There are few things in gardening more satisfying than making a brand-new plant from one you already have. And if you have favorite shrubs or woody plants growing in your garden, mid to late summer is one of the best times of year to do it.
This is the season for taking semi-hardwood cuttings, when the current year’s growth has started to mature but hasn’t become fully woody yet.
Once you learn what that stage looks and feels like, you’ll start seeing propagation opportunities all over your garden.
What Are Semi-Hardwood Cuttings?
Semi-hardwood cuttings are taken from the current season’s growth after the stem has begun to firm up.
Earlier in the season, new growth is soft, green and flexible. That’s called softwood. Later, those same stems become rigid and woody, which is hardwood.
Semi-hardwood falls right in between. The base of the stem has begun to firm up, while the upper portion still has some flexibility. The leaves are usually full-sized and mature.
A simple bend test makes this easy to recognize. If the stem snaps quickly like a fresh green bean, it’s still softwood. When it’s so rigid that it barely bends, it has moved into hardwood.
What you’re looking for is a stem that bends but doesn’t immediately break.
You can do a simple bend test, and if the stem snaps quickly like a fresh green bean, it’s still softwood.
Semi-Hardwood vs. Softwood vs. Hardwood Cuttings
The easiest way to understand the difference is to think of these as three stages of the same stem.
Softwood cuttings come from young, tender growth that is still green and snaps easily when bent.
Semi-hardwood cuttings come from current-season growth that has started to mature. The base is firming up, but the stem still retains some flexibility.
Hardwood cuttings are taken from mature woody growth after the stem has fully hardened.
That’s why the bend test is so useful. You’re simply trying to catch this season’s growth at that middle stage.
If a plant’s stem is so rigid that it barely bends, it has moved into the hardwood phase.
When Is the Best Time to Take Semi-Hardwood Cuttings?
For many plants, the sweet spot is mid to late summer into early fall, but I wouldn’t rely too heavily on a date on the calendar. Plants develop at different rates depending on the species, climate and growing conditions.
Instead, look at the growth itself. You want current-season stems with mature leaves, a base that is starting to transition from green toward tan or brown, and a tip that still has some flexibility.
Once you’ve handled a few stems at each stage, recognizing semi-hardwood becomes pretty intuitive.
What you’re looking for is a stem that bends but doesn’t break.
What Plants Can You Propagate From Semi-Hardwood Cuttings?
Semi-hardwood propagation works especially well with a number of woody landscape plants. Some good candidates include:
- Camellia
- Boxwood
- Rhododendron
- Viburnum
- Weigela
- Hydrangea
- Crabapple
- Cherry
That doesn’t mean every cutting from every one of those plants will root, or that semi-hardwood is the only way to propagate them. But it gives you a good group of plants to experiment with as you learn the technique.
You don’t need much equipment to get started – just a basic propagation setup.
What You Need to Take Semi-Hardwood Cuttings
You don’t need much equipment to get started. A basic propagation setup includes:
- Clean, sharp pruners
- A sharp knife or razor blade
- Rooting hormone
- Pots or a propagation tray
- Pre-moistened, well-draining rooting medium
- A clear plastic bag or humidity dome
Supplies needed to prepare semi-hardwood cuttings include a sterile, sharp cutting blade, such as a single-edge razor blade or box cutter, a clean, solid cutting surface, and rooting hormone (liquid or powder), and pre-moistened medium in pots ready to receive your cuttings. Bonus points for preparing the hole in advance. A chopstick works great.
Perlite works well as a rooting medium, as does a mix of perlite and bark. For rooting hormone, both liquid and powder products work, although I find powder easy to use and forgiving if you’re just getting started.
Perlite works well as a rooting medium.
How to Take Semi-Hardwood Cuttings
Once you’ve found the right growth, the process itself is pretty simple.
1. Take Cuttings While the Plant Is Hydrated
Whenever possible, collect your stems early in the morning when the plant is well hydrated. Cut a healthy section of stem and bring it back to your potting area to prepare the individual cuttings.
Try not to leave freshly cut stems sitting around in direct sun. Once they’re separated from the parent plant, they have no roots to replace the moisture they lose.
Cut a healthy section of stem to prepare the individual cuttings.
2. Prepare Cuttings With Several Nodes
Cut the stem into individual sections with about three to five leaf nodes each. Nodes are the points along the stem where the leaves emerge.
Remove any flowers or flower buds. At this point, we want the cutting directing its energy toward forming roots rather than trying to maintain flowers. Make the bottom cut at an angle just below a node.
Cut the stem into individual sections, each with at least two sets of leaf nodes is best. Each section is a potential new plant. This original stem should produce at least two, and possibly three rooted cuttings. Even though the bottom section on the right doesn’t have a set of leaf nodes, if you wound the stem, it may produce roots.
3. Remove the Lower Leaves
Next, strip off the leaves from the lower portion of the cutting while leaving foliage at the upper node or two. If the remaining leaves are large, trim them back to about half their original size.
That may look a little drastic, but remember that this cutting doesn’t have roots yet. The leaves are still losing water, while there’s no root system to replace it. Reducing the leaf surface helps slow that water loss while roots develop.
Remove lower leaves while leaving foliage at the upper node or two.
I recommend an additional step: trim the remaining top leaves if they’re large to about half to reduce water loss., and conserve space under the humidity cover.
Should You Wound Semi-Hardwood Cuttings?
I like to lightly wound the base of the cutting by scraping away a small amount of the outer bark. You don’t need to gouge deeply into the stem. A light scrape is enough to expose some additional tissue near the base.
A light scrape is enough to expose some additional tissue near the base. While this is not always necessary, a light scrape can induce more root formation.
