I used to think late summer meant the propagation season was over. But standing in my garden last August, I realized the warm soil and mature stems are actually the perfect setup for new plants. This is my personal list of fourteen plants you can easily propagate from cuttings before autumn arrives. All tested, low-maintenance, and absolutely worth the space.
Quick Summary
- 14 backyard plants that root easily from semi-ripe cuttings in August.
- Most need protection from frost during their first winter.
- Best starter pick: Coleus, which roots in less than a week.
The first five plants are my absolute favorites for easy rooting. The rest are great for filling out the borders of your garden.
1. Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
| Sun | Full sun |
| Water | Low, well-drained soil |
| Height | 12-36 in (30-90 cm) |
| Zone | Zones 5-9 |
August is the prime time for taking semi-ripe lavender cuttings. The base of the stem is firming up, but the top growth is still soft and pliable.
I always look for healthy, non-flowering shoots when I take my cuttings. Stems with flower buds spend too much energy blooming instead of pushing out roots.
Strip the bottom leaves and tuck the stems into a potting mix with plenty of coarse sand. If you want details on keeping your mature bushes in shape, check out my guide on how and when to prune lavender.
2. Rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus)
| Sun | Full sun |
| Water | Low, drought-tolerant |
| Height | 24-72 in (60-180 cm) |
| Zone | Zones 7-10 |
Rosemary roots beautifully in late summer if you give it the right environment. I cut stems that are about 6 inches (15 centimeters) long from the side of the bush.
Make sure to strip the lower leaves to prevent rot in the moist soil (ask me how I know). You’ll want to **keep the soil damp but never soggy** while the roots establish.
I find rosemary cuttings do best when kept in a warm, bright room out of direct midday sun. You can read more about starting this herb in my walkthrough on how to propagate rosemary in August.
3. Geranium (Pelargonium)
| Sun | Full sun to part shade |
| Water | Medium, dry between waterings |
| Height | 12-36 in (30-90 cm) |
| Zone | Zones 9-11 |
Geraniums are incredibly forgiving and root in almost any potting mix. If you’re new to propagating, **this is the plant I’d start with** to build your confidence.
I cut a healthy stem just below a leaf joint where the natural rooting hormones are concentrated. They will start showing roots in just a couple of weeks.
I keep my small pots on a windowsill through the cold months to plant out in spring.
4. Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla)
| Sun | Part shade, morning sun |
| Water | Medium to high, consistent |
| Height | 36-72 in (90-180 cm) |
| Zone | Zones 5-9 |
Late summer is the best window for hydrangea cuttings because the new wood has started to firm up. The biggest challenge is moisture loss through the large leaves.
To fix this, **cut the large leaves in half** horizontally. This simple trick keeps the cutting hydrated while it works on growing roots. If your mature hydrangeas aren’t producing flowers, my guide on why your hydrangea isn’t blooming can help fix it. For step-by-step instructions on starting new plants, read my guide on how to propagate hydrangeas.
5. Coleus (Coleus scutellarioides)
| Sun | Part shade to full shade |
| Water | Medium, consistent moisture |
| Height | 12-36 in (30-90 cm) |
| Zone | Zones 10-11 |
Coleus is famous for its vibrant leaf colors and its lightning-fast rooting speed. I once dropped a broken coleus stem in a glass of water on my windowsill and had roots in five days.
You can root coleus in soil or in a jar of water (seriously, it’s almost unkillable). It’s a great way to save your favorite leaf patterns before the first winter frost hits.
Once the roots are an inch long, transplant the stem into a small pot of potting soil.
6. English Ivy (Hedera helix)
| Sun | Part shade to full shade |
| Water | Low to medium, drought-tolerant |
| Height | Groundcover or climbing vine |
| Zone | Zones 4-9 |
English ivy is a fast climber that roots from almost any vine cutting. To prevent it from taking over, I suggest you **keep this climber in a container** instead of the ground.
Take a 6-inch (15-centimeter) cutting and remove the lower leaves before potting. Keep the soil damp, and it’ll root in about two weeks.
