Once you start rooting your fig cuttings, you may begin to wonder if there are any other fruit trees that grow well from cuttings, like figs do.
Well, if that’s you I’m glad to tell you that you’re in the right place because I’ve rooted, and attempted to root, several other different kinds of fruit from fig and mulberry, to apples and blueberry.
Growing fruit trees from cuttings is an easy and affordable way to propagate your favorite varieties. Many popular fruits like apples, cherries, figs, grapes, and citrus can be cloned by taking and rooting cuttings from existing trees. This allows you to replicate prized cultivars without having to go through the long process of growing trees from seeds.
Below is a list of fruit trees that can be propagated from cuttings
Apple
Apples grow true-to-type from cuttings, making this method ideal for cloning your preferred variety. Take 6-8 inch cuttings from healthy, dormant branches in early spring. Remove any flower buds, dip in rooting hormone, and plant in pots filled with equal parts sand and peat moss. Mini greenhouses help retain humidity. Roots and leaves will emerge in a few weeks.
Apricot
Apricot trees can grow well from semi-hardwood cuttings taken in late summer. Select pencil-thick branches around 6 inches long. Trim off leaves and dip cut end in rooting powder before planting in moist potting mix. Maintain high humidity with plastic covering. Expect roots in 4-6 weeks.
Avocado
Avocados propagate readily from tip cuttings of new growth taken in spring and summer. Look for tender shoots with unopened leaves. Slice stems and dip in hormone powder before planting in vermiculite and perlite mix. Roots generally form in 3-5 weeks.
Blackberry
Take 4-6 inch sections of canes in early spring and plant directly in pots filled with equal parts peat moss and sand. Dip cut ends in rooting hormone first for better results. Allow 6-8 weeks for roots to develop before transplanting outside.
Blueberry
Select semi-hardwood cuttings from blueberry bushes in late summer. Dip ends in rooting hormone and place in pots filled with acidic potting mix. Cover with plastic to retain moisture and provide bottom heat. Rooting takes 6-12 weeks depending on the cultivar.
Cherry
Cherries grow well from softwood cuttings taken in early summer when new growth is pliable but fairly mature. Cuttings should have 2-4 nodes and be 2-6 inches long. Dip in rooting hormone and plant in a sterile mix of half perlite half peat. High humidity encourages faster root growth.
Citrus (lemon, orange, grapefruit, etc)
Take 3-6 inch tip cuttings from citrus trees in spring and early summer. Remove any flowers or fruit. Dip the base in rooting hormone and plant in pots filled with damp sand. Cover with plastic to retain moisture, and check for root development after about 2 months.
Currant
Red and black currants root easily from nodal cuttings taken when bushes are dormant in late fall or before spring growth starts. Cuttings should be 4-6 inches long. Dip ends in rooting powder and plant close together in pots filled with equal parts peat and perlite.
Fig
Figs grow well from large dormant cuttings. Select branches up to 3 feet long and 1 inch thick and plant directly in the ground in early spring. Avoid excess moisture and fertilizer the first year. Trees will establish quickly and bear fruit within 1-2 years.
Gooseberry
Take 4-6 inch nodal cuttings from mature gooseberry bushes in late fall after leaf drop. Dip in rooting hormone and plant closely together in pots filled with peat moss or potting soil. Bottom heat accelerates root growth. Expect roots in 6-10 weeks.
Grape
Grapes readily root from dormant cuttings taken in late fall or before spring growth emerges. Select 1/4-1/2 inch diameter canes at least 6 inches long with 2-3 nodes. Dip ends in rooting powder and plant close together in pots filled with equal parts peat and perlite.
Guava
Trim guava branches to 4-6 inch sections and wound the bases before treating with rooting hormone. Plant in sterile potting mix and provide bottom heat and humidity with plastic tents. Roots generally form within 3-4 weeks. Transplant to permanent sites once established.
Kiwi
For best results, collect kiwi cuttings when plants are dormant in late fall and early winter. Select pencil-thick shoots around 8 inches long. Dip ends in rooting powder and plant in potting soil. Provide high humidity until roots emerge in 6-8 weeks.
Mulberry
Mulberry cuttings root readily when taken as dormant woods in late fall and winter. Cut sections of branches 5-8 inches long and plant thickly in pots filled with loose potting mix. Expect roots to develop in 8-12 weeks. Transplant once established.
Olive
Take semi-hardwood olive cuttings in early spring. Remove any flower buds and dip bases in rooting hormone before planting in moist potting soil. Roots generally form within 6-8 weeks. Provide shade and misting at first to prevent drying out.
Passionfruit
For best results, take passionfruit cuttings when vines are actively growing in spring. Select shoots with 2-3 nodes, trim any leaves, dip in hormone solution, and plant in sterile media like perlite or vermiculite. Roots generally emerge in 3-4 weeks.
Pear
Pears readily grow from dormant cuttings taken before spring growth. Select 1/4-1/2 inch diameter shoots with multiple nodes. Dip in rooting hormone and plant close together in pots filled with equal parts peat and perlite. Maintain high humidity until rooted.
