If you’re looking to add more Euonymus (also known as Spindle Tree) to your garden or want to share some with a neighbor, you’re in luck! You don’t need to head to the nursery to get more plants. You can easily propagate them yourself using a few different methods:
- Layering the branches
- Taking cuttings
- Sowing seeds
Propagating Euonymus through Layering
Layering is probably the easiest way to get a new plant started. All you have to do is take a healthy, semi-woody branch and bend it down to the ground. You can either dig a small trench in the soil or use a pot filled with seed-starting mix. Just make sure to strip the leaves off the section of the branch that will be touching the dirt.
Over the next few weeks, that buried section will start to grow its own roots. Once the root system feels nice and sturdy, you can snip the branch away from the mother plant and move it to its permanent location. Pro tip: Start this process in early summer so the new plant has plenty of time to establish itself before the cold hits.
Using Cuttings to Grow New Plants
Taking cuttings is another great way to propagate, and it’s actually the go-to method if you’re trying to train your Euonymus into a standard or tree form. The best time to do this is while you’re already out there pruning your shrubs. Here’s how you do it:
- Cut a woody stem that is at least 6 inches long.
- Strip off the bottom leaves.
- Stick the cutting into a pot filled with fresh potting soil or seed-starting mix.
- Give it a good drink of water. Just be careful not to let it sit in a puddle—they don’t like soggy feet!
Once you see new leaves sprouting and feel some resistance when you give the stem a gentle tug (that means roots are growing!), your new plant is ready for a bigger home. Just keep in mind that these youngsters aren’t fully winter hardy yet, so they’ll need a little extra protection during their first winter outside.
Growing Euonymus from Seed
You can definitely grow Euonymus from seed, but I’ll be honest: it’s a test of patience! This is a slow process, so it’s perfect for gardeners who really want to challenge their green thumbs. Simply plant the seeds in a pot with starter soil and keep them consistently moist.
Sometimes, if the conditions are just right, you might even find “volunteer” seedlings popping up in your garden on their own. If you spot these little guys, you can carefully dig them up and transplant them wherever you’d like them to grow.
