This simple tutorial shows how to take cuttings from your pothos houseplant (Epipremnum aureum) and root them for new plants.
There are also practical tips for How to Grow African Violets From Cuttings.
How to Take a Stem Cutting / Stem-Tip Cutting
Pothos is an iconic houseplant and it’s enjoying a revival these days.
Grow them as trailing vines or add stick-on hooks to your wall and let them work their way all around the room.
Pothos | Species: Epipremnum aureum
Common Names: pothos, devil’s ivy, money plant, golden pothos
Hardiness Zone: 11 (tropical) | Best temperature range: 60-85 ºF (15-29 ºC)
Light: Tolerates fairly low light, prefers medium light a few feet from a window. Variegated leaves lose yellow tones if light is too low.
Water: Even moisture. These guys sulk if the soil dries out (wilting, yellow leaves, brown patches).
Maintenance: For a bushier plant, cut some stems back to soil level to encourage additional shoots.
Or let those vines grow on and on. They can reach 30 feet in length!
Propagation: Stem cuttings (instructions below)—sometimes also called ‘stem tip cuttings’—can be rooted in water or potting medium.
Contents
Supplies
This is the same method used to take softwood cuttings from outdoor garden plants.
Some links show the products on Amazon.
- Scalpel or sharp, fine knife/snippers cleaned with rubbing alcohol or bleach solution (4 teaspoons bleach per quart of water for at least one minute).
- Jars of warm water for rooting in water. I love these glass bulb rooting stands.
or - Small flowerpots with houseplant potting mix (for rooting and/or growing).
Rooting medium: perlite, vermiculite, or a general houseplant potting medium.
Growing medium: general houseplant potting medium. - Dibber or thick pencil/sharpie to make hole in potting mix.
- Pothos plant with long stems (over 12-inches long).
Should I use rooting hormone?
No, it’s not necessary. Easy growers like pothos will root just fine without it. Rooting hormone is recommended for any stubborn or slow-growing plants or when taking hardwood cuttings. You can read more about rooting hormone here.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1Get Supplies Ready
Pothos plant, clean scalpel, jars of water or flowerpots with growing medium. See all the supplies here.
2Take Your Cuttings
- Choose a healthy, main stem.
- From the tip/end of the stem, count back at least 3 leaves.
- Approximately ½ to one-inch below the third leaf, cut stem at 45-degree angle.
- You can keep the top two leaves and remove the third (lower) leaf by cutting it near the stem with a nice, clean cut.
What is a Node?
Nodes are those little bumps you see on plant stems.
Depending on the plant, nodes may be where stems, leaves, or new roots can grow.
On the pothos plant, the leaf nodes are the areas along the stem where leaves are growing.
By removing the lower leaf and cutting the stem below it, the plant will react by sprouting roots in that zone.
See Bulb Rooting Jars | Etsy
Water Rooting
- Place cutting in warm water, submerged one inch above the node where the 3rd leaf was removed.
or
Root in Potting Mix
- Use a dibber to create a hole in the growing medium and bury stem to just above node where 3rd leaf was removed. Water until growing medium is moist.
You can also propagate African violets from leaf stems by rooting them in water or potting mix.
Light
- Place cutting (now in jar or flowerpot) near natural light but keep it indirect so the plant will not get hot or dry out.
Two Weeks Later
This photo (above) was taken 18 days after I started rooting the cuttings.
- You can see white roots growing from one node on each stem.
- In another month or so, the roots will have side shoots and be about an inch longer—that’s when I like to switch water rooted cuttings to potting mix.
The photo (below) is after several months.
3Care
Water Rooting : Freshen water every few days.
Growing Medium Rooting: keep evenly moist, not soggy or dry.
Tip: If you have a heating mat, use it to speed up root formation.
Timing: Pothos generally take about 4 to 6 weeks to produce roots ready for planting.
If rooting in water, vermiculite, or perlite, you can move the cutting to household potting mix when roots with side branches have formed.
More Options
Houseplants Suitable for Stem Cuttings
Besides pothos, there are lots more tropical/indoor houseplants you can grow from stem cuttings:
- African violet Saintpaulia spp.
- Basil Ocimum basilicum
- Begonia Begonia spp.
- Chinese evergreen Aglaonema commutatum
- Chinese money plant Pilea peperomioides
- Citrus Citrus spp.
- Coleus Solenostemon spp.
- Corn plant Dracaena spp.
- Dieffenbachia Dieffenbachia spp.
- Echeveria Echeveria spp.
- Ficus Ficus benjamina
- Fiddle leaf fig Ficus lyrata
- Geranium Pelargonium spp.