Plum
Plums propagate well from softwood cuttings taken in late spring when new shoots are still green and flexible. Cuttings should be 4-6 inches long with at least 2 nodes. Dip in rooting powder, plant in sterile mix, and provide bottom heat for rooting in 4-8 weeks.
Raspberry
Raspberry canes root easily when sections are removed and planted in early summer. Take 3-6 inch cuttings and dip ends in rooting hormone before planting closely together in potting mix. Provide humidity and shade at first. Roots generally form within 4-6 weeks.
Strawberry
Strawberries send out runners that can be pinned down and rooted directly in the ground. Just bury a section of the runner while it’s still attached to the mother plant to encourage root growth. Sever once established.
Here are 7 fruit trees that grow well from cutting:
- Fig Tree
- Mulberry Tree
- Elderberry Tree
- Grape Vine
- Dragon Fruit
- Blueberry Bush
- Brambleberry Bush (raspberry, blackberry)
The fig tree is usually where everyone starts when it comes to propagating trees and bushes from cuttings. They’re just so very easy.
So it makes sense to put it first on our list of the fruit trees that grow well from cuttings. The common fig is one of the easiest to grow from a cutting, and one that I’ve personally done dozens of times.
I personally think that everyone should start with a fig tree cutting because this is the absolute easiest fruit tree to propagate from a cutting that also just happens to grow in many different areas with ease.
Where can fig trees grow?
Fig trees tend to be hardy down to zone 5, depending on the type, and can also be grown in humid/rainy climates. One of the fig trees that works well in just about any clime from cold to wet, is the Olympian fig.
There are actually mulberry varieties that are native to the United States of America, and others that are considered to be invasive. It’s important to know the laws in your state before propagating any mulberry trees, to make sure that you can actually grow it legally.
The short answer, is that morus alba, or white mulberry, originated from Asia and has mixed and taken over the morus rubra, or red mulberry, found native in the US.
Certain types of mulberry trees are also easy to grow from a cutting, and others take a lot more work, or don’t even grow at all. Some of the easier types are Jan’s Best, World’s Best, Maui, and Valdosta.
To date, I’ve successfully rooted Jan’s Best Dwarf Everbearing and Maui. I have not been successful with a white mulberry to date, but am still trying with four more cuttings that I’ve found locally on a tree in a park.
Propagated Fruit Tree Cuttings Update And Test
FAQ
Which fruit is propagated by cutting?
Hardwood cuttings are the choice method for propagating fruit trees such as figs, pomegranates, mulberries, quince, some varieties of plums, and for fruiting …Apr 18, 2016
What trees can be grown from cuttings?
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Yard and Gardenhttps://yardandgarden.extension.iastate.eduPropagating Shrubs and Trees from Softwood Cuttings | Yard and GardenTrees that can be propagated from softwood cuttings include willow, maple, ginkgo, elm, crabapple, linden, birch, sweet gum, and redbud. Shrubs that can be prop…
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Iowa State University Extension and Outreachhttps://www.extension.iastate.eduYard and Garden: Propagating Plants with Hardwood Stem CuttingsFeb 1, 2017 — Which plants can be propagated from hardwood stem cuttings? Several woody trees, shrubs and vines can be propagated by hardwood stem cuttings. Plants…
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Fine Gardeninghttps://www.finegardening.comPropagating Native Trees and Shrubs Through Hardwood CuttingsShrubs such as redtwig dogwood (Cornus sericea, Zones 3–8), trees such as cottonwood (Populus deltoides, Zones 2–9), and evergreens such as Rocky Mountain junip…
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NC State Extension Publicationshttps://content.ces.ncsu.eduPlant Propagation by Stem Cuttings – NC State Extension PublicationsJan 31, 1999 — The four main types of stem cuttings are herbaceous, softwood, semi-hardwood, and hardwood. These terms reflect the growth stage of the stock plant,
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BBChttps://www.bbc.co.ukGardening Guides – Techniques – Hardwood cuttings – BBCTrees and shrubs suitable for hardwood propagation: * Salix viminalis ‘Cane Osier’ * Ilex aquifolium. * Cornus alba ‘Sibirica’ * Ribes rubrum ‘Raby Castle’ * L…
What is the easiest fruit tree to grow?
- Disease Resistance: Pear trees are generally more resistant to diseases compared to other common fruit trees.
- Low Maintenance: They require relatively little pruning and fertilization.
- Self-Pollinating Varieties: Many pear varieties are self-fertile, meaning you don’t need a companion tree to produce fruit.
- Abundant Fruit: Pear trees are known for their high fruit yield.
What time of year do you take fruit tree cuttings?
Knowing when to take fruit tree cuttings can make all the difference in a successful grafting season. Fruit tree cuttings for apples, pears and stone fruits should be pencil thick and harvested in the late winter. The scions must be fully dormant. If the buds start to open up, you have waited too long!