Cuttings are rooted in sand in a greenhouse or glass-covered frames where air can be kept moist. Cuttings must be taken while growth is most active, soon after flowering and before new terminal buds have formed. Make cuttings three or four inches long and remove all leaves except at the tip. After planting, water them well. Restrict later watering to light, daily sprinkling.
Air is kept humid.
A canopy for shade is necessary to prevent over-heating. Cuttings should be rooted by midsummer and can be potted and set in the nursery the following spring. These plants normally flower in three to four years. Most commercially propagated varieties are grafted. For stocks, fast-growing varieties of privet, such as Ibota and California, are used.