river locust/amorpha - stem cuttings (#3)

False indigo stem cuttings are sold in bundles of 3 and 12.

Unrooted stem cuttings of false indigo are composed of 1 year hardwood cuttings with a few leaf nodes present. The sloped cut will be the soil end, and the flat cut will be on the end where leaves will emerge. Expect cuttings to be at least 8 inches long.

False indigo stem cuttings are easy to root with no special care or rooting hormones. It can be as simple as sticking the cutting in fertile, loose soil that is weed-free while it is dormant. Depth is important to keep the cutting moist where roots form, so make sure to get your cutting at least 3 inches deep and mulch it well. The cuttings can be prepared for planting this way in their permanent location in the fall, winter, or early spring in NC. Colder climates should plant this way in late fall OR early spring. Expect a 70 percent success rate in most cases.

False indigo is one of the best nitrogen-fixing leguminous shrubs native to much of the US. It responds very well to coppicing/pollarding, and is easy to propagate. Large lateral roots and tolerance of moist soils also make this a great candidate to assist in stream bank restoration and mitigate soil erosion.

Plant details:
Genus & species: Amorpha fruticosa
Hardiness: Zone 4 to zone 9
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Soil type: Tolerant of a variety of soil types
Soil moisture: Average to moist