Growing Native Plants From Cuttings

Many years ago I was employed at U.C. Davis as a research associate where I propagated tiny pieces of aspen and rooted them in a nutrient gel. After I moved to Truckee, I began experimenting with cuttings of different local species. I learned a lot from the early studies at Northstar by U.C.Davis and the California Water Resources Control Board and then enjoyed working with willows on my early erosion control projects.

In Europe, bioengineering using willows has been practiced since the Middle Ages. Banks of streams and canals are stabilized by sticking willow cuttings into the soil. As the rooting properties of willows became more understood, many creative ways of using them for erosion control and living fences developed. At Northstar willow staking and wattling were used with great success. Since then many local staking and wattling projects have been done on Truckee River Day producing thousands of plants.

Homeowners can easily use these techniques to grow a living fence or to control erosion. Willows are the easiest to propagate and early November is the ideal time to do it. Willows contain a natural plant hormone that promotes rooting. (Willow cuttings can be soaked in water for a few days and then this water can be used to soak other plants to make it easier for them to root.)

The Northstar study showed that optimum rooting takes place on cuttings 3/4 to 1 inch in diameter. To root willows directly in the ground stakes 12-16 inches long are cut and driven in with a mallet . Ideally only 2 inches of the stake should remain showing above the soil. Bundles of six to eight willows about 3 feet long can be tied together at both ends. These are called wattles and can be placed in shallow trenches and partially covered. They can be secured with 2 willow stakes driven through the watttle. Each wattle will produce many shoots and roots that will both control erosion and make a thick living fence. Regular watering and organic fertilizer such as Biosol will make willows grow a foot the first year and several feet the second year.

In the Truckee area we have several species of native willows. The most commonly propagated are Salix lemmonii (named after the pioneer botanists from Sierraville) and Salix scouleriana. Lemon willow grows 12 feet tall and has small fine leaves and benefits from lots of water. Scouler willow is larger, up to 30 feet and is often found in dry places.

Black Cottonwood which is closely related to willows can be propagated from stakes with about 50% success. It is best to dip the stakes in rooting hormone before pounding then in. Redtwig dogwood also sprouts from stakes treated with hormone. Blue elderberry can be propagated from stem cuttings about 1 inch in diameter.

Aspens are closely related to cottonwoods and willows but do not sprout from cuttings. However, their unique means of reproduction called suckering allows them to be easily transplanted in early November. It is best to use suckers that are under 4 feet tall. Aspen suckers are shallowly rooted and it is best to stake them so they won’t fall over the first winter.