Weigela shrubs (Weigela spp.) belong to the honeysuckle family and produce white, pink, red, purple or yellow trumpet-shaped blossoms. The shrub reaches 4 to 5 feet tall with an equally wide spread. Stiff leaves fall each year when the plant goes dormant for the winter. Weigela shrubs enjoy the mild winters in USDA plant hardiness zones 5 through 8. Rooting weigela takes place in the spring to early summer when softwood cuttings are available.
Water the weigela shrub the night before so the branches are stiff and full of moisture the next morning. Wash a small plant pot and sharp knife in soapy water. Rinse the tools in a 10 percent bleach mixture. This stops the spread of plant disease, which can kill young plants. Poke holes in the bottom of the container if it doesn't have drainage holes.
Mix together equal parts of perlite and peat moss. Fill the small pot with the mixture, and place the plant pot in a container of water until the top of the mixture feels damp.
Cut the bottom off a 2-liter clear plastic bottle. Remove the cap and rinse in water.
Choose a branch tip with fresh green growth. Inspect the leaves and stem for signs of plant disease and insect infestation. Cut a 4- to 6-inch section of the branch tip. Pinch the leaves off the lower half of the stem.
Pour a small amount of powdered rooting hormone in a small container. Dipping the cutting in the full bottle of hormone will contaminate the whole bottle. Dip the cut end of the cutting into water and then into the powdered hormone. Tap the end of the cutting against the container to knock off the excess powder. Discard the used powder.
Slide the cutting into the center of the perlite and peat moss mixture. Set the cutting in a warm, shady area. Place the top portion of the 2-liter bottle over the cutting to create a mini-greenhouse. The opening at the top will prevent the air inside from becoming too hot.
Mist the cutting twice a day with room-temperature water in a spray bottle for the first seven to 10 days. Change the watering schedule to once a day for the next six weeks. When new growth appears, it means the weigela is growing new roots.
Wait two weeks before transplanting the new plant into a larger pot. Place the weigela in an area with filtered sunlight. Water the new plant regularly, especially when the weather is hot and dry for the first year. Transplant the rooted weigela into its permanent home in full sun to light shade.
Things You Will Need
- Small plant pot
- Peat moss
- 2-liter clear plastic bottle
- Powdered rooting hormone
- Small container
- Spray bottle
- Sometimes a cutting will fail to root. Plan on taking a couple of cuttings spaced out one or two weeks apart. At least one should root. If you get too many baby weigela plants, give some of them away.
- University of California Agriculture & Natural Resources: Weigela—Weigela spp.
- North Dakota State University Extension Service: Questions on: Weigela
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Propagation with Softwood, Semi-hardwood and Hardwood Cuttings
- Purdue University Consumer Horticulture: New Plants from Cuttings