Can I Take Cuttings From a River Birch?

Cutting Time

• You can propagate the river birch tree with cuttings taken at anytime of the year. However, the cuttings taken in spring produce roots faster, suggests Jill Nokes in "How to Grow Native Plants of Texas and the Southwest" Cuttings taken in spring are softwood cuttings -- the succulent, tender current year growth that is not yet hardened.

Rooting Medium

• Prepare a rooting medium by mixing together equal amounts of peat, perlite and sand, or use fine gravel. Fill a medium-sized pot with rooting medium. Insert a pencil 2 to 3 inches deep at a distance of about 2 inches to plant the cuttings. Rooting medium encourage the production of roots by providing the necessary oxygen, water and physical support to the new cuttings.

Cutting Method

• Use a clean, sharp scissors to cut 4- to 8-inch-long sections of softwood stems, measuring from the stem tips. Remove all the leaves from the lower half of the stem and leave a couple of leaves at the top. These leaves continue to produce a substance that will help in the production of roots.

Planting Method

• Dip the base of each cutting in a rooting hormone and plant immediately in individual planting holes in the rooting medium. Firm the soil around the cuttings and water well. To create a greenhouse environment, place the entire pot in a large, clear plastic bag, stick a chopstick in the pot to hold up the bag, and close the top with a rubber band. Place the pot in bright, warm area out of direct sunlight. Open the bag every three to four days and water enough to moisten the rooting medium. Cuttings generally root within a few weeks. Transfer the rooted cutting to individual pots filled with well-draining potting soil. Let plants get a little established before transplanting to a permanent spot in the garden.