Budding

A hydra with two buds

Budding is a method of asexual reproduction. With budding, a new organism grows on another one. It stays attached, while it grows. Only when it is fully grown does it detach from the parent organism. Since the reproduction is asexual, the newly created organism is a clone and is genetically identical to the parent organism. This method (asexual reproduction) is done in favourable conditions

Budding is very common in plants and fungi. For example, in yeast budding, small buds are produced that remain attached initially to the parent cell which eventually gets separated and mature into new yeast organisms. Sometimes it can also be found with animals, for example with hydras or sponges.