Asexual reproduction is the propagation of a plant to multiply the plant without the use of fusion of gametes, to ensure that an exact genetic copy of the plant is reproduced. Any known method of asexual reproduction that renders a true genetic copy of the plant may be used. Acceptable modes of asexual reproduction include but are not limited to rooting cuttings, grafting and budding, apomictic seeds, bulbs, division, slips, layering, rhizomes, runners, corms, tissue culture, and nucellar embryos.

The purpose of asexual reproduction is to establish the stability of the plant. This second step of the invention must be performed with sufficient time prior to application for patent rights to allow the thorough evaluation of propagules or clones of the claimed plant for stability, thus ensuring that such specimens retain the identical distinguishing characteristics of the original plant.