# How can I propagate some Yaupon Holly trees from cuttings? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Tags:** gardening\ **Created:** [March 12, 2025, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-propagate-some-yaupon-holly-trees-from-cuttings/1015482 "2025-03-12T17:59:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2025, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-propagate-some-yaupon-holly-trees-from-cuttings/1015482/1 "2025-03-12T17:59:41Z")
I have an area that I’d like to have a few more Yaupon Holly trees. I have some of them already. I’m having difficulty finding them at nurseries in my area that are at a size I can work with. They are in 7+ gallon pots and larger. I would need something smaller to transport and plant on my own. In my reading, I see that they can be propagated with cuttings, but I have no experience with cuttings. I’m hoping that the Doper crew has knowledge with propagating trees through cuttings and can help me have the best chance of success. I’ve seen some articles like this one: > **[Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - The University of Texas at Austin](https://www.wildflower.org/expert/show.php?id=1893&frontpage=true)** > [@](#): > > Success in rooting from cuttings for _I. vomitoria_ has been somewhat inconsistent, but she reports 50% success using “semihardwood cuttings taken in late fall and treated with 3,000 ppm IBA solution”. (Note: IBA is indole-butyric acid and should be available at most nurseries.) She reports that _I. decidua_ is difficult to root from cuttings. One advantage for propagating from cuttings is that you can choose a female yaupon (the ones with the red berries) to propagate and be assured that you are going to have more trees with red berries. While I’m sure it’s accurate, it seems like it’s written for someone who is very familiar with cuttings. I’m a newbie who doesn’t know what they mean by semihardwood or what the technique is for treating it with IBA. If you’ve done cuttings like this before, can you explain the process at a level that it can be understood by someone who knows nothing about it? ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2025, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-propagate-some-yaupon-holly-trees-from-cuttings/1015482/2 "2025-03-12T18:07:56Z")
> [@filmore](#): > > what the technique is for treating it with IBA This may, on may not, help, [How to Improve Cuttings Propagation Using Water-Based Indole-3-Butyric Acid Rooting Solutions](https://www.phytotronics.com/product/hortus-iba-water-soluble-salts/?attachment_id=634&download_file=44ocb5c47zo7v) ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2025, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-propagate-some-yaupon-holly-trees-from-cuttings/1015482/3 "2025-03-12T21:45:18Z")
Semihardwood cuttings are from incompletely lignified stems, intermediate between soft new green growth and brownish-gray non-flexible wood. Semihardwood cuttings are usually taken from the new season’s growth in late summer or early fall, and grown on either in a greenhouse or indoors. Michael Dirr, woody plant guru says yaupon is difficult to root. Using a rooting powder intended for woody shrubs and trees, providing high humidity (a plastic high-top dome or plastic bag covering the pot) and possibly bottom heat from an electric seedling mat or other source is recommended. You might also “wound” the bottom of the cutting, slicing off a bit of superficial tissue and/or making nicks in a few places near the bottom of stems where they’ll contact moist soil. The above techniques work for fig tree hardwood cuttings, which is where most of my experience lies. ---
**Author:** ![Cwturner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Cwturner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cwturner)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2025, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-propagate-some-yaupon-holly-trees-from-cuttings/1015482/4 "2025-03-13T14:48:47Z")
Maybe air, or ground layering will work better? Air layering is fascinating ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2025, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-propagate-some-yaupon-holly-trees-from-cuttings/1015482/5 "2025-03-14T16:21:18Z")
Thanks for all the info. I was checking it out and will give it a try. Hopefully I get some success. Taking into account that the expert only gets 50% success, I’ll set my expectations accordingly.