The characteristics of asexual reproduction of some organs of higher plants that can differentiate and develop into a complete plant after leaving the mother's body are called "regeneration" of plants. Vegetative reproduction is a kind of reproduction method that uses the regenerative ability of plant vegetative organs to reproduce new individuals. The offspring of asexual reproduction come from the vegetative body of the same plant, and their individual development is not a new beginning, but a continuation of maternal development. Therefore, early flowering and early fruiting can maintain the excellent characters and characteristics of the mother. However, the reproductive coefficient of asexual reproduction is low, and some varieties, such as Rehmannia glutinosa and Dioscorea opposita, are prone to variety degradation if they are propagated for a long time.

Commonly used asexual reproduction methods are as follows:

(1) The method of separating and culturing vegetative organs of plants into independent new individuals. The method is simple and has high survival rate. The separation period varies with the species of medicinal plants and climate, and is usually carried out in the dormant period of plants in late autumn or early spring. According to the different parts of the mother plant, it can be divided into daughter bulbs (such as saffron), daughter blocks (such as yam and bletilla striata), daughter roots (such as salvia miltiorrhiza and aster) and daughter plants (such as Amomum villosum and Ophiopogon japonicus).

(2) layering propagation: burying the branches or stems and vines of the mother plant in the soil, or wrapping the branches with soil, moss, etc. Let them take root, and then cut them from the mother plant to become independent plants. Layering methods include common layering method, wave layering method, pile soil layering method and air layering method. Aristolochia, Rose, Polygonum Multiflori Radix, Fructus Viticis, Fructus Forsythiae, etc. Can be spread in this way.

(3) Cutting propagation cuts off a part of plant vegetative organs, such as roots, stems and leaves. And insert them into the substrate under suitable conditions, so that they can take advantage of their functional ability or regeneration ability to take root or sprout and become new plants. Usually, cutting with woody plant branches (except those that are not lignified) is called hard branch cutting, and cutting with woody plant branches and non-lignified herbs is called blank cutting.

(4) Graft propagation Graft propagation refers to the propagation method of grafting branches or buds of one plant to another plant with roots, so that the plants can heal and grow into new independent individuals. Branches or buds used for grafting are called scions, and plants with roots in the lower part are called rootstocks. Grafting propagation can maintain the characteristics of excellent plant varieties, accelerate the growth and development of plants, harvest medicinal materials in advance, and enhance the ability of plants to adapt to the environment. Among medicinal plants, terminalia chebula, cinchona, papaya, hawthorn, bitter orange and magnolia flower are used for grafting propagation.