Hinoki Cypress (Muschelzypresse) can be a bit finicky when it comes to propagation. While there are a few ways to grow new ones, none of them come with a 100% money-back guarantee. But hey, if you’re up for a little gardening experiment, it’s definitely worth a shot! Here are my best tips for trying to multiply your Hinoki Cypress.
Different Ways to Propagate
Generally speaking, there are two main ways to get more Hinoki Cypress in your life:
- From cuttings
- Through grafting
Just a heads-up: both methods can be a little tricky and usually require a bit of a green thumb. But don’t let that stop you! Even if you’re a beginner, it’s a fun challenge to take on.
Propagating Hinoki Cypress from Cuttings
Growing from cuttings is definitely the easier route for most home gardeners. Since these guys don’t always take root, I highly recommend starting with several cuttings at once. It’s a numbers game—the more you start, the better your chances of seeing some actual growth!
Here’s how you do it:
- Snip off some healthy cuttings from your cypress. Aim for pieces about 6 inches (15 cm) long.
- Strip off the lower leaves, leaving just one or two pairs at the very top.
- To give them a little boost, dip the cut ends into some rooting hormone powder.
- Plant the cuttings in starter pots filled with a lean, well-draining seed-starting mix.
- Find a warm, bright spot for them, but keep them out of direct, scorching sunlight.
- Keep the soil consistently moist, but not soggy.
If the rooting is successful, you’ll start to see new green growth after a few months. Keep nurturing your little plants in their bright spot until they’re big enough for transplanting into their own pots or right out into the garden.
Grafting Hinoki Cypress
The other method is grafting, which is a bit more “Advanced Gardening 101.” It takes some precision, and it can be tough for hobbyists to get it right on the first try. If you’re feeling brave, you’ll need a “rootstock”—usually a wild cypress variety.
- Cut the wild cypress (the rootstock) about 4 inches (10 cm) above the roots.
- Take a cutting from your Hinoki Cypress that is roughly the same thickness and apply some rooting powder.
- Make a diagonal slit in the rootstock and fit your Hinoki cutting into it.
- Secure the graft point tightly with some raffia or grafting tape.
Keep the plant in a warm, bright area. Once you see new growth sprouting from the cutting, you’ll know the graft was a success!
