How to Propagate Hydrangeas? A Detailed Guide to Common Propagation Methods

Hydrangea, also known as eight-immortal flower, comes in various colors such as red, pink, blue, and white. The eight-immortal flower is a beautiful indoor ornamental flower, a small shrub of the Saxifragaceae family and the Hydrangea genus, with a plant height of 30 cm to 120 cm. The leaves are opposite, ovate, with serrated leaf margins. The corymb is terminal, forming a spherical shape, and the flowers are green-white, pink, peach-red, and light blue. The flowering period is from May to July. Hydrangea cultivation often relies mainly on asexual propagation such as division, layering, and cuttings; especially for varieties or cultivars with special ornamental characteristics, asexual propagation is an important means of keeping the offspring consistent with the characteristics of the mother plant.

Hydrangea Cutting Propagation Method

Between April and May, use a flowerpot or wooden box, put in fine sand as a cutting bed, use the tender tips of the eight-immortal flower as cuttings, cut them into lengths of 8 cm to 12 cm, keep 3 nodes on each cutting, and leave 1 to 2 leaves, insert them directly into the sand bed, cover with plastic film, and water immediately after inserting.

At a temperature of 25°C, roots form in 25 to 30 days; when the white roots turn yellow-brown, begin transplanting the seedlings. After the cutting seedlings are potted, they must be placed in a shaded spot to recover for 5 to 7 days, then moved to a sunny place for cultivation.

Hydrangea Layering Propagation Method

For home use, the "air layering method" is best. Select a robust 2-year-old branch, and perform ring-barking 4 cm to 5 cm below a node, that is, use scissors to clamp around the stem and rotate once, then 2 cm below the cut, clamp with scissors and rotate once again, peel off the bark between the two cuts to expose the xylem. Then tie plastic film 5 cm to 6 cm below the cut to form a bag shape, put moss or peat soil into the bag, tie the bag opening tightly, fix the bagged branch with a stake, and pour water in from the bag opening.

Under normal circumstances, pour clean water into the bag once every 4 to 5 days. In 25 to 30 days, callus tissue will form at the ring-barked area, and roots will form in about 50 to 60 days. When the young roots change from white to yellow-brown, they can be cut from the mother plant and planted separately in pots.

Hydrangea Division Propagation Method

Division propagation should be carried out in early spring before budding. Separate the rooted branches from the mother plant, pot them directly, do not water too much, maintain them in semi-shade, and after new buds sprout, switch to normal care. Layering propagation can be carried out when the buds begin to swell, and roots can form after 30 days

How to Propagate Hydrangeas, Hydrangea Propagation Methods

How to propagate hydrangeas? Hydrangea cultivation often relies mainly on asexual propagation such as division, layering, and cuttings; especially for varieties or cultivars with special ornamental characteristics, asexual propagation is an important means of keeping the offspring consistent with the characteristics of the mother plant. Let's take a look below at how to propagate hydrangeas.

It is best carried out in early spring before sprouting, and division can be done together with repotting by separating the suckering shoots at the roots. Hydrangea division propagation should be carried out in early spring before budding. Separate the rooted branches from the mother plant, pot them directly, do not water too much, maintain them in semi-shade, and after new buds sprout, switch to normal care. Layering propagation can be carried out when the buds begin to swell, growth can occur after 30 days, cut from the mother plant in the following spring, transplant with soil, and it can bloom in the same year.

a. For home use, the "air layering method" is best. Select a robust 2-year-old branch, and perform ring-barking 4 cm to 5 cm below a node, that is, use scissors to clamp around the stem and rotate once, then 2 cm below the cut, clamp with scissors and rotate once again, peel off the bark between the two cuts to expose the xylem. Then tie plastic film 5 cm to 6 cm below the cut to form a bag shape, put moss or peat soil into the bag, tie the bag opening tightly, fix the bagged branch with a stake, and pour water in from the bag opening.

b. Under normal circumstances, pour clean water into the bag once every 4 to 5 days. In 25 to 30 days, callus tissue will form at the ring-barked area, and roots will form in about 50 to 60 days. When the young roots change from white to yellow-brown, they can be cut from the mother plant and planted separately in pots.

c. Layering should be carried out during the rainy period. Select a 2-year-old branch, wound it at an appropriate spot, wrap it with a half bamboo tube or film filled with nutrient soil, keep the soil moist, and roots can form after 1 month. Cut it from the mother plant in the following spring, and plant it in a pot with a soil ball.

Cuttings can be taken except in winter. In early spring, cut tender branches for cuttings; the cuttings should have 2-3 nodes, and remove the lower leaves to reduce water evaporation. In summer, during the peak growth season, you can also cut young side branches sprouting from the base of the main stem and side branches, insert them with leaves into plain sand, place them in a shaded area to maintain care and moisture, and roots can form in about 20 days, with a high survival rate.

Use dormant buds as explants, disinfect them routinely, then inoculate them on MS medium supplemented with 6-benzylaminopurine 0.8 mg/L and indoleacetic acid 2 mg/L to cultivate adventitious buds. When the shoots are 2-3 cm tall, transfer them to 1/2 MS medium supplemented with indoleacetic acid 2.0 mg/L to grow into complete small plantlets.

How to Propagate Hydrangeas? Hydrangea Propagation Methods!

Hydrangea flowers are full in shape and rich in color, pleasing to the eye and refreshing to the mind, making them the best choice for indoor potted flowers. Just like growing and caring for other potted plants, the propagation of hydrangeas is also the issue that flower lovers care about most during the growing process. So, how to propagate hydrangeas? Next, we will introduce the propagation methods of hydrangeas.

Image: Hydrangea propagation methods

Hydrangea cutting propagation:From February before budding, cuttings can begin (flower lovers can also try in other seasons; surprises only come after trying). Select semi-lignified branches about 20 cm long, remove the lower leaves, and if there are flower buds, cut them off. The suitable temperature for cuttings is 13-18°C, and roots form 15 days after inserting. Of course, some flower lovers also root them in water, and they also rooted.

Hydrangea division propagation:It is best carried out in early spring before budding. Separate the rooted branches from the mother plant, pot them directly, do not water too much, maintain them in semi-shade, and after new buds sprout, switch to normal care.

Image: Hydrangea propagation methods

Hydrangea air layering propagation:Carry it out when the buds begin to swell; growth can occur after 30 days, cut from the mother plant in the following spring, transplant with soil, and it can bloom in the same year. The specific operation method is very simple: peel off a ring of bark from the branch, then wrap it with peat or other soil.

The above is an introduction to hydrangea propagation methods. Did you learn it, flower lovers? Try it quickly.