- Hibiscus Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
- Moth orchid Phalaenopsis spp.
- Peperomia Peperomia spp.
- Philodendrum Philodendrum spp.
- Pothos ivy Pothos spp.
- Snake plant Sansevieria spp.
- Schlumbergeras (Christmas and Thanksgiving Cactus) (see tutorial)
Plant Patents: Some plants are patented and asexual reproduction is not permitted without permission from the patent holder. Patents and trademarks are listed on plant tags.
~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛
How to Root Pothos Cuttings in Water
Supplies & Materials
- 1 Pothos plant
Instructions
- Use clean scalpel to take cutting. Choose a healthy, main stem.From the tip/end of the stem, count back at least 3 leaves.Approximately ½ to one-inch below the third leaf, cut stem at 45-degree angle.You can keep the top two leaves and remove the third (lower) leaf by cutting it near the stem with a nice, clean cut.
- You are cutting below a node (the part of a plant stem where the leaves grow from).
- Place cuttings in a few inches of warm water.
- Place cutting in jar near natural light but not where it will get hot or dry out.After two weeks small roots will be forming.After six weeks, roots should be an inch or more long and your cutting is ready to planted in potting mix.
Crystal says
Hi I’m so happy to have found your site. Hoping you can help. My pathos is indoor as I live in Connecticut. For some reason I can’t get the plant to ever look healthy. The leaves seem to always look week and wilted. Do you think I’m watering it to much or not enough. The stems also look sad to. Although the leaves are still green. I’m also curious usually about how often are these usually watered. I have been using a water bottle and spraying them. Maybe that’s not giving them enough. I don’t know I’m lost as ik very new to having/taking care of plants. Especially indoor ones. Thank you again for such a great informative article.
Melissa J. Will says
Hi Crystal,
There is no quick answer about watering. This explains watering: https://empressofdirt.net/watering-houseplants/
How much and how often to water depends on your plant, the potting mix, the humidity in the room, the time of year….
You also might want to get a moisture meter—they are cheap and tell you instantly about the moisture level in the potitng mix.
Leslie Herrera says
Thank you for these simple instructions!
Two weeks ago, propagated my leggy pothos and did 5 different cuttings, all in separate glasses (one blue glass because I ran out of clear). They’ve all started sprouted little roots which is very exciting (I’ve tried and failed twice before).
I have 2 questions
1. I’m noticing a white, transparent flowy what looks like film around the ends of the cuttings. What is that? Is it good or bad? Is that to be expected or should I try to remove it when changing the water?
2. Once a month or so has past and the roots are long enough, can I pot all of the baby plants in one pot or should they all be in their own? How often should I water once I put in a pot?
Melissa J. Will says
Hi Leslie,
1) Sounds harmless—can’t tell from afar what it is but the general principle is, if it’s growing fine and looks healthy, don’t worry.
2) Your choice: you can grow several individual plants or put them all together for a fuller effect. They’ll do fine either way.
3) Watering always depends on your unique conditions/circumstances. This shares how I learned to water just right: https://empressofdirt.net/watering-houseplants/
Good luck!
Vickie Smith says
I had a mother plant that was about 38 years old. It had dwindled down after what was probably it suffering from under watering and then over watering too many times. After doing some reading it seemed clear that root rot was the end result. There were only two salvagable pieces at this point and barely. One piece was a single leaf with a hint of another one coming alongside it and the other piece was a small stunted unhealthy looking leaf that looked not fully formed and like it was dying. I took everything out of the pot and rinsed gently. All of the roots fell right off. I left stem sections at about 4 inches and put them in water. I accidentally tore a piece off the one full leaf. That poor pathetic piece was limp but I thought it was more promising than the other because there was still more leaf surface for photosynthesis than on the other one. Later on the day it went in water it looked better. The other piece had its deformed leaf die but not before another started forming at its side. Now that is a new rather small open leaf and the stem has roots but no side roots. The piece that had the larger portion of leaf that I tore only now has a couple of barely distinguishable root bumps forming and it’s side leaf has started to open. I thought this plant was done for. It belonged to my parents who are both gone so I’m crossing my fingers that I get some part of it to survive. I’m glad I found your article before I got to the planting part. That’s what I’ve been wondering about. Thank you!
Melissa J. Will says
That plant is quite the survivor already! I think any additional days are a sweet bonus. Thanks for sharing.
Claire says
Do pothos do better when growing in water if the vase is clear? I have a few amber color vases and I’m not sure if it would effect their growth or not! Thank you!!
Melissa J. Will says
Hi Claire,
Great question.
