How to Root a Eucalyptus

Place coffee filters in 4-inch pots. Prepare a pot for each cutting.

Fill the 4-inch pots with well-draining potting soil. Leave 1/2 inch of space from the soil line to the top of the pot. Fill a pot for each cutting that you are starting.

Water the soil thoroughly until the water runs out the bottom drainage holes.

Place a drainage rack over a container and put the pots on top. Allow the pots to drain as you gather the eucalyptus cuttings.

Examine the eucalyptus tree and find the stems of soft wood. Take the cuttings in late spring or early summer.

Cut 5- to 6-inch cuttings with a sharp knife or pruning shears. Make the cut right below a leaf node.

Remove the leaves from the cutting, leaving the top two to three leaves at the tip.

Dip the cut end in water so the bottom half of the cutting is wet. Tap the end to remove the excess water.

Dip the wet end into rooting hormone. Tap the end to remove the excess rooting hormone.

Insert a pencil into the center of the pot to make a hole. Push the end with rooting hormone into the hole and firm the soil around the cutting with your fingers.

Place a clear plastic bag over the potted cutting. The bag helps retain a humid environment.

Place the pots in a sunny location, but keep them out of direct sunlight.

Check the soil daily for moisture and water to keep the soil moist. It takes a month or more before the roots form.

Remove the plastic bag when the cutting has rooted. Gently pull on the cutting, and if there is some resistance, then the roots have formed.