Seed is the most familiar source of much of the vegetation that inhabits home gardens. It is the origin of almost all vegetables and most annual flowers. Some seed grows directly into its gardens. Some grows in nurseries to become saleable young plants. Seed is not the only method of propagation though. Cuttings, division and layering are as productive.
Cuttings, as well as divisions and layers, are genetically identical to their single parents. Unlike seed, which are products of two parents, they lack potential for genetic variation. Division is the separation of stems with roots from perennials or clumping woody plants. Layering is the rooting of stems by partially burying them while attached to their parents.
Cuttings grow simply as pieces of stem within moist rooting medium such as potting soil. They initially lack roots and perhaps foliage. They develop new roots and foliage as they grow. Their medium must remain moist throughout the process. For many plants, rooting hormone accelerates root initiation. Some species can grow roots as they soak in water.
Hardwood cuttings are mostly from deciduous species as they defoliate for winter. Those from last winter are developing now. Evergreen hardwood cuttings retain some foliage through their winter dormancy. Softwood cuttings can be either deciduous or evergreen. They involve fresh new growth, so can begin as soon as such growth is mature enough.
The lower cuts of cuttings should be just below a node. Upper cuts should be just above a node. Terminal cuttings are tips of stems without upper cuts. Each cutting must include at least two good nodes. Some species may need cuttings to be several inches long in pots. Most grow better from small cuttings that fit into flats. Some can go directly into a garden. Cuttings should lack leaves below the level of their rooting medium.
Softwood cuttings generally require humidity to help compensate for their lack of roots. Most also appreciate partial shade. Evergreen hardwood cuttings appreciate the same as weather gets warmer and drier. Warmth from a heating mat below pots or flats might accelerate rooting. Many species are difficult or impossible to grow from cuttings though.
Tony Tomeo 
With all the rain here in New England I have so many plants that need to be trimmed so I will plant some cuttings and hope for many new plants to add to other areas of my place and to gift as well as plant around town. Thanks for the reminder!
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Every species has an optimum season for taking cuttings, although some can grow from cuttings at any time. Technically, this is the right time for many species. It still seems odd to me, since most of the species that I grow from cuttings grow well as dormant hardwood cuttings during winter. I am impressed by softwood cuttings.
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I know right! I need to multiply my beauties in sections of my place (2+ acres) throughout the rest of this place on the cheap 🙂
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‘Cheap’ is why we have so many of those ‘Black Lace’ elderberries in the illustration. I grew three flats of sixteen each, and another flat of ‘Madonna’. I can not beat the price.
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I have that and natives here in NH and a nursery sucked me in to buy a variety the black ones needed to flower 🙂 not true but all 3 are in bloom and gorgeous.
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The natives should not need a pollinator if there are enough others growing wild in the region. (The native blue elderberry here is self-fruiting, so supposedly needs no pollinator.) Besides, ‘Black Lace’ is a European black elderberry, so is not likely to be a compatible pollinator for your native American black elderberries. None of the elderberries need a pollinator to bloom. They only need a pollinator to produce fruit. Incidentally, we acquired ‘Black Lace’ first. It was quite pretty, but fruitless. We acquired ‘Madonna’ as a pollinator so that both can produce pretty berries and attract birds.
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Awesome thanks for the info. I love each plant, but the birds and bears love them even more.
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Blue elderberry grows wild here, but, until recently, no one collected the berries. Also until recently, black elderberries were not available here. Therefore, I started to use blue elderberries like black elderberries. My elderberry jelly regularly won ribbons at the Harvest Festival. Now, there are not enough blue elderberries to go around!
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