7. Fuchsia (Fuchsia)
| Sun | Part shade to full shade |
| Water | Medium, consistent moisture |
| Height | 12-36 in (30-90 cm) |
| Zone | Zones 9-11 |
Taking fuchsia cuttings in August lets you overwinter these beautiful tender plants indoors. Look for healthy, green tips that don’t have flowers on them.
I cover the potted cuttings with a clear plastic bag to keep the humidity high. Put them in a warm spot with indirect light, and they will root before you know it.
The plants that survive my forgetting to water are the ones I keep planting more of.
8. Salvia (Salvia nemorosa)
| Sun | Full sun |
| Water | Medium, drought-tolerant when mature |
| Height | 18-36 in (45-90 cm) |
| Zone | Zones 4-8 |
Perennial salvias respond well to late-summer propagation. Cut a healthy shoot from the current season growth, making sure it is about 4 inches (10 centimeters) long.
Pot the cutting in a mix of compost and perlite to ensure fast drainage. Keep it in a bright spot away from harsh direct sunlight while it establishes.
9. Butterfly Bush (Buddleja davidii)
| Sun | Full sun |
| Water | Medium, well-drained |
| Height | 5-10 ft (1.5-3 m) |
| Zone | Zones 5-9 |
Butterfly bush is a fast-growing shrub that roots easily from semi-ripe wood. Select a firm, green stem that has finished flowering and cut it to about 6 inches (15 centimeters).
Dip the cut end in a little rooting powder if you have some, though it’s not strictly necessary. Keep the pot under light shade, and it will be ready to plant out by spring.
10. Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides)
| Sun | Full sun to part shade |
| Water | Medium, consistent watering |
| Height | Climbing vine up to 10-20 ft (3-6 m) |
| Zone | Zones 8-10 |
The sweet-smelling star jasmine is easily propagated from trailing vine cuttings in August. Cut a healthy stem just below a node where the leaves attach.
Plant the cutting in a small container and keep it moist. It does best in a sheltered spot near a trellis where it can start climbing once it roots.
11. Boxwood (Buxus)
| Sun | Full sun to part shade |
| Water | Medium, well-drained |
| Height | 2-8 ft (60-240 cm) |
| Zone | Zones 5-9 |
If you’re planning a low hedge, starting boxwood from cuttings saves a lot of money. The wood is harder than other plants on this list, so they take a bit longer to root.
I take 4-inch (10-centimeter) cuttings from the healthy tips of the branches. **Patience is key with boxwoods** because they can take a couple of months to show progress.
12. Clematis (Clematis)
| Sun | Full sun with roots in shade |
| Water | Medium, consistent moisture |
| Height | Climbing vine 8-15 ft (2.4-4.5 m) |
| Zone | Zones 4-9 |
August is the perfect time to take internodal cuttings of clematis. Unlike other plants, you cut the stem midway between two leaf joints rather than right below a node.
Make sure to keep the cutting in a humid environment to prevent the delicate leaves from drying out. If you’re growing climbing vines, my guide on how to keep clematis blooming all season has great care tips.
13. Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
| Sun | Full sun |
| Water | Low, drought-tolerant |
| Height | 6-12 in (15-30 cm) |
| Zone | Zones 5-9 |
My parents always kept a pot of fresh thyme on the windowsill for winter cooking, and I’ve kept that tradition going. The low-growing herb roots very quickly in a sandy soil mix.
Simply strip the leaves from the bottom half of a 3-inch (7-centimeter) cutting and insert it into the dirt. Within two weeks, you’ll have a new herb plant ready for a container.
14. Penstemon (Penstemon)
| Sun | Full sun |
| Water | Low to medium, well-drained |
| Height | 18-36 in (45-90 cm) |
| Zone | Zones 3-9 |
Penstemons are colorful perennials that root easily from late-summer cuttings. Choose non-flowering shoots from the current season growth that are firm at the base.
Keep the cuttings in a bright, warm spot out of direct sunlight and keep the soil lightly damp. They will develop strong roots before the cold weather sets in.
Where to Start If You Have Limited Space
If you only have room for a few pots on your windowsill this winter, I’d start with coleus, geranium, and rosemary. They are the most reliable rooters and require the least fuss. Once you see those first new leaves emerge, you’ll be hooked on propagating your own garden.
— Anh