How to Grow a Palo Verde Tree

Prepare a small pot for rooting the cuttings by filling with equal amounts of peat, sand and perlite. You may also use fine gravel as a rooting medium for cuttings. Pour about an inch of the rooting hormone in a plastic cup.

Take sections 4 inches to 8 inches long from softwood stems with leaves, measuring from the stem tips. Use sharp scissors for the cuts. Softwood is the soft and succulent current year growth that has not yet hardened. The best time to take softwood cuttings is anywhere from the middle of May to the middle of June.

Remove all the leaves from the lower half of each cutting. Leave a couple of leaves at the top as these naturally continue to produce a substance that helps with rooting.

Insert a pencil at a depth of about 3 to 4 inches to create planting holes in the rooting medium. Dip the base of each cutting in the rooting hormone and immediately place them in individual planting holes.

Firm the soil around the cuttings and water it well. Place the entire pot in a large, clear plastic bag. Stick a chopstick in the pot to keep the bag up. Close the top with a rubber band.

Place the pot in a bright, warm area out of direct sunlight. Open the bag every three to four days and add enough water to keep the soil moist. The cuttings usually root within a few weeks.

Transfer rooted cuttings to individual medium-size containers filled with well-draining potting soil. Let the young plants become well-established before transplanting them to a permanent spot in the garden.