How to Propagate a Snowball Shrub

The snowball plant got its name from the hundreds of large white flowers that look like big snowballs. They appear in the mid-spring and will last through the early summer. In the autumn, the green foliage takes on a red or purple tinge. There are several different varieties of the snowball plant. Some are dwarf types that grow 2 feet tall with 3-foot spread, and others are 12 feet tall with an equal spread. This plant is hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture zones 4 through 9. Grow the snowball as a border or foundation plantings, or as part of a hedge.

Instead of going to the garden supply store and buying a snowball shrub, why not try to root your own. It isn’t hard to do if you know how. Always remember that if the plant is in another person’s yard, please ask permission before taking stems.

The best time to take cuttings is during the months of May through July. Look over the snowball shrub. You need to find the softwood stems. To determine if the stem is softwood, bend it. Softwood is flexible, and will not snap or break when you bend it. Cut off a 6-inch stem right below a leaf node, with a sterilized sharp knife or pruning shears. Make sure the stem has at least three leaf nodes. Remove all the foliage on the stem, but so not take off the top two or three leaves.

Wrap the cut ends in a wet paper towel and place them in a plastic bag. This wet paper towel helps keep the stems hydrated. The plastic bag prevents the paper towel from drying out.

Gather several 4-inch pots. You will need to prepare one pot for each cutting you want to start.

Pour some potting soil in a bucket or on a tarp covered worktable. With a watering can, pour water over the soil. Mix the soil with your hands until the soil is moistened. You can tell if you have added enough water by grabbing a handful of soil. If the soil holds together without falling apart, you’ve added enough water. If it does not form a ball, you need to add more water. If on the other hand you are able to squeeze water out, then you’ve added too much moisture.

Cover the drainage holes with a coffee filter. This allows the excess water to drain out of the pots, but not the soil.

Wet the cut end of the stem in water. Tap the stem against your finger to remove the excess water. Dip the wet end in rooting hormone and tap the stem to remove the excess hormone. Form a hole in the center of the soil in the pots with the blunt end of a pencil or a dibble. Insert the cut end into the hole and then firm the soil around the cutting to hold it upright.

Place a plastic bag over the pots. The plastic bag makes the environment warm and humid so the roots will root. You will need to find a bright location to place the pots, but do not put them in direct sunlight.

Monitor the soil for moisture every day or every other day. Mist or water when the soil is dry. You don’t want the soil to dry out, or be soggy wet, because the cuttings will die. Check the cutting for roots after six weeks. If you see new growth, that means that the roots have formed. It is time to remove the plastic bag.

Continue to grow in the pots in a bright location. Water the soil to keep it evenly moist. When the plant has outgrown its pot, or the roots are growing out the bottom drainage holes, you will need to transplant it into a 6-inch pot. Continue to grow your snowball shrub until it visibly takes off. Then you can transplant the snowball into its permanent location. They like to grow in an area that has full sun to partial shade. Space each plant 4 to 5 feet apart.

Sources:

University of Arkansas: Plant of the Week Snowball Viburnum

“American Horticultural Society A to Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants”; Christopher Brickell; 2004