Birch is not as easy to root as willow, which roots from almost any stick pushed into wet soil, but it is very possible. Iowa State University Extension includes birch in its list of trees that can be propagated from softwood cuttings. Nursery research on river birch has shown very high rooting rates with the right timing and hormone. The key is to use soft, current-season shoots in early summer and to keep them from drying out while they root.
The short answer: yes. Take 4- to 6-inch softwood cuttings from the current season’s growth between late May and early July (Iowa State University Extension). Remove the lower leaves, dip the base in rooting hormone, and stick the cuttings about 2 inches deep in a moist, free-draining mix under a clear cover in bright, indirect light. In an NC State trial, ‘Shiloh Splash’ river birch cuttings taken in mid-July rooted at 70 to 100%, with the most roots at 2,000 to 4,000 ppm IBA. Dormant hardwood cuttings of birch rarely root.
What you need
- Sharp, clean pruners or a knife
- Rooting hormone powder or liquid containing IBA
- A pot or tray with drainage holes
- A rooting mix: coarse sand, perlite or vermiculite, or a 50:50 peat and perlite mix
- A clear plastic bag or dome, and a few stakes to hold it off the leaves
When to take birch cuttings
Iowa State recommends taking softwood cuttings from late May through early July. The shoots should be flexible but mature enough to snap when bent sharply. Shoots that are still floppy wilt quickly. Woody shoots root slowly or not at all. In the NC State study, river birch cuttings were collected on 13 July.
Take cuttings early in the morning, when the shoots are full of water, and keep them cool and moist in a plastic bag until you stick them. Choose healthy, vigorous shoots from the outer canopy. Young trees usually give better results than old ones.
Step by step
- Cut. Take shoot tips 4 to 6 inches long, as Iowa State recommends. Make the base cut just below a node, where one or two leaves join the stem.
- Strip. Pinch off the leaves on the lower half and any catkins. If the remaining leaves are large, cut them in half to reduce water loss.
- Treat. Dip the cut end in rooting hormone. In the NC State trial, basal dips of 2,000 to 4,000 ppm IBA or KIBA gave the most roots per cutting.
- Stick. Make a hole in the moist rooting mix with a pencil, insert the cutting about 2 inches deep and firm the mix around it.
- Cover. Water, let drain, then cover with a clear bag or dome held up on stakes. Iowa State explains that a cutting has no roots to replace the water it loses through its leaves, so reducing water loss is critical.
- Light. Place in bright light but not direct sun. Check daily, mist if the leaves look dry, and remove any cuttings that rot.
The NC State cuttings were rooted under intermittent mist in a shaded greenhouse. A clear cover at home does a similar job on a small scale.
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How long it takes and what to expect
Birch softwood cuttings often take several weeks to root. Tug gently: resistance means roots. Once rooted, open the cover gradually over a week so the cuttings adjust to drier air, then pot them up individually.
The harder part is often the first winter. Newly rooted cuttings have small root systems. Keep them in pots in a sheltered, unheated place such as a cold frame or garage, and plant them out the following spring. The Morton Arboretum’s transplant research found that recovery takes about a year per inch of trunk diameter, so small, well-rooted plants establish fast once planted.
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Which birches root best
Results vary by species and even by individual tree. The ‘Shiloh Splash’ trial shows that river birch can root very readily. Other birches, including the white-barked species, may root less readily, so take plenty of cuttings and treat the first attempt as an experiment. If you are choosing a birch to propagate for a hot yard, river birch is also the more practical tree: The Morton Arboretum lists it as highly resistant to bronze birch borer, a pest that kills many white birches.
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When seed is easier
If you do not need an exact copy of the parent tree, seed is simpler and often more reliable. Birch seed ripens in late summer and fall in small catkins that break apart when dry. Our guide to growing silver birch from seed covers collection, sowing and seedling care. Seedlings vary a little from their parents, while cuttings are genetically identical to the tree you cut from.
Common reasons birch cuttings fail
- Taken too late in summer, when the shoots are already woody
- Cover removed too soon, so the cuttings dry out
- Mix kept soggy, causing rot at the base
- Full sun on the covered pot, which overheats the cuttings
- Old or very large parent trees
For more on growing birch once it is established, see how much water birch trees need.
Sources
- Propagating Shrubs and Trees from Softwood Cuttings, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
- 'Shiloh Splash' River Birch (Ranney et al., SNA Research Conference 2005), NC State University Mountain Crop Improvement Lab
- Caring for New Transplants, The Morton Arboretum
- River Birch, The Morton Arboretum
- Bronze Birch Borer, The Morton Arboretum
Top photo: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons