A couple months ago I managed to root a dogwood tree from cuttings. Only 1 of 3 cuttings rooted but I still considered it a success. After all it was the first time I had managed to root a dogwood tree from a cutting. You would be happy to! Since then I did another experiment. These are the cuttings I took in the how to propagate dogwood video (YouTube Link) I put together. Today I’m very happy to share the results. Keep in mind this is for Cornus florida but other tree dogwoods should root similarly. Red twig or yellow twig dogwoods are in fact a lot easier than tree dogwoods to root.
I may earn a small commission if you purchase through some of the links in this post at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I use and trust!

Cutting Size Matters
We’ve all heard the saying “Size matters Not” but actually, it might! Sorry Yoda! The cuttings I took in this batch were different sizes. The smaller ones were all successful while the larger one failed. the smaller ones were 3-4 nodes and only 3-4 inches long. The longer cutting was 5 nodes and was about 6-7 inches long.
I believe the smaller dogwood cuttings rooted because they had less vegetation to maintain and the energy could go into the roots and keep the cutting alive at the same time. This was a very small sample size with only 4 cuttings, getting a 75% rate, but I’ll take more cuttings in the future and observe how they do.
The cuttings were taken in June and took just under 8 weeks to get to the point you see in the picture.
Dogwood Tree rooting tips
- Take shorter 3-4 node cuttings no more than 4 inches long
- Use Hormodin 3 rooting hormone
- Keep under lights if possible out of direct sun
- Root in 6-8 weeks.
These young dogwoods are now ready to be potted up and grown on, and I’m looking forward to planting them in the yard next year.
The complete how to post is here if you would like more info: How to Propagate Dogwood Trees from Cuttings.
Propagating ‘Shasta’ Viburnum (Viburnum plicatum f. tomentosum) from Cuttings
I have many favorite plants (as all gardeners can attest to) but I am really a big fan of viburnums. Many viburnums have showy flowers in the spring, leafy green foliage throughout the growing season, and great fall color. Some are evergreen, many provide food…
How to Propagate Winter Jasmine by Taking Advantage of Aerial Roots
You all know how much I like making new plants, but you should also know that I really like it when plants make it easy for the propagator. Many plants do just that by creating aerial roots that normally will be used to grab onto…
How to Grow Sweetbay Magnolia from Seeds
No matter where I go when I see seeds that are ripe I’m tempted to collect them. That was the case when walking around Knoxville last year and seeing some ripe magnolia seeds on some Sweetbay magnolia plants. Sweetbay magnolias have several names including: sweetbay…
Oak Leaf Hydrangea Propagation (Cuttings) the Results
Oak leaf hydrangeas are an awesome landscape shrub to add to the garden. They get big and need room and enjoy part shade/part sun locations but if you have the right spot for one by all means add one! I’m always trying to propagate a…
How to Choose the Right Cuttings for Plant Propagation
When you’re taking cuttings from a plant, one of the most important steps is choosing the right material. The type of cutting you select plays a huge role in whether or not it will root successfully. In this post, I’ll walk you through what I…
Crape Myrtle Propagation by Cuttings
One of the great flowering summer trees of the south is the crape myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica). They typically grow well in zones 6-9 (Tennessee generally falls in the zone 6 area with a few areas in the 7). One of the growing traits of a…
Discover more from Growing The Home Garden
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.