How to Root Hydrangea Cuttings

Have you every seen a beautiful hydrangea in bloom at a friend's house and wished you had one in your yard? You could probably ask for a cutting of one of the branches if you dared, and try rooting your own plant that would be an exact replicate.

The Hydrangea, is a common flowering shrub found often beside older homes on the East Coast. It is also known as hortensia, but it is actually a genus of over 75 species of flowering plants native to Asia and the Americas. The most commonly planted hydrangea is the Bigleaf Hydrangea, (Hydrangea macrophylla) with large blue to pink flowerheads, depending on the acidity of the soil which affects the availability of aluminum to the flower. In the wild, the typical flower color is white and with much smaller flowerheads.

The hydrangea is one of the plants that take very well to rooting from cuttings whether you take cuttings in the summer or in the late fall while the plant is dormant. Look for healthy plants and branches that look strong and without any bug damage or disease. The best cuttings are from the current year's growth.

Here is a simple method of rooting:

1. Take 6-inch sections with two growth nodes. I like to make an angled cut just below a node and then a straight cut just above a node. If you are taking actively growing cuttings, remove the bottom leaves and cut the top leaves in half to reduce water evaporation.

2. Set the cutting into a container of room temperature water to make sure the cutting does not have a chance to dry out while you are getting ready to work with them.

3. Fill a 6-inch pot with a potting mix. I like to use a 50:50 mix of vermiculite and coconut fiber but there are many others that would work as well. You want a soil that will allow free drainage of the water and yet holding enough moisture next to the cutting to encourage rooting.

4. Water the pot until you see the water draining from the bottom. 

5. Poke holes in the damp soil with a stick or pencil about the same diameter as the cuttings and about 3 inches deep.

6. Dip the cuttings into rooting hormone if you have it. This is an optional step as the hydrangea will likely root without it, but the rooting hormone increases your odds of success.

7. Set the cutting into the prepared holes and press the soil mixture firmly around the base of the cutting.

8. Cover the container with something clear to allow light to pass through but hold moisture, unless you live in a humid area.

9. Set the hydrangea cuttings in a bright (but not direct sunlight) and warm area (no more than 70-75 degrees F) for 4 to 6 weeks. Lift the cover (if used) every day to refresh the air.

10. Remove the cover when you see signs of growth and be careful not to let the soil dry out.

11. Transplant the cuttings when you see they are actively growing into individual containers filled with regular potting soil and water well until you are ready to plant them outdoors for the summer.

That's it. Not a hard process at all. Once the cutting takes root, the plant will grow quickly - even 24 to 36 inches in its first year. Why not give it a try and grow your own hydrangea or maybe a whole collection of hydrangeas!

If you don't have access to a shrub from which to take cuttings, you can purchase them from my Etsy page here, Wildflower Run as I do offer them when available from my bushes.