The Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) is a semi-ligneous shrub measuring 1.0m to 2.5m in height with decorative foliage and flat-topped or rounded clusters of white, pink, or blue flowers widely used as vase or pot flower as well as landscaping plant. The objective of this research work was to study the rooting of stem cuttings obtained from three different parts of the plant: apical, median and basal portions of the stems, in three different types of substrate: soil, sand and vermiculite, for production of new cuttings. The stems were cut from the mother plants and subdivided into apical, median and basal segments, which were then placed for rooting in styrofoam trays containing the three different substrates soil, sand, and vermiculite and arranged inside a growth chamber containing nebulization. The cuttings that presented the best root quality were the ones originated from the basal portion of the stem and sand was the substrate that provided best rooting. The cuttings obtained from the different parts of the plant did not differ as far as percent of rooting and number of sprouts formed are concerned. On the other hand, the substrates that provided highest number of sprouts were sand and soil. Some cuttings presented flower formation, with higher frequency on the cuttings from the apical segment, with no effect from substrate. Sand was the substrate that provided the best results concerning quality of roots and rooting percentage. The soil substrate was superior only for the number of sprouts per cutting although it was not statistically different from the substrate sand. Transplants originated from cuttings of the basal portion of the stem were qualitatively superior.
Cuttings; reproduction; rooting
