Pothos Propagation: How To Propagate A Pothos

Individually Small Potted Pothos Plants
pothos
(Image credit: Koonsiri Boonnak)

Pothos plants are some of the most popular houseplants. They aren't fussy about light or water or fertilization and, when it comes to how to propagate a pothos, the answer is as easy as the node on your stem.

Pothos propagation begins with the root nodes on the stem right below the leaf or branch junctures. These tiny bumps on the stems of rooting pothos are the key to propagating pothos. When your aging plant begins to get leggy or your full and healthy plant grows too long, simply give your plant a haircut.

Pothos Propagation - How to Propagate a Pothos

Begin by snipping off 4- to 6-inch (10-15 cm.) lengths of healthy stem for your pothos cuttings, making sure each cutting has four or more leaves. Remove the leaf that's closest to the cut end. Once you've cut your stems, you're ready to begin rooting. Pothos propagation can be accomplished in two ways. You might want to try both to see which one works best for you.

Check Out Our Complete Guide to Propagating Houseplants

The first method of propagating pothos is to place the cut ends of your stems in water. An old glass or jelly jar is perfect for rooting pothos. Place the jar of pothos cuttings in a place that gets plenty of light, but not direct sunlight. About a month after the roots begin to show, or once the roots are 2-3 inches (5-7.5 cm.) long, you can plant the cuttings in soil and treat them as you would any other houseplant.

The preferred method of how to propagate a pothos begins the same as the first. Take the pothos cuttings and remove the first leaf above the cut ends. Dip the cut end in rooting hormone. Make sure you cover the first set of root nodes. Set the cuttings in a potting mixture of half peat moss and half perlite or sand. Keep the soil moist and keep your rooting pothos out of direct sunlight. Roots should develop after one month, and after two or three months the new plants will be ready.

Jackie Rhoades
Writer

Jackie Rhoades began writing for Gardening Know How in 2010.