How to Propagate Salvia by Cuttings and Division
Turn one salvia plant into many. This guide details the essential timing and techniques needed to successfully propagate new plants from your existing collection.
Salvia is a popular garden plant known for its beauty and appeal to pollinators. Propagating salvia is a simple way to create more plants from a specimen you already own. This allows you to multiply your favorite varieties to expand your garden or share with others at no extra cost.
Common Salvia Propagation Methods
The two most reliable methods for propagating salvia are taking cuttings and plant division. Taking a cutting involves removing a piece of stem from the parent plant and encouraging it to root. Division is a process for clumping varieties where a mature plant is separated into smaller, individual plants. Cuttings and division are preferred over seed for many cultivars because they produce a plant that is genetically identical to the parent, ensuring desirable traits like flower color and growth habit are preserved.
When to Propagate Salvia
For softwood cuttings, the ideal time is late spring or early summer, using fresh, pliable new growth. This type of cutting roots quickly. Semi-hardwood cuttings are taken from late summer into early fall from the current season’s growth that has started to mature but is still flexible. For perennial salvias that form clumps, division is best performed in either early spring as new growth emerges or in early fall.
How to Propagate Salvia from Cuttings
Before you begin, gather your supplies. Sterilizing pruners with alcohol helps prevent the spread of disease. You will need:
- Sharp, clean pruners
- A small pot with drainage holes
- A rooting medium, such as a mix of perlite and potting soil
- Rooting hormone to increase the success rate
- A clear plastic bag to create a humid environment
Select a healthy, non-flowering shoot from the parent salvia that is about four to six inches long. Make a clean cut just below a leaf node, as this area contains a concentration of cells that facilitate root development. Carefully strip the leaves from the lower half of the stem to prevent them from rotting in the rooting medium.
If the remaining leaves are large, cut them in half to reduce moisture loss. Dip the cut end of the stem into rooting hormone, tapping off any excess. Insert the cutting into a pot filled with pre-moistened rooting medium and gently firm the medium around the stem to hold it in place.
Cover the pot with a clear plastic bag to create a humid, mini-greenhouse environment, ensuring the bag does not touch the foliage. Place the pot in a location that receives bright, indirect light, as direct sun can scorch the cutting. Roots should begin to form within three to four weeks.
How to Propagate Salvia by Division
Division is suitable for mature, clump-forming perennial salvias that are at least three years old. Water the plant thoroughly a day or two before you plan to divide it, which makes the soil easier to work with and hydrates the plant. Prepare new planting locations or pots before you begin to minimize the time roots are exposed to the air.
Dig around the entire perimeter of the salvia clump with a spade or garden fork. Work your way underneath the root ball to lift the entire plant from the ground. Once it is out of the soil, gently shake off excess dirt so you can clearly see the crown and root structure.
With the root ball exposed, you can separate it into smaller sections. For looser clumps, you may be able to pull them apart by hand. For dense, woody root systems, you might need a sharp spade, a serrated knife, or two garden forks inserted back-to-back to pry the clump apart.
Each new division must have a healthy portion of the root system and several shoots or buds to grow successfully. Replant these new divisions immediately into their prepared holes or pots. Set them at the same soil depth they were previously growing.
Caring for New Salvia Plants
For cuttings, check for rooting after a few weeks by giving the stem a gentle tug; resistance indicates roots have formed. Once rooted, acclimate the plant to normal humidity by gradually opening the plastic bag over several days before removing it. When the cutting shows new leaf growth, it can be transplanted into a larger pot or a sheltered spot in the garden.
For newly planted divisions, consistent watering is the priority. The soil should be kept evenly moist but not waterlogged for the first few weeks to help the disturbed root systems recover and establish in their new location. Mulching around the base of the plant can help retain soil moisture and regulate temperature. After a few weeks, you should see signs of new growth, which indicates the division has been successful.