Mexican orange blossom or Choisya is a shrub that charms with its beautiful evergreen leaf, highly fragrant when crushed, and its delicately scented white spring flowering, reminiscent of orange blossom. This small shrub adapts to any well-drained soil and any exposure, tolerates drought and cold down to -15°C. A Choisya always creates a bright focal point in garden, in a hedge, planted alone or in a bucket on a terrace. All these assets encourage multiplying it to make youngsters for garden! Especially as it is easily propagated by propagation by cuttings at end of summer. Here are our tips to successfully take cuttings of Mexican orange blossom and simple techniques to succeed in its propagation.

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Choisya ternata 'Aztec Pearl'

When to take Choisya cuttings?

Late summer, from August to September, after flowering, is ideal period to take cuttings of Mexican orange blossom. Cutting is then called “semi-ripe” or “semi-lignified”, meaning stems are in hardening phase (they form “wood”): they change from soft wood to hard wood.

How to multiply Mexican orange blossom?

By semi-ripe cuttings

  • Using pruning shears well sharpened, take, preferably at an angle and just below an eye, a stem of the year's growth that is healthy and vigorous (lignified at base but still soft and green at tip, about 8 to 10 cm long).
  • Remove all leaves from lower part of shoot leaving only 2–3 leaves at top which you should cut in half to limit evaporation and favour rooting
  • Make a slanting cut in bark 2 to 3 cm long
  • Optionally dip base of stem in plant hormone for cuttings to promote root formation
Propagation by cuttings of a Mexican orange blossom or Choisya
  • Prepare a bucket filled with a light substrate, made of 50% sand, 50% turf
  • Insert cutting to 4–5 cm depth and firm soil gently all around
  • Place under cold frame at 18°C
  • We recommend placing a clear plastic bag over the cutting to encourage rooting.
  • Keep substrate moist by misting regularly with a spray bottle
  • Place bucket in light, but out of direct sun
  • When cutting is well rooted, pot on into a larger bucket and keep it frost-free for winter
  • Repot following spring
  • Plant in ground one year later
How to take a cutting of a Mexican orange blossom

Which equipment to use?

To go further

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