How To Propagate Daphne Shrubs

Almost 100 species of Daphne shrubs exist, some evergreen and others deciduous. Although Daphne berries are poisonous, the shrub is widely grown for its sweet smelling flowers.

Daphne needs at least three hours of shade every day and sparse watering just prior to flowering. Daphne cuttings are easy to propagate and will root within one to three months. Daphne shrubs are hardy to USDA zones 4 to 8.

Step 1

Cut a 4- to 6-inch piece of stem from the tip of the Daphne.

Step 2

Pour equal parts of the sphagnum peat moss and perlite into the planting pot and water it until the excess water runs out of the bottom of the pot. Using a pencil or your finger, create a hole in the soil for the cutting.

Step 3

Remove all the leaves from the cutting, with the exception of the top two.

Step 4

Dip the cut end of the cutting in the rooting hormone.

Step 5

Insert the cutting into the soil and pack the soil around it. Mist the Daphne cutting with the plant misting bottle.

Step 6

Place pencils or small sticks in each corner of the planting pot and place the pot in the plastic bag. The stakes should hold the bag away from the cutting's leaves.

Step 7

Place the potted cutting in an area that remains at least 65 degrees F. Check the soil daily to make sure that it remains moist. The Daphne cutting will root within four to five weeks, but could take up to three months. One way to tell if the cutting has rooted is to turn the pot over and look for small, white roots.

Step 8

Transplant your Daphne in the late spring. The roots will be very fragile, so implement the transplanting process quickly but gently.