Propagating weigelas: cuttings, offshoots & more
Virtually no gardener can get enough of the lushly flowering and easy-care weigelas. We show you how you can easily propagate your weigela!
The weigelia genus (Weigela) from the honeysuckle family (Caprifoliaceae) comprises around 12 species and numerous cultivars that enchant with their different foliage and flower colours. We have summarised the most beautiful weigela varieties for you in our dedicated article. We explain how to successfully propagate weigelas below.
Propagating weigelas via cuttings
Propagation via cuttings is a very common method and is also easy for amateur gardeners.
When removing the cuttings, make sure that the cutting edge is slanted – this prevents waterlogging here and the wounds will dry well after every rainfall.
Tip: Always use sharp and clean pruning tools so as not to injure the plant unnecessarily and make it difficult for fungi and other pests to penetrate the wound.
- The suitable period for propagating cuttings is after the flowering period from July to August.
- Choose a 15 – 20 cm-long shoot tip that is half woody – that is: neither soft and green nor hard and heavily woody.
- Ideally, this is a shoot that has not formed flowers.
- The foliage can be removed except for 3 to 4 leaves.
- Cut the cutting diagonally below a former leaf axil.
- Now, place the freshly cut shoot in compost. Our Plantura Organic Herb & Seedling Compost is an ideal substrate here. Ir is lower in nutrients than other soils and is therefore ideal for cuttings as they cannot absorb an excess of nutrients.
- Water continuously, making sure that there is no waterlogging.
- Ensure a bright location without direct sunlight.
- If the shoot tips start to grow, the propagation via cuttings was successful.
- Overwinter the young cuttings during the first winter indoors at temperatures between 10 and 15 °C.
- The following spring, the young weigelas can then be planted in the garden or in a larger pot – read more in our article about the Weigela genus.
- Perfect for herbs as well as sowing, propagating & transplanting
- For aromatic herbs & healthy seedlings with strong roots
- Peat-free & organic soil: CO2-saving composition
Propagating weigelas via offshoots
Alternatively, you can propagate your weigela by using offshoots in spring:
- Dig furrows with a depth of about 10 cm radially around the mother plant.
- The young weigela shoots are now “laid down” in the furrows.
- At the same time, fill the grooves with topsoil and press down gently.
- New shoots with their own roots will now form from each of the buds laid down.
- These can be carefully separated from the mother plant in autumn and planted separately. Use clean and sharp pruning shears to separate.
Tip: Freshly planted offshoots should be given winter protection as they are not yet sufficiently established. Wrap the plants with fleece or jute, for example, to prevent frost damage.
In the case of offshoots, the shoots are also inserted into the soil at the side of the mother plant but the shoot tips visibly protrude from the soil. They are fixed into the ground with a hook and covered with topsoil. This method only produces one newly rooted shoot that can be separated from the mother plant.
Sowing weigela seeds
Sowing weigela seeds that form inside the seed pods, on the other hand, is an unusual propagation method. One reason for this is that propagating cuttings and offshoots is relatively easy. Secondly, seed propagation does not guarantee that the new plant will look like the mother plant. Furthermore, it takes up to three years for weigelas grown from seed to flower. We therefore recommend that you choose one of the vegetative propagation methods to ensure successful propagation.
An equally beautiful deciduous plant is the burning bush (Euonymus alatus), which turns a stunning, deep-red colour in autumn. The shrub grows both in the garden and in pots for balconies and terraces.