As far as I understand, the roots will respond differently to different light colors (created by the glass) but it’s not a dealbreaker. Plus, every vase will be a little different so some may have more of an affect than others.
The most important thing (no matter what color glass) is to grow in indirect light so the water doesn’t overheat the roots.
Elizabeth says
Will the bottom of the cutting turn brown before it grows roots? Or is this a bad sign?
Melissa J. Will says
There may be some stem below the node area (where the roots form) that will brown and rot. Always allow several weeks for roots to form regardless.
Pam says
Descriptive and simple to understand!
Mckillio says
Do these instructions apply to not cutting off a piece and getting roots to grow from the end of the tendril? Put another way, I have a tendril so long that it reaches where I would put another pot, can I put the end nodes under water, have roots grow and then add it to a pot? Making a monster plant?
Melissa J. Will says
It’s a great question. In general plants have a growth direction and any propagation methods should work with it, not against it.
The only time I’ve seen your idea attempted resulted in the main plant rotting. It is a method used for hardy, woodier stems (like raspberry canes) but not tender, tropical ones.
But, if you’re like me (curious) and don’t mind it not working out, you could always try it yourself and see what happens. Maybe you’ll get a sweet little monster.
Juliana Sheffield says
My 5 year old Pothos isn’t well. Yellowing, dropping leaves on all of the long strands, but new growth on ends looks healthy. Can I propagate younger growth and expect a recovery?
Melissa J. Will says
Hi Juliana, Yes, any healthy new growth you propagate should grow just fine as a new plant.
Verlyn says
Can pothos stay in water and not be moved to a soil medium?
Melissa J. Will says
Yes. As I understand it, they can grow in water indefinitely. You will need to change water reguarly and (occassionally) add a suitable liquid fertilizer as directed on product label. I do not have a fertilzier to recommend as I have not researched this. Eventually, roots will get quite large and can be trimmed back.
Franklin says
Can you propergate an adult leave pothos which is already big if u cut the stem with a node on it?..
Melissa J. Will says
Yes, however, younger plant parts are always recommended because they grow more readily.
Jusryn Ee says
I live in Houston, TX and along with the northern hemisphere, the weather is starting to cool off. Temperature here is generally 32-50F for winter (from my understanding as have only been here a year). Is there a specific time to root my marbled queen pothos? I have the mother plant outdoors currently, will the babies and mother be OK for the coming months?
Thanks!
Melissa J. Will says
You can root them any time. Keep your plants in temperatures above 60F. The lowest they tolerate for a short time is 50F.
Olivia says
This is the most wonderfully detailed, step-by-step tutorial I’ve come across for propagating pothos! I do have a question I hope you can answer; is it okay to take a cutting if it has a baby leaf that hasn’t developed/opened up yet? Will it continue to open up if it’s not being fed by the mother plant?
Melissa J. Will says
Yes, should be fine so long as the cutting never dries out.
Ameira says
When transferring the propagated pothos from the water to the potting mixture, should the soil be dry or wet?
Melissa J. Will says
Either way is fine. I like to moisten the potting mix first but you can also add the plant and water after.
Dee says
Hello. Your passion for plants is very contagious. I had a question. I was wanting to propagate my pothos plant and I cut just below a node and the baby plant grew well but the mother plant where I cut the baby plant from has stopped growing. What do I do for the mother plant to continue its growing? Not sure if my question make sense.
Melissa J. Will says
If I am understanding correctly, you’re wondering if the site where you removed the cutting will regrow? This may or may not happen. It depends on the plant and there is no action to take. Happy growing, Melissa
Nicole says
What happens to the stems that you trim on the mother plant?
Melissa J. Will says
Hi Nicole,
Is your question, what happens to the part of the mother plant where you cut off a stem? It just heals and the mother carries on.
Nicole says
Thank you! I didn’t know if new growth would come out of the cut stem that’s left on the mother plant.
Melissa J. Will says
It may be possible. Would be worth it to mark the spot and see if anything grows.
Kylie says
Thank you very much for these clear instructions, easy to understand.
K says
I’ve just discovered your website and it’s impressive to say the least! Thank you for this article and how you’ve explained it, very well thought out and easy to follow. I’ve been taking pothos cuttings for years and it’s always nice to see how others do it. Thanks xx
Melissa says
My jade pothos seems to be just mainly stem and not alot of leaves, there are alot of nodes.
I have also just repotted due to been very root bound can I bury the stem and nodes into soil?, will it grow more doing that
Im New to inside plants
Thank you ♡
Melissa J. Will says
Roots can grow from any node so it should be fine. You can start it in water or soil if you are sure to keep it watered.