How to Grow Eugenia Uniflora From Cuttings

A shrub suitable for the partly shady side of your landscape, Surinam Cherry (Eugenia uniflora) makes an excellent hedge or specimen plant in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 through 11. Often propagated from seed, you can also grow a new Surinam Cherry from a softwood cutting taken in summer. Plan to root four to six Surinam Cherry cuttings at the same time. With little extra effort, you'll sure to get at least one that roots and grows well.

1-Examine a healthy Surinam Cherry in summer for new growth that still bends, but snaps off when bent. When the new growth on the shrub is at this stage, it is the perfect time to take a cutting.

2-Sterilize a knife with rubbing alcohol or a disinfectant. Grab the tip of a healthy stem and slice it off about 1 inch below the second set of leaves. Perform this task in the morning when the Surinam Cherry is most hydrated.

3-Wrap the cutting in a wet paper towel and place it in a dark bag to keep it cool until you prepare it for rooting. Gather three to five more Surinam Cherry cuttings in a similar manner.

4-Fill a 4- or 6-pack seedling container with a well draining potting mix, such as one made with 3 parts perlite and 2 parts soilless potting mix. You can also use 1 part peat and 1 part perlite, or 1 part peat and 1 part coarse sand, as recommended by North Carolina State University.

5-Pour a rooting hormone powder, available in most garden centers, into a clean dish. You can use a disposable bowl for easy clean up.

6-Pull off the lower set of leaves. Dip the bottom end of the Surinam Cherry cutting into room temperature water. Then, roll it in the rooting hormone until all the wounds are covered. Tap the stem to release any excess powder. Repeat for each cutting.

7-Make a hole with a pencil or stick in the center of each container cell. Insert each Surinam Cherry cutting into the premade holes until the bottom one-third to one-half of the cuttings are planted.

8-Set the container pack in a tray of water so the water seeps from the bottom of the soil to the top. When the soil is thoroughly moist, remove the container from the water.

9-Insert pencils, stakes or sticks around the outer edges of the plant pack so they are taller than the cuttings. Then, slide it into the container in a clear plastic bag. Do not seal. Move the cuttings to a bright area that is not in direct sunlight.

10-Water the cuttings as necessary to keep the soil moist. After the first month, examine the bottoms of the plant packs every week or two to see roots through the drainage holes. Once one of the cuttings has rooted, you can transplant it into a larger container.