How to Propagate Santolina

Fill a planting container with a rooting mixture consisting of half sand and half peat moss. Water the rooting mixture thoroughly, and set it aside to drain until the mixture is moist but not drooping. Be sure to use a planting container with a drainage hole in the bottom.

Take several 4-inch-long cuttings from the stem tips of a healthy santolina plant. Use a sharp knife or pruning shears to cut each stem just below a node, a small bump where a leaf or bud grows from the stem.

Remove the leaves from the bottom half of the cuttings. Dip the bottom 1 inch of the cuttings in powdered, liquid or gel rooting hormone.

Use your finger or a pencil to make planting holes in the moist potting mixture. Plant the cuttings in the holes with the rooting hormone in the soil. Allow at least 2 to 3 inches between each cutting so the leaves don't overlap. Pat the rooting mixture around the cuttings so the stems stand upright.

Cover the container with a clear plastic bag, and seal the bag securely with a rubber band. Place the container in bright, indirect light and normal room temperatures. Open the bag for 10 minutes two to three times every week to prevent buildup of moisture inside the bag.

Remove the plastic, and transplant each cutting into a 3- to 4-inch container filled with regular commercial potting mixture when the cuttings display new growth -- usually in about six to eight weeks. Continue to keep the cuttings in bright light. Water as needed to keep the potting mixture lightly moist -- never soggy or bone dry.

Plant the santolina outdoors when all danger of frost has passed in spring.