Cuttings

Cuttings are plant propagules used to reproduce plants asexually. A cutting is a piece of a plant, such as a stem, leaf, or root, that can develop into a new plant when placed in appropriate conditions. Cuttings are widely used in horticulture and forestry to clone cultivars, preserve desirable traits, and rapidly multiply stock plants.

Cuttings are categorized by the plant part used and the stage of growth. Stem cuttings are common and include tip cuttings from the growing shoot, side cuttings from along the stem, and heel cuttings that include a fragment of the parent stem. Stem cuttings are further classified by branch maturity: softwood cuttings from new growth, semi-hardwood cuttings from mid-to-late season growth, and hardwood cuttings from dormant mature wood. Leaf cuttings use leaf blades or leaflets, sometimes with a small petiole, and are notably successful in certain genera such as begonias and some succulents. Root cuttings come from underground portions of the plant and can produce new shoots.

Preparation and rooting involve selecting healthy stock plants, using clean tools, and trimming cuttings to an appropriate length. Leaves that are unlikely to root are often removed or reduced to minimize moisture loss. Cuttings are placed in a rooting medium that provides aeration and moisture retention; rooting hormones containing auxins may speed root formation for some species. After rooting, cuttings are kept in high humidity and warm conditions until roots establish, then gradually hardened off before transplanting to typical growing conditions.

Advantages of cuttings include genetic fidelity to the parent, rapid propagation, and cost efficiency. Limitations include variable rooting success among species, need for suitable environmental controls, and potential susceptibility to disease. Cuttings are a fundamental method in ornamental horticulture, fruit production, and forestry propagation.