You may have fallen in love with some of your indoor plants, and you may have a nagging urge to keep the lineage in your family. The easiest way to generate more plants from your original plant is to propagate it by taking stem or leaf cuttings. Propagating indoor plants has many positive side effects, the obvious being making more plants for free. The other byproduct of growing new plants from old ones is the experience of nurturing nature, getting your hands dirty, and forcing yourself to have patience while the young plants grow.
Now that you have cultivated the desire to grow sentimental plants, you need to know what types of plants can be produced from leaf or stem cuttings. *(Some plants are patent protected and cannot be propagated). Some plants cannot be propagated with this method and must either be grown from seed, root divided, or by removing the offshoots.
Here is a list (with photos) of 52 indoor plants you can grow from cuttings & how to propagate them!
There are many other houseplants that can be grown through leaf, or stem cuttings. Ardisia, Hibiscus, Mandevilla, Kalanchoe, Sedum, Fittonia, and most vining indoor plants easily grow roots from stem cuttings when placed in water or soil!
Types of Cuttings
Clump Cuttings
For indoor plants that develop leaves in clumps, cut directly under the clump, making sure you have removed the swollen section where the leaves meet. Chinese Evergreens and Dieffenbachias should be propagated using this method.
Stem Cuttings
The majority of indoor plants can be propagated by taking stem cuttings. Monstera, Philodendron, Rhaphidophora, and many more (see list) will need at least 2 nodes in each cutting to survive. The lower node is where the roots will form and the upper node (the one above the soil line) will generate new foliage or stems.
Single Leaf Cuttings
Single leaves from most succulent plants are all you need to grow a new plant! Echeverias, Hoya, Jade, Peperomia, Snake Plants, ZZ plants, and others (see list) will generate roots and new foliage from the leaf base.
Now that you have your cuttings, it is time to start propagating! We first must decide whether to grow roots in water or place the cuttings directly into soil.
2 Ways to Propagate
Water Method
Most of your soft-leaved indoor plants are great candidates for water propagating. Syngonium, Chain of Hearts, Tradescantia, Monstera, Maranta, and many more (see list) develop roots quickly in water and they look gorgeous growing them!
- Once you have collected the cuttings immediately place them in a water-retentive vessel. Make sure that the leaves are not submerged as they will rot over time and ensure that the lower node stays underwater constantly.
- Place your vessel in a brightly lit spot, with warm temperatures and increased humidity.
- Replace the water weekly to keep mildew from developing in the vessel.
- Roots will develop over time and this depends on the conditions as well the type of plant you are growing. Some plants take longer to root than others! Do not be surprised if some of your cuttings fail to produce roots. It is a great idea to take more cuttings then you intended in case this happens.
- It is time to pot up your cuttings when the roots have grown 1-2" long. Use fresh potting soil, with good drainage and water the newly planted cuttings frequently until the adjust to the new growing medium!
Soil Method
- Another common method for propagating cuttings is to stick them directly into potting soil and most indoor plants can be grown this way. Succulents, Hoya, Peperomia, and many more (see chart) love to grow and develop roots in loose potting soil.
- You can let your cuttings or leaves sit out in the air for about 12 hours before placing them in the soil, but it is not critical. Healing the wound on your cutting can help prevent bacteria from entering the stem or leaf. You can decide if this is a necessary step for your plants.
- Dip your cuttings or leaves into rooting hormone as this will give the plant-to-be a chemical boost to help roots develop. Again, this is not a critical step as most plants will develop roots with it!
- Evenly plant your cuttings or leaves into the soil leaving a little space between each one. Tap the cutting into the soil and press the soil around the base of the cuttings to ensure that they remain in the correct position.
- Place the pot in a brightly lit spot, with warm temperatures and increased humidity.
- Water the soil frequently for the first 2 weeks or so, and once you have noticed roots developing (gently pull on the foliage and if there is a slight resistance then the roots have started to form!) water the soil only when it has almost completely dried out. Succulents need less water then soft-leaved plants.
Congratulations! Once you have noticed new leaf and stem growth, you can pat yourself on the back as you have successfully grown a brand new plant for free!
Indoor Plants you Cannot Propagate with Cuttings
There are some plants that you cannot propagate using stem cuttings or leaf cuttings. The best propagation method for these plants is dividing the root ball and creating sections that can be potted individually. Cast Iron Plant, Apobolis, Farfugium, Pineapples, Homalomena, Calathea, Ferns, Anthurium, Alocasia, Aloe, and Bird of Paradise are clumping houseplants that can only be propagated through division or grown from seed.Spider plants and bromeliads grow offshoots that can be cut from the main plant, re-potted, and grown without very little hassle!
The good news is that there are many houseplants that be grown from cuttings and help us stay connected to nature by allowing us to play a minor role in keeping our glorious plant green and wonderfully complicated.