It’s easier to start new houseplants from your current collection than you may think! Grow more of your favorite plant, give them away as gifts, or swap with friends. There are three ways to propagate houseplants: by cuttings, division, or offsets. We’ll dive into those methods in this blog. Keep in mind that not every propagation may be a success, and different forms or propagations are better for certain plants.

Propagation by Cuttings

The best season to take cuttings are in spring or summer – they’ll have the best chance of rooting. At that time, practically all plants are awakening from winter dormancy, actively growing, and developing. There are two types of cuttings: stem cuttings and leaf cuttings. This will vary by plant.

Stem Cuttings

You can propagate any plant that has branches or stems through stem cuttings. They should be 3-5 inches long and with green growth, not brown or hardened woody growth. Think of plants like pothos, philodendron, or tradescantia that have long stems with many leaves growing from them.

Use a clean, sharp knife, and for best results, take the cutting from the end of a branch or shoot, cutting just below the node (if plant has nodes) – meaning, the node is part of the propagation. For plants with nodes, this is where new growth comes out of. Trim leaves and bracts from the lower 2 inches. Some find it helpful to let the newly cut end dry before placing in growth medium, but it’s not always necessary. To let it dry, wrap all except the newly cut end in a wet paper towel for an hour or so to let the cut end dry. Geraniums should dry several hours; cacti and other succulents for several days.

Make a hole in your rooting medium at least 1 inch deep and insert the cutting. Firm the medium around it and water. Don’t examine the cutting for at least 2 weeks. Except for fast growers like coleus, all plants require at least this long to root or to develop an enlargement of the cut end of the stem, called a callus. When the roots are 1/4 to 1/2 inch long, dig the new plant out carefully, and pot it in a small pot of soil appropriate to the species. Water and return it to its sunny spot for at least 4 days. After this time, check on it again by knocking the plant out of pot – roots, soil, and all. If you can see new, longer or branching white roots, you have a new plant! If you don’t see new white roots, continue to baby the cutting until you do.

Water Propagating

Some cuttings can be propagated in water. Make sure no leaves are underwater as they will rot. Submerge any nodes. Leave the glass near a light source until roots develop, and refresh or top off water regularly. Plant in soil when roots are at least 2 inches long and branching out. Plants that do not like to be consistently wet should not be water propagated.

Leaf Cuttings

Leaf cuttings work best with plants with thick, fleshy leaves as the leaves contain a sufficient supply of reserve food. African violets, snake plants, gloxinia, peperomia, and most succulents are among plants that can be propagated by removing an entire leaf from the plant. Let it dry until callused over, and then insert the petiole or leaf stem in the rooting medium. For snake plants, cut the leaf into several sections, each cut with a notch or V shape at the bottom and placed into a glass of water after leaving to dry for about 48 hours. As soon as new growth or solid roots are visible, your plant is ready for potting.

Propagation by Division

Division is when you break the plant’s root ball into multiple pieces and repot each piece to become its own plant, ideal for plants like peace lilies or most ferns. Any plant propagated by division should first be healthy and mature.

To divide, first remove the plant from its pot to expose roots. Carefully split the root ball into smaller sections, making sure each one has a healthy chunk of roots and foliage. If the root ball is really tight, you may need to cut it. Don’t worry, your plant can handle it! Pot each section into a new pot with fresh soil, making sure no roots are exposed. Water as normal.

It’s common for your plant to sulk for a few days, but once it starts new roots in the new soil, it should perk up.

Propagation by Offsets

This is the easiest kind of propagation as the plant has done most of the work for you. Offsets, also known as “pups,” are smaller versions of the mother plant found growing in the soil or hanging off a long stem.

Pilea, aloe, and snake plants are some examples of plants that have offsets that pop up in the soil. To remove, gently break or cut away the baby plants at the roots. Make sure the baby plant still has some roots, and the mother has plenty left. Repot the mother plant (if needed) and plant the offsets in their own pot. Water lightly.

Hanging offsets, such as on a spider plant, can be propagated in a few ways, depending if they already have roots. Some of these offsets may grow roots while they are still hanging from the stem. For these, simply cut it from the mother plant and pot it directly into its own smaller pot. If it doesn’t have roots, you have two options: set up small pots of compost or soil around the mother plant and pin the offsets onto the soil surface. Lightly water until rooted, then cut off of mother plants. Or, cut the offset away and place in a glass of water to root, then pot as normal.

Shop our wide houseplant selection for your next plant to take home. Watch it grow, and start propagating!