5 Easy-to-Propagate Houseplants

Why buy new plants when you can just make them?

One of the most rewarding aspects of my domestic jungle is propagating plants. Watching a tiny cutting sprout roots and blossom into a thriving plant is a fulfilling journey that teaches patience and dedication. Propagation also creates a special bond between you and your plants and enriches your appreciation for the natural world. You can learn about the unique requirements of different species and the wonders of plant biology while cultivating a profound respect for the ecosystems that plants call home. Plus: Free plants! But where do you start? These five plants (and the associated techniques) will get you and your indoor jungle off on the right foot.

Tradescantia

A true weed in the jungle, Tradescantia is one of the easiest houseplants to propagate. This is unsurprising given their aggressive growth patterns and vining nature. Trads grow by sprouting alternating pairs of leaves along their vine-like tendrils. The simplest propagation method is to cut a healthy piece of vine with at least two pairs of leaves. Remember to clean your knife or snippers in order to prevent infection. Carefully remove the lowest pair of leaves, then place the cut end of the vine in a small container filled with water. Or you can plant them in soil. Or another growth medium. It doesn't matter much with Tradescantia, as they will root easily in almost anything. This past summer, I placed some "purple heart" in my outdoor window boxes. When the vines grew long, they would sometimes break off in strong winds. When I found them on the ground, I would simply gather them up and place them in a vase filled with water. Though initially a desperate measure, I achieved nearly a 100% success rate. To give the cuttings the best chance, place them in a sunny spot. Once significant roots appear (in 2 to 6 weeks), you can transfer them to fresh potting soil. Or not. They will last indefinitely in the water vase as long as you change the water every week or so.

Spider Plant

Spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum) are so easy to care for that they practically propagate themselves. How do they achieve this? They produce spider babies (Spider babies! Spider babies! Spider babies!). Alright, let's stay calm. I tend to get really excited about spider babies. These spider babies (technically "offsets") are small plants (technically "plantlets") that grow on special stems called stolons. The offsets are like fully formed miniature versions of the mother plant, complete with leaves, roots and everything. To propagate, simply detach the baby from the stolon, prepare a well-draining pot with fresh soil, make a small hole, and place the baby roots-down (of course) in the soil. Gently moisten the soil and place it in bright, indirect light to encourage growth. You can even plant several babies together in a single pot. Before you know it, you will have mature spider plants producing babies of their own (more spider babies!).

Pothos

Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) are incredibly easy to propagate because of the abundance and visibility of their nodes. Nodes are the points on a plant stem where leaves, branches and buds emerge, and they are essential for the plant's growth and development. Nodes usually appear as small bumps or leaf attachments. When taking a cutting, cut below a node, ensuring that one or more nodes are included. The cutting should generally be 4 to 6 inches long and include a few leaves. Place the cutting in water so that the nodes are fully submerged, but the leaves stay dry. Change the water weekly. Roots should appear in 2 to 4 weeks, and once they reach a length of about an inch, you can transfer the cutting to clean soil.

Leafy Succulents

Have some succulents? Want more? Looking for an easy and fun plant project? Why not make a propagation plate? Just gently pull a few healthy leaves from your chosen mother plant and allow them to callous by leaving them in a dry, shaded area for a few days (This step helps prevent rot once they are planted.) then choose any dish or plate that you like and cover the surface with about an inch of potting soil. Using a spray bottle or mister, gently moisten the soil and arrange the cuttings (or pullings, as the case may be) over the soil in a decorative pattern and place your propagation tray in a warm, sunny location. Check your tray daily and lightly mist with water as needed to keep the soil slightly moist but not too wet. In a few weeks, teeny, tiny, itsy, bitsy plants will begin to emerge from the broken end of the leaf. Once roots form, you can transfer your new little guy to a small pot with new soil. Succulents can be propagated by other methods as well. Just like our spider plant, many varieties will form offsets ("pups") that can be separated from the mother plant and allowed to root in fresh soil (succulent babies!). There are many types of succulents (thousands in fact!), and while they are commonly grouped together in our collective consciousness, each has its differences. This method works best on leafy varieties like Echeveria, Graptopetalum, and Sempervivum.

Philodendrons

Ah, philodendrons. These easy-going yet elegant houseplants are among my favorites because they come in such a wide variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and textures. Essentially, there are two main types: vining and upright (also known as self-heading). Vining philodendrons can be propagated similarly to pothos (as described above). However, upright varieties often have fewer leaves, and nodes can be harder to identify. Therefore, I prefer the division method. When a philodendron in my collection outgrows its pot and has more than one main stem emerging from the base, it's time to divide the plant. Begin by removing the plant with its soil from its current container. Using your fingers, gently separate the plant and its roots from the soil. (You'll want to wear clean gloves for this to protect the delicate roots. You don't need to remove all the soil, just enough to see the roots where they attach to the base of the plant, or the crown). Carefully separate the stems, ensuring some of the larger roots remain attached to each section. Don't worry about the sounds of tearing and ripping as smaller roots break apart. The breaking of small roots is beneficial for the plant, as it releases hormones that encourage the growth of larger and stronger roots. Once you've divided the plant, repot the individual stems, root down, in fresh soil and watch your new plant mature. I have a Philodendron birkin that I've nicknamed Jane (Get it? Jane Birkin? No? Okay). I've divided and repotted this plant so many times that I can't remember which one is the original Jane.

Rooting Aids

Before we wrap things up, I wanted to discuss rooting aids. These are compounds that contain rooting hormones, often with added fertilizers and minerals, to assist your new cuttings in taking root. Rooting aids are available at most garden centers and plant stores and typically come in two forms: dry and liquid. To use the dry compound, simply dip the cut end of the stem or vine in the powder before planting in soil, or dissolve the powder in water for water propagation. The liquid form can be diluted according to the package instructions and used to water your new plant.

There you have it. If you follow the advice above, you will have more plants than you can handle  in no time. Which is okay because small plants make great (and inexpensive) gifts. Small plants can also be used in terrariums and dish gardens. Or, with a little patience, can be nurtured into a stunning and mature focal point in your home. Happy propagating. 🪴