forplante

Forplante is a verb used in Danish and Norwegian (bokmål) to mean to propagate or transplant plants. In horticultural and agricultural contexts, it denotes the production of new plants from existing material, by vegetative or seed-based methods, and sometimes the act of moving a plant to a new location. The term emphasizes multiplication and establishment of plants rather than merely relocation.

Botanical propagation methods encompassed by forplante include cuttings, layering, division, grafting, and, in modern practice, tissue culture. Propagation aims to reproduce desirable traits, maintain genetic uniformity, or restore damaged plant stock. The choice of method depends on the species, the desired outcome, and practical considerations such as speed and survival rate.

In everyday horticulture, forplante can refer to both propagation and transplantation, but context determines the precise meaning: propagation produces new individuals, while transplantation refers to relocating an existing plant with its root system. In forestry and agriculture, forplante is used for producing nursery stock and for reforestation or orchard establishment, including grafted stock and clone propagation.

The term’s etymology traces to the word plant, with cognates in related Scandinavian languages. In English, the closest equivalents are propagation and transplantation; forplante itself is not commonly used outside Scandinavian-language texts.