I think that's very wrong. That's considered stealing, plain and simple. Just because a house is for sale, doesn't give you the right to steal a plant.

If you mean cutting off a little slip of the plant, without hurting or digging up the main plant you're taking the snipping from, then I'd say go for it.

I got most of my plants by rooting little cuttings from plants found in friend's homes, or from neighbor's yards. If they're around I'll ask, but if not, I'm just carefull to take it from a part of the plant where it won't hurt the plant, nor it's appearance, and so far nobody's noticed, or cared if they did, because the main plant just grows back and has to be trimmed or pruned anyway.

I wouldn't say it's wrong or stealing. If you know how to properly take a cutting from a plant to clone it will not damage the plant. In fact, cutting for cloning will stimulate growth in the "mother" plant so to speak.

However at least were I live if your in someone's yard dinking about your liable to get shot. (Alaskans do love their guns) You may wanna walk up and ask first, if they say no keep an eye out. The thing about planting things is they never stay were you plant them. It'll likely be growing outside the property line some day.

You could also ask them what type of plant it is and buy your own.

Tough one...A tiny snip...shouldn't be a big deal...but it depends on if someone else sees you...then it could be blown out of the water...I'd probably steer clear of it just to be safe...You never know wht kind of temper or mind set someone who sees you may have!

If your intentions are good, there could possible no hurt to anybody if you just take a tiny snip to try to grow it.
growing plants is alway good in many way, Specially for the environment. Nature is God gift for everyone to enjoy .

Mary Mary Quite Contrary
How does your garden grow?
I'd like to know so here I go
Can I please take some???

Ok, so it's not as simple as when you were a child and picked a flower from a neighborhood yard to give Mom. If the house is for sale and no one is living there it is a temptation.

Snip, clip, and run! Not the best plan,however. It is privately owned property. Consider calling the number on the FOR SALE sign and kindly ask permission. If permission is denied, you can at least find out the name of the plant you admired and purchase it.

Nearly everything in my garden has been taken from cuttings, whether I asked for them from a friend's house or like you say, I'm walking along, I see a lovely ground cover that I know will strike if I take a runner so I do :)

The plant I took it from isn't damaged, the plant is now growing at my place, it cost nothing, it hurt no one and I've reused and recycled something that might otherwise have just been cut off and put in the bin.

Now, to qualify my answer I will say I never take something that will damage the host plant. I never take something like a special plant you need to register and if the owner is around sure I'd ask - I've never been refused and I have grown many gardens from scratch.....

I think taking things like ground cover is fine! It spreads the greenery around without using anything or spending money :)

The picture below ( if it shows ) is a lovely little native pigs face ground cover that grows around Sydney - its everywhere!

Funny cause I don't really see it for sale anywhere but everyone has some.....
:) :)

Legally, it's trespassing and petty theft, and if worse comes to worse, you can be prosecuted for it. More likely than not, if you don't do any real damage that would decrease the property value, you probably won't be.

That being said, I would go to a neighbor and find out if they thought it would be o.k. Most of the time, neighbors knew the people who moved, and know if they would like sharing cuttings. They may even be watching out for the house while it's being sold. If that doesn't work, call the real estate agent and ask them.

If you are going to harvest cuttings, take them from part of the plant that doesn't show, and don't change the shape or size of the plant. Plants add to property value, and a misshapen plant can actually detract from the appearance of a house, and cause it not to sell. Some people are very picky.

In FL, we have a lot of vacant homes from the housing crisis that have citrus and other fruit trees in the yards. I've asked neighbors first, then gone and harvested fruit from them. I've also taken cuttings and dug up seedlings from abandoned properties. It's all about being aware of the fact that this was once someone's home, and thinking of what you would want someone to do if it was your house for sale.

Yes, I think it is, because some people are very invested in their plants, and would be horrified to see a stranger doing anything to them.

Also, if you aren't familiar with various plants and gardening techniques, you might be pruning the plant at the wrong time and causing problems. Most non-gardeners don't know that pruning actually stimulates new growth, and should not be done late in the season. The new growth won't have time to mature before frost. If you were to cut the end off a branch of the rose growing beside my front steps right now, new sprouts would quickly develop and be killed by the rapidly approaching cold weather.

What if the plant is rare or delicate and the owner has anxiously awaited flowers? You could be cutting off buds.

The bottom line is, it's not yours, you don't have the right to tamper with it. However, I think it wouldn't hurt to knock on the door, tell the homeowner that you admire the plant and ask if you might have a cutting.