To investigate the effect of type of cutting on the growth of vegetatively-propagated Cordia africana (Lam.), cuttings from primary, secondary, and tertiary branches of trees were raised in a non-mist propagator. The cuttings were monitored for shoot development. Measurements of growth were performed three months after the initiation of the experiment. The number of days to shoot development was unaffected by cutting type. Number of shoots, height, stem diameter, stem volume, number of leaves and leaf area of the dominant shoot were significantly lower in soft than either the hard or semi-hardwood cuttings which did not show a significant difference in any trait. A similar but opposite trend of response was observed for mortality. The results suggest that softwood cuttings may not be a suitable propagation material for C. africana (Lam.).