Can I Root Plumbago From Cuttings?
Plumbago can be rooted from stem or root cuttings. Unless you will be rooting them indoors, make the cuttings in fall or spring so the rootings benefit from mild temperatures while they become established.
Stem Cuttings
Cuttings should be 3 to 4 inches long, taken just below a leaf node, recommends Andromeda Botanic Gardens. Strip the leaves from the bottom half of the plumbago cutting. Dip the stripped half in water, then in rooting hormone, if available. Use a pencil to make a depression in the soil where you will plant your cutting. Place the cutting and firm the soil around it.
Root Cuttings
The University of Florida recommends root cuttings for propagating plumbago. Take cuttings from the mature root (1/4- to 1/2-inch diameter) of a two- to three-year-old plumbago in late winter or early spring, says the University of Florida IFAS Extension. Bury 2- to 6-inch-long cuttings horizontally under 1/2 inch of rooting medium.
Considerations
Keep plumbago cuttings out of direct sunlight but in a bright place until they’ve rooted. Keep the soil evenly moist. Covering the cuttings with a clear plastic covering helps conserve moisture and prevents wind damage.
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Writer Bio
Samantha Belyeu has been writing professionally since 2003. She began as a writer and publisher for the Natural Toxins Research Center and has spent her time since as a landscape designer and part-time writer. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Texas A&M University in Kingsville.
