When houseplants get large or you want more, many can be propagated easily through cuttings, division, or layering. Use the info below to grow more plants for your home or to share with friends.
Why Propagate? | When to Propagate | Methods of Propagation | Easiest Houseplants to Propagate |
| Best Propagation Method by Species | More Information
Why Propagate Houseplants?
Propagating houseplants is fun and meditative. It expands your collection, creates gifts, and improves plant appearance by taming leggy, abundant, misshapen, lopsided, or unruly growth.
When to Propagate Houseplants?
Most houseplants can be propagated any time of the year, but early spring through summer is the best time for the health of the propagules and the parent plant.
Only propagate from healthy, vigorously growing plants. Do not propagate from houseplants that:
- have disease or insect pest problems
- show signs of viruses (such as mottled leaves and weak growth)
- do not have vigorous growth
Starting with healthy plants is essential.
Methods of Propagation for Houseplants
Plant propagation is divided into two major categories: sexual and asexual, also called vegetative.
Seed (Sexual Propagation)
Sexual propagation creates new plants from seeds by mixing genetic material from both parents. The resulting hybrids are often similar to the parents, but not identical.
Since houseplants rarely flower indoors and lack pollinations mechanisms indoors (such as insect pollinators or wind), sexual propagation through seeds is impractical.
Vegetative (Asexual Propagation)
Asexual propagation uses vegetative plant parts (roots, stems, leaves, etc.) to grow a genetically identical plant, or clone. Methods include cuttings, layering, grafting, tissue culture (aka micropropagation), and division.
Which Method do you Use?
Different plants have optimal propagation methods based on factors like physiology, size, and growth habit.
For example, some houseplant species, like pothos, have stems that can be cut and easily rooted. Others, like African violet, have a growth habit that makes propagation by leaves better.
The most common forms of houseplant propagation used by home gardeners are Cuttings, Division, and Layering.
Easy Houseplants to Propagate
While most houseplants are straightforward regarding propagating, a few are very easy! Start your propagation hobby with these species for the most success.
- Pothos (Epipremnum aureum)
- Sansevieria, Snake Plant (Dracaena trifasciata syn: Sansevieria trifasciata)
- Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
- Zz Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)
- Chinese Money Plant (Pilea peperiomoides)
- Tradescantia, Inch plant (Tradescantia spp.)
- Arrowhead plant (Syngonium podophyllum)
- Jade Plant (Crassula ovata)
- Heartleaf Philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum)
- English Ivy (Hedera helix)
- Mother Of Thousands (Bryophyllum daigremontianum)
- Aloe (Aloe vera)
- Coleus (Coleus scutellarioides)
- African Violet (Saintpaulia ionantha)
Best Propagation Method by Species
Foliage Houseplants | Flowering Houseplants | Succulents
Best Propagation Method for Foliage Plants by Species
| Plant Species | Leaf Cuttings | Stem Cuttings | Layering | Division | Offsets/ Plantlets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acalypha wilkesiana (Copperleaf) | * | ||||
| Aglaonema species (Chinese Evergreen) | * | * | |||
| Aphelandra squarrosa (Zebra Plant) | * | ||||
| Araucaria heterophylla (Norfolk Island Pine) | * | * | |||
| Asparagus densiflorus (Asparagus Fern) | * | ||||
| Aspidistra elatior (Cast Iron Plant) | * | ||||
| Beaucarnea recurvata (Ponytail Palm) | * | ||||
| Begonia masoniana, B. rex (Iron Cross Begonia, Rex Begonia) | * | * | |||
| Calathea makoyana, C. ornata (Peacock Plant) | * | ||||
| Chlorophytum comosum (Spider Plant) | * | * | * | ||
| Cissus rhombifolia (Grape Ivy) | * | * | |||
| Codiaeum variegatum (Croton) | * | * | |||
| Coleus scutellarioides syn: Solenostemon, Plectranthus (Coleus) | * | ||||
| Dieffenbachia species (Dumb Cane) | * | ||||
| Dizygotheca elegantissima (Falese Aralia) | * | * | |||
| Dracaena deremensis ‘Warneckii’ (Striped Dracaena) | * | * | |||
| Dracaