How to take cuttings from a healthy houseplant

Taking a cutting from a healthy houseplant is a low-cost way to create new plants, and the process is simple when you choose the right stem, cut in the right place and give the cutting the conditions roots need. The parent plant matters most. Choose one that is vigorous, actively growing and free from pests and disease, because a cutting carries whatever problems its parent has. Spring and early summer are generally the best times, since the plant is growing and rooting tends to be faster.

Many common houseplants, including pothos and philodendron, root readily from stem cuttings. Others, such as many succulents, root from leaves or stem pieces, and some slow-growing plants may take months. Check what your plant needs before you begin, and expect that not every cutting will succeed.

Choosing the right stem and node

Look for a firm, green stem with several healthy leaves and no signs of pests. Nodes are the slightly swollen joints where leaves attach, and new roots form from the tissue around them, so every cutting needs at least one. A typical cutting is about four to six inches long, and two or three nodes improve the odds on many plants. Avoid soft, damaged or heavily flowering stems, which can rot more easily. Stems that are firm yet still flexible, rather than very old and woody, usually root most readily. Inspect the stem for mealybugs, scale insects or spider mites before cutting, since a pest on the cutting can spread to the rest of the collection.

Two kinds of stem cutting are common. A tip cutting comes from the growing end of a stem and carries the shoot tip with several young leaves, a common choice for vining plants such as pothos. A stem-section cutting comes from older growth and is cut into pieces, each with its own node, so one long, leggy stem can yield several plants. Mark the top of each piece, perhaps with a small nick or a label, because a cutting planted upside down is slow to root and often fails.

Making the cut and handling the stem

Use a sharp, clean knife, razor blade or pruning shears, and wipe the blade with rubbing alcohol before you start and between plants to reduce the spread of bacteria and fungi. Cut just below a node at a slight angle, then remove the lower leaves so no foliage sits in water or soil. Leave one to three leaves at the top to keep the cutting photosynthesizing. Crushing the stem with a dull tool damages tissue and slows rooting, so make one clean cut instead of sawing. Trim any stub above the top leaf short, since a long one can rot before roots form. Some houseplants, including many euphorbias, release a milky sap that irritates skin, so wear gloves and wash your hands afterward.

A cut stem keeps losing water through its remaining leaves, and the fresh cut end dries quickly in warm air, so cuttings should not sit exposed for long. If you cannot root them straight away, stand them in a small glass of water out of direct sun, or wrap the cut ends in a barely damp paper towel, and set them to root within a day or so.

Rooting in soil or in water

Soil rooting avoids a later transfer and works for most of these plants. Insert the cutting into moist, well-draining potting mix, firm it gently and keep the mix evenly damp but not soggy. Water rooting also works: stand the cut ends in clear water with the nodes submerged and no leaves below the waterline, and change the water every few days.

Leaf and section cuttings

Some plants root from leaves instead. African violets root from the leaf stalk, which goes into moist mix with the blade held above the surface. Snake plants root from sections of a healthy leaf, cut into pieces two to three inches long. Mark the bottom end of each piece so it is planted the right way up, let the cut end dry and form a callus for a day or two, then set it upright in dry, gritty mix, because damp, fresh cut ends rot easily. Leaf cuttings usually take longer than stem cuttings, and some will produce nothing at all.

Caring for cuttings while roots form

Keep cuttings in bright, indirect light, away from cold drafts and hot windows, since heat and direct sun can wilt cuttings before roots form. Roots may appear within a few weeks on fast-rooting plants and take longer on others. For soil cuttings, check for roots with a gentle tug, since resistance suggests roots have formed. For water cuttings, watch for new white roots at the nodes. Avoid fertilizer at this stage, because a cutting without roots cannot take up nutrients and fertilizer can encourage rot.

Humidity helps cuttings root, but stagnant, damp air around wet cut ends invites fungal growth. Balance the two rather than sealing the cutting completely. A loosely covered pot, or a bag opened for a few minutes each day, gives air a chance to move.

Label each batch with the date, the parent plant and whether the cuttings were tips, sections or leaves. A partly successful batch still shows how long that plant takes to root in your conditions, which makes the next attempt easier to time.