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Viburnum is one of the most versatile and beautiful ornamental plants, with several seasons of interest. Like many woody plants, propagating viburnum from cuttings is the most effective way to replicate the bush.
Viburnum plant cuttings can come from either softwood or hardwood, but a few techniques and tricks are necessary to enhance rooting and ensure your new plants thrive. Learn how to propagate viburnum from cuttings and save a bundle by growing your own stock of these wonderful plants.
The arrowwood viburnum (Viburnum dentatum) is a hardy, beautiful deciduous shrub that deserves a spot in any landscape. With its multi-season appeal, viburnum makes an excellent addition to gardens. Fortunately, propagating arrowwood viburnum is relatively straightforward, allowing you to multiply your plantings and share this lovely shrub with gardening friends.
In this comprehensive guide we will cover proper techniques for propagating arrowwood viburnum through seed, cuttings layering, and division. Follow these steps for success in producing new arrowwood viburnum plants.
Propagation Overview
Before jumping into specifics, let’s go over some key advantages of propagating viburnum:
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Produces identical clones of the parent plant, so you know exactly what to expect.
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Much cheaper than purchasing new plants from a nursery.
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Allows you to multiply special cultivars that may be hard to find commercially.
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Great way to swap plants with fellow gardeners.
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Provides an interesting learning experience and sense of satisfaction.
While viburnum can be propagated at various times, early summer or fall is ideal. Use healthy, vigorous parent plants, and propagate when the shrub is actively growing. Now let’s look at techniques.
Propagating Arrowwood Viburnum by Seed
Growing arrowwood viburnum from seed is rewarding but slower than other propagation methods. Follow these steps:
Collecting Seeds
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Allow viburnum fruits to ripen to a dark blue-black in fall.
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Remove the fleshy outer fruit layer to access seeds.
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Air dry seeds for 1-2 weeks.
Sowing Seeds
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Fill starter pots with moist, well-draining potting mix.
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Sow seeds just below the surface.
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Maintain warm (65-70°F) soil temperature.
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Germination takes 1-2 months. Thin seedlings if needed.
Transplanting
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Let seedlings grow until they have 2-3 sets of true leaves.
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Transplant into larger containers or garden beds.
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Water regularly until established.
Propagating by Cuttings
Taking cuttings from viburnum is a very reliable propagation method. Follow these steps:
Prepare Cuttings
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Select a healthy, non-flowering stem in early summer.
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Cut a 4-6 inch section below a leaf node.
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Remove lower leaves and pinch off any flowers.
Rooting Cuttings
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Dip stem in rooting hormone (optional but boosts success).
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Stick into a sterile potting mix of peat and perlite.
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Place in indirect sunlight and keep mix evenly moist.
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Roots should develop in 4-8 weeks.
Transplanting
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Carefully remove from pot once rooted.
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Plant in garden or larger container with well-draining soil.
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Water regularly until established.
Propagating by Layering
Layering involves encouraging new roots to form before severing from the parent plant.
Preparing the Branch
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Select a low, flexible branch to bend to ground level.
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Make a shallow cut where it will contact soil.
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Dust with rooting hormone.
Rooting
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Bury branch section under 1-2 inches of soil.
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Secure with a stone or peg.
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Keep moist until roots develop in a few months.
Separating
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Once well rooted, detach from parent plant.
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Transplant to desired location.
Propagating by Division
Mature, multi-stemmed viburnum can be divided. Here’s how:
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Carefully dig up plant in early spring.
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Shake off excess soil and untangle root mass.
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Divide into sections, ensuring each has roots and stems.
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Replant divisions immediately.
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Water well and monitor growth.
Key Tips for Success
Follow these tips to ensure your arrowwood viburnum cuttings and new plants thrive:
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Use clean, sterile tools to prevent disease transmission.
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For cuttings, select healthy, vigorous stems for best results.
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Remove any flowers or flower buds, which sap energy from root production.
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Use a sterile, light, and quick-draining propagation medium.
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Maintain warm temperature and high humidity for rapid rooting.
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Transplant to garden or containers after sufficient root growth.
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Water frequently at first to help young plants establish.
Enjoy Multiple Arrowwood Viburnums
With proper techniques, propagating arrowwood viburnum is an extremely gratifying experience. Not only do you end up with beautiful new shrubs, you also gain the satisfaction of continuing a plant legacy. Use these multiplication methods to expand your garden bounty or share arrowwood viburnum with other plant enthusiasts.
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When to Take Cuttings from Viburnum
Viburnum plants are primarily native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, although some occur in South America, Southeast Asia, and across Russia and the Ukraine. Plants have attractive lightly scalloped leaves, stunning flowers, and clusters of small fruits.
Propagating viburnum can ensure an exact cloned plant from the parent while giving an interesting look into the practices that successful growers employ. One of the most important aspects of propagation through cuttings is timing.
Every plant is different, but viburnum can be propagated either by soft or hardwood cuttings. Hardwood will be a bit more difficult to root, while rooting viburnum cuttings taken in mid to late spring, which are softwood cuttings, tend to root much easier. Hardwood viburnum plant cuttings are already dormant and are rigid with plant cells in an inactive state of growth.
Autumn, after leaves have fallen, is the best time to take hardwood cuttings, but success has been achieved with those taken in the dead of winter as well. For the novice, spring is probably your best bet as to when to take cuttings from viburnum.
Plant cells are awakening and ready to grow, which increases the chances of a quicker and more successful rooting.
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How to Propagate Viburnums from Cuttings (Arrowwood, Shasta, Onondaga, and Japanese Snowball)
FAQ
How to propagate Arrowwood?
What is the preferred propagation method for viburnum?
How to propagate viburnum from cuttings?
How do you propagate David viburnum?
How do you propagate arrowwood Viburnum?
Arrowwood viburnum can be propagated via softwood or hardwood cuttings. Softwood cuttings can be taken in the spring or early summer, while hardwood cuttings should be taken during the winter dormant season or early spring just before the plant begins actively growing again. Here’s how:
How long does arrowwood Viburnum take to root?
Arrowwood Viburnum after being rooted in sand. My favorite way to make more arrowwood viburnums is through cuttings. Cuttings root extremely well and you can do many cuttings of this plant at a time. A 4 to 6 inch cutting taken with a node at the bottom should root in less than 4 weeks.
How do you root a viburnum cutting?
Rooting viburnum cuttings from hardwood can be a bit more difficult. Here a rooting hormone is definitely recommended. Take an angled cutting of 8 to 10 inches (20-25 cm.), with several growth nodes. Remove any leaves on the cutting and dip the cut end into water, then into a small amount of rooting hormone.
Should arrowwood Viburnum be pruned?
Arrowwood viburnum shrubs don’t need extensive pruning. Right after the plant is done flowering, prune any stems necessary to maintain the shrub’s shape. Avoid taking off more than a third of the shrub’s overall size. Remove any dead, damaged, or diseased portions of the shrub whenever you spot them.