Then dip that end into rooting hormone so the wounded area receives a light coating. One simple tip: pour a little rooting hormone into a separate container rather than dipping your cuttings directly into the original bottle. That helps keep your main supply clean.
If you pour a little rooting hormone into a separate first, it helps keep your main supply clean. For powder, tap off the excess before “sticking” your cutting into the medium.
How Deep Should You Plant a Semi-Hardwood Cutting?
Insert the cutting about one-third of its length into your rooting medium. You want the bottom node or two below the surface.
Insert the cutting about one-third of its length into your rooting medium.
Then gently firm the medium around the stem so there’s good contact between the cutting and the propagation mix. If you’re rooting several cuttings in the same container, give them enough room that the leaves aren’t piled on top of one another.
Give a firm press around the cutting to ensure the stem is in good contact with the propagation mix.
Humidity Is Important While Cuttings Root
At this stage, one of your biggest jobs is keeping the cutting from drying out. A clear plastic bag, propagation dome or other cover can help trap humidity around the foliage.
Keep the cuttings in bright, indirect light, not direct sun. Direct sunlight can quickly overheat a covered propagation container and cause the cuttings to lose moisture faster than they can handle.
Check them every few days. If the inside of the cover looks dry, give the cuttings a light mist.
Use a clear plastic bag, propagation dome or other cover over the semi-hardwood cuttings to help trap humidity around the foliage. Consider adequate humidity as the cutting’s lifeline until it forms roots in a matter of weeks. If the condensation dissipates, rehydrate as necessary to restore moisture.
If you don’t have a humidity dome, clear, plastic bags secured over the plants helps to trap humidity.
How Long Do Semi-Hardwood Cuttings Take to Root?
This is where patience comes in. Depending on the plant and the conditions, rooting can take anywhere from about three weeks to two months.
Don’t expect much to happen during the first week. That’s normal. The work you care about most is happening below the surface where you can’t see it.
You may eventually notice new leaves developing or roots appearing through the drainage holes. Those are good signs that the cutting is establishing.
Rooting can take anywhere from about three weeks to two months. It’s important to have patience while all the work is going on under the soil.
What If Some Cuttings Don’t Root?
Some of them won’t. That’s just part of propagation. Even experienced propagators don’t expect every cutting to succeed. There are too many variables involved, including the condition of the stem, timing, moisture, temperature, rooting medium and hormone strength.
That’s why I like to take more cuttings than I ultimately need. And keep notes.
If one batch performs really well, write down when you took those stems and what you used. If another doesn’t do well, experiment the next time with a different rooting medium, timing or rooting hormone. The more you practice, the better your instincts get.
Make More Plants From What You Already Have
Once you get comfortable taking semi-hardwood cuttings, propagation can become pretty addictive. It changes the way you look at your garden.
A shrub you really love isn’t necessarily just one plant anymore. With a little time and practice, it can become several plants for another part of your garden or plants you can share with friends.
Not every cutting will root, and you probably won’t see much happening during that first week, but stick with it. The more you practice, the better you’ll get at recognizing the right stems, managing moisture and figuring out what works for the plants you’re trying to propagate.
And before you know it, a few stems taken in summer can turn into a whole new batch of plants that you grew yourself.
Before you know it, a few stem cuttings will have become a whole new batch of plants that you grew yourself. These native Hamamelis virginiana semi-hardwood cuttings taken last summer are well-rooted and putting on plenty of new growth.
Frequently Asked Questions About Semi-Hardwood Cuttings
What is a semi-hardwood cutting?
A semi-hardwood cutting comes from the current season’s growth after the stem has begun to mature but before it becomes completely woody. The base will be firm while the upper portion still has some flexibility.
When should I take semi-hardwood cuttings?
For many plants, mid to late summer into early fall is a good time. More important than the calendar is the condition of the stem. Look for mature foliage, a firming base and some flexibility near the tip.
Do semi-hardwood cuttings need rooting hormone?
Some plants may root without it, but rooting hormone can help encourage root development. I like to lightly wound the base of the stem before applying it.
Should semi-hardwood cuttings be kept in full sun?
No. Keep them in bright, indirect light while they are rooting. Direct sunlight can dry out the cuttings and can quickly overheat them if they are underneath a clear humidity cover.
How long do semi-hardwood cuttings take to root?
Many will take somewhere between three weeks and two months, although the exact timing depends on the plant and growing conditions.
Links & Resources
Episode 011-Plant Propagation Basics – With Brie Arthur(opens in new tab)
Episode 108-Easy Ways to Make More Houseplants, Vegetables and Flowers(opens in new tab)
Episode 404-Houseplant Propagation Need-to-Knows, with Lindsay Sisti(opens in new tab)
joegardenerTV YouTube: Simple Plant Propagation | How to Make More Plants for Free(opens in new tab)
joegardenerTV YouTube: How to Make More Plants – Propagating Tomato Suckers(opens in new tab)
joegardenerTV YouTube: How to Propagate Plants from Semi-Hardwood Cuttings(opens in new tab)
Bypass pruners (opens in new tab)
Rooting hormone powder (opens in new tab)
Propagation trays(opens in new tab)
Pro Mix medium(opens in new tab)
Clear humidity bags(opens in new tab)
Clear tubs for humidity domes(opens in new tab)
Plant mister / spray bottle(opens in new tab)
Razor blades(opens in new tab)
Tub Trug Shallow(opens in new tab)
Ultimate Gardening Sheath(opens in new tab)
Disclosure: Some product links in this guide are affiliate links, which means we get a commission if you purchase. However, none of the prices of these resources have been increased to compensate us, and compensation is not an influencing factor on their inclusion here. The selection of all items featured in this post and podcast was based solely on merit and in no way influenced by any affiliate or financial incentive, or contractual relationship.
