Natives are fast becoming a popular choice for Aussie gardeners. Not only do they look good, but they are pretty drought-tolerant too.
Watch: How to propagate pot plants
While it’s easier (and quicker) to buy natives ready for planting from your local nursery, you can also try propagating your own natives from cuttings too.
How to propagate natives
To get you started, here’s everything you need to know about propagating natives, plus a step-by-guide.
Can all Australian native plants be propagated from cuttings?
While many native plants can be propagated from cuttings, some are almost impossible, but it depends on your skill level.
For example, many grass or flowering plants are difficult to root.
John Mason, Horticulturist and Principal of ACS Distance Education, says, “Perhaps half of the cultivated Australian natives can be propagated with reasonable ease from cuttings.”
Read our list of the 30 most popular natives to grow.
Which natives are the fastest and easiest to propagate from cuttings?
The easiest native cuttings to strike are from semi-hardwood cuttings, says John.
“Those taken as semi-hardwood cuttings from shrubby or ground cover plants belonging to the asteraceae (daisy) or lamiaceae (mint) families,” he says.
These include helichrysums, brachyscome, and prostanthera.
He adds: “Another easy one is leschenaultia. I could get roots on a leschenaultia cutting in 4 to 6 weeks, if taken in late February in Melbourne.
“I also find hibiscus and some other plants that do not get as much hardwood can be a little easier to strike.”
In addition to those, Cindy and the expert team at Perth Gardening Experts say, “The best natives to propagate for beginners include bottle brush and native rosemary.”
“But in general, as long as the cutting is taken from a healthy plant with a firm stem (from the current season’s growth), and isn’t flowering, native plants are easier to propagate than most people think.”
What is the best time of year to propagate natives from cuttings?
The best time of year to propagate natives from cuttings will depend on where you live.
“Most cuttings are semi-hardwood, but some can be taken as softwood (use tender young shoots in spring), and others (but fewer) as hardwood cuttings even in winter,” says John.
“Semi-hardwood cuttings that are taken in Melbourne in late summer, early autumn, might be taken in South East Queensland over a much longer period.
“In Northern Australia, the timing might be almost all year round, and in Tasmania or alpine areas, where the climate is colder, the timing may be different again.”
What is the best rooting hormone for propagating natives?
Whatever rooting hormone you have is probably fine. However, if you’re new to propagating, John recommends starting with a powder.
“If starting to learn propagation, stick with hormone powders,” he says.
“Liquid hormones are more tricky because the intensity of the hormone applied can vary a lot more depending on the strength of the solution and how long you put it in the solution.”
What type of soil is best for propagating natives from cuttings?
Having the right soil is very important for propagating natives.
John recommends you propagate into soil that is disease free and drains well.
“Rockwool blocks are easy, but most cutting propagation by far tends to be a mix of clean, washed coarse sand and a clean material that can hold a little but not too much water.”
For example, John says 70% to 75%, and with 25% to 30% peat moss, fine coco peat or perlite is good. But adds, “These percentages might also vary a bit depending on the depth of container, environmental conditions and species being propagated.”
Additionally, Cindy and her team say a seed-raising mix can also work if you’re just starting out and aren’t confident mixing up your soil.
How much sun and water does a native cutting need
The amount of sun and water that a cutting needs to give it the best chance at growing roots will depend on the plant species.
But John says, “For most, the area around the base of the cutting should never become bone dry and never be saturated.”
“If no moisture gets into the cutting, the leaves will wilt, and cells will die.
“If there is too much water at the base of the cutting, disease organisms can flourish, and any developing root cells can become infected and die.”
Cindy and her team recommend creating a greenhouse effect to give your cuttings the best chance of growing roots.
“This can even be with a plastic PEAT bottle if you only do a few. You want a warm, humid place with filtered sunlight.”
How to pick the perfect cutting
When taking cuttings to propagate, you want the material to be healthy and free from disease.
So where should they take it from the plant? Cindy and her team say, “Take shoot tips, about 8 -12cm long, remove any flowers and the leaves from the bottom half and then cut the base just below a node – the node is where the roots will begin from.”
A basic step-by-step guide to propagating a native shrub
- Take a shoot tip cutting, about 8 -12cm long. Avoid taking cuttings from plants that are budding or flowering.
- Remove the bottom 50 to 75% foliage from the cutting.
- Cut the base below the node at an angle to prevent rot.
- Apply your rooting hormone, covering approx 1 cm of the stem.
- Insert the cuttings into the soil. Leave 2-3 cm between cuttings.
- Give your cuttings a good watering
If you would like to learn more about cutting propagation, ACS runs a course here.
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Top tips for growing natives in your garden
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