How to propagate a Chrysanthemum

This guide provides step-by-step instructions on how to propagate chrysanthemums, a beautiful and popular flowering plant. Propagation allows you to create new plants from existing ones, giving you the opportunity to expand your chrysanthemum collection or share them with others.

Prioritize safety by wearing gloves and handling sharp gardening tools with caution to avoid injuries during the propagation process.

What you'll need

  • Sterile scissors or pruning shears
  • Small flowerpots
  • Sterile potting mix
  • Watering can and water
  • Hand gloves

Ready to start?

  1. Pick a healthy chrysanthemum plant that has strong stems, 6 to 8 inches long. The best seasons or time to take cuttings is during Spring or early Summer as the plants are actively growing. However, there are some exceptions such as, in tropical countries like Singapore and Malaysia, countries that do not have the 4 seasons, the right time to retrieve chrysanthemum cuttings should be any time of the year when the plant is growing well. Hence it is important to know which of the 2 main seasonal categories that your particular country falls into.
  2. An indicator that the plant is ready for cutting is when you see new leaves or stems growing out of the “parent plant”, that’s how you know it is “growing well” or “actively growing”.
  3. Use a pair of scissors or pruning shears that are sterile to cut a stem from the chrysanthemum plant just below a node. A node is where the leaves attach to the stem. The recommended cutting is about 4 to 6 inches long, and it should also have at least one node.
  4. The flowers from the stem should be removed as it saps energy from the cutting.
  5. The lower leaves of the stem should be removed to reduce water loss, leaving only a few leaves that are near the top of the stem. This will allow the cutting to concentrate on the growth of the roots.
  6. Take the sterile potting mix and fill it into the flowerpot.
  7. Take a little bit of water and moisten the potting mix but make sure it is not too moist. The volume of water needed depends on the size of the flowerpot and also the type of potting mix being used. A good way to know if the volume of water is sufficient, is to feel using your fingers, inserting it about 1 inch into the soil, it should feel damp yet not too much that water drains out from the bottom of the flowerpot. Add more water if it feels dry. Do not overwater the soil, as it will make the cutting rot.
  8. Use your fingers or a pencil to create a small hole in the potting mix and put in the stem cutting about 1 to 2 inches deep. The cutting should be firmly placed in the soil.
  9. Use a watering can to water the cutting regularly. The amount of water and frequency of watering depends on the size of the flowerpot and type of potting mix used.
  10. Ensure the flowerpot is placed in a bright location, but not directly under the sun.
  11. With patience and good care, the chrysanthemum cutting should grow its roots in about 3 to 4 weeks. One method to test if the cutting has rooted, gently tug on the plant. If resistance is felt, it should mean that the roots have developed.

Additional resources