The present invention provides a method for producing a plant having a modified epidermal outgrowth structure such as a trichome or root hair. The method comprises transforming a plant or plant cell with a D-type cyclin gene operably linked to an epidermis-preferred promoter and regenerating a plant from the transformed plant or plant cell. Examples of epidermis-preferred promoters useful for practicing the present invention include for example, a. lipid transfer protein 3 gene promoter such as an LTP3 promoter, a GLABRA2 gene promoter such as a GL2 promoter, a GORK gene promoter, a MIP-MOD gene promoter, a BLEC4 gene promoter, a WAXD9 gene promoter, and a MtENOD12 gene promoter. Resultant plants having modified epidermal outgrowth structures are also provided.