Most frequently, however, either a stem or leaf is used. A new plant grown from a cutting will frequently mature faster and flower sooner than a plant grown from a seed.Ĭuttings can be made from any part of the plant.Additionally, some seeds are difficult to germinate, taking two to three years for the seedling to appear. For example, by using cuttings you could propagate a young tree that has not yet flowered (and thus has not yet produced seed), a male tree, or a sterile plant such as a navel orange. Propagating a new plant via cuttings avoids the difficulties of propagating by seed.Plants grown from seed will often be different from the parent plant and from each other. Propagating a plant by cuttings will allow you to keep the special characteristics of that plant. If the parent plant is female (as a holly or ginkgo might be), the new plant will also be female. For example, if the parent plant has variegated (multi-colored) foliage, the new plant grown from the cutting will have the same foliage. The new plant will be identical to the parent plant.There are several advantages to propagating plants using cuttings: This “cutting” is placed in an environment that encourages it to produce new roots and/or stems, thus forming a new, independent plant. Most people are familiar with growing new plants from seeds, but new plants can also be created by cutting off a portion of an established plant. Plants can be propagated, or multiplied, in several different ways.

Not dead yet willow rose