What Is Plant Cloning and How Does It Work?
Plant cloning means growing a new plant from a piece of an existing one. No seed is involved, so the new plant is genetically identical to its parent, with the same flowers, fruit, flavor and growth habit.
1. Take a cutting just below a node 
2. Dip the base in Hormex Rooting Powder 
3. Plant it in a rooting cube or starter mix
Cloning a tomato plant from a stem cutting
Why gardeners clone plants
- An exact copy. Seeds from many plants, especially hybrids, do not grow true to the parent. A cutting keeps the variety you already like.
- A head start. A rooted cutting skips germination and the seedling stage, so it often reaches flowering or fruiting size sooner than a plant grown from seed.
- More plants for free. One healthy parent plant can supply many cuttings.
- A backup. Rooting a few healthy stems lets you save a favorite plant that is aging, overgrown or damaged.
Ways plants are cloned
People have cloned plants for thousands of years. All of these methods are forms of vegetative propagation, meaning the new plant comes from the parent's tissue instead of a seed.
Cuttings
The most common method for home gardeners. A piece of stem, leaf or root is removed and encouraged to grow roots of its own. This is where rooting hormone helps most.
Runners, division and bulbs
Many plants clone themselves. A strawberry sends out runners that root where they touch the soil, and grasses, potatoes and onions spread the same way through stolons, tubers and bulbs. Gardeners take advantage of this by dividing clumps or replanting offsets.
Layering
A stem is encouraged to root while it is still attached to the parent, either by pinning it to the soil or by wrapping a wounded section in moist moss (air layering). Once roots form, the new plant is cut free.
Grafting and budding
These techniques join parts of two plants so they grow as one. In grafting, the upper part (the scion) of one plant grows on the root system (the rootstock) of another. In budding, a single bud is used as the scion. The scion keeps its variety, but the finished plant combines two genetically distinct parts.
Tissue culture
Small pieces of plant tissue, called explants, are grown on a nutrient medium under sterile lab conditions. Explants may come from shoot tips, buds, leaves, stems or roots, and new plants can regenerate directly or through callus. It is used to multiply selected plants in large numbers, though it requires specialized equipment, and genetic variation can sometimes arise.
How a cutting grows roots
A stem cutting forms adventitious roots, which are roots that grow from stem tissue instead of an existing root system. Depending on the plant, they can develop from existing stem tissue, from root initials already present in the stem, or from callus, the protective tissue that sometimes forms over the cut. Callus is not always required for rooting.
Plants make natural hormones called auxins that signal this root growth. Rooting hormone supplies extra auxin right where it is needed. Hormex Rooting Powder contains indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), a widely used rooting auxin, which helps many cuttings root more quickly and more evenly.
How to clone a plant from a cutting
- Choose a healthy stem. Pick vigorous, non-flowering growth from a well-watered parent plant.
- Cut and trim. Use a clean, sharp blade to cut just below a node, the point where a leaf joins the stem. Remove the lower leaves so no foliage sits in the rooting medium.
- Apply rooting powder. Moisten the cut end, dip it into a small amount of powder poured into a separate container, and tap off the excess. Some growers moisten the end with Hormex Vitamin B1 & Hormone Concentrate instead of water so more powder sticks.
- Plant it. Make a hole in a moist rooting cube or light starter mix first, so the powder is not rubbed off, then firm the medium around the stem.
- Keep it warm and humid. Give the cutting bright, indirect light, cover it with a humidity dome or clear bag, and keep the medium moist but not soggy.
For full directions for each Hormex product, see How to Use Hormex Products.
Choose the right rooting powder strength
Softer cuttings need less hormone, and woodier cuttings need more. Hormex makes four strengths so you can match the powder to the plant.
| Strength | IBA | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Rooting Powder #1 | 0.10% | Tender softwood cuttings, such as houseplants and herbs |
| Rooting Powder #3 | 0.30% | Semi-softwood cuttings from many flowering shrubs and garden plants |
| Rooting Powder #8 | 0.80% | Semi-hardwood cuttings from woody shrubs and trees |
| Rooting Powder #16 | 1.60% | Hardwood and hard-to-root plants |
Plant cloning FAQ
Is a clone exactly the same as the parent plant?
Genetically, yes. A plant grown from a cutting shares its parent's genetic makeup. Light, soil, water and climate still affect how it grows, so two clones in different conditions can look different.
Can every plant be cloned from cuttings?
Many can, but how easily varies a lot. Some plants root in days, while others are slow or difficult and benefit from a stronger rooting powder. Check your plant in the Hormex plant library.
How long does it take a cutting to root?
Soft, easy-to-root cuttings often root within a few weeks. Woody and hardwood cuttings can take several weeks to a few months.
Do I need rooting hormone?
Not always. Some easy plants root without it. Rooting hormone helps cuttings root faster and more evenly, and it improves results with plants that are harder to root.
