae

29. Juniper (Juniperus spp.)

• Zones: 3–9 (varies by species)
• Needs: Full sun; very well-drained soil; highly drought-tolerant.
• Propagation: Collect 4–6 inch cuttings from the branch tips of current-year wood that has turned brown. “Heel cuttings” (pulling a side shoot so a bit of the main stem remains) work exceptionally well. They are slow to root and often take 3–4 months.

30. Yew (Taxus spp.)

• Zones: 4–7
• Needs: Part shade to full shade; moist, well-drained soil; avoid waterlogged sites.
• How to Propagate: Take 6-inch cuttings from terminal shoots. Remove needles from the bottom half. Yews root most reliably with bottom heat (around 65°F–70°F) but can be started in a protected cold frame over winter for spring rooting.
• How to Propagate Yew

21. Holly (Ilex)

• Zones: 5–9
• Needs: Full sun to part shade; prefers moist, acidic soil; a great native alternative to Boxwood.
• Propagation: Take 4–6 inch semi-hardwood or hardwood cuttings in late winter. Strip the lower leaves and dip in rooting hormone. Keep them in a humid environment (like a tray with a clear dome) to prevent moisture loss.
• How to Propagate Holly

32. Boxwood (Buxus spp.)

• Zones: 5–9
• Needs: Part shade to full sun; well-drained soil; sheltered from harsh winter winds.
• Propagation: Take 4–6 inch cuttings from the fresh outer growth. Strip the bottom half of the leaves and “stick” them into a mix of sand and perlite. They root slowly, so be patient—you may not see significant growth until early summer.
• How to Propagate Boxwood

Hopefully this article gives you a few ideas of what you can do with hardwood cuttings. I always find it exciting to see what worked and how many rooted when spring comes. Some may not root until a few weeks into the growing season so exercise a little patience. Look for resistance when you give it a little tug and check the drainage holes for signs of roots emerging before removing cuttings from the medium. Also give the cuttings a good drink of water before removing them so that they will maintain moisture when transplanting or if you need to restick the cuttings. Have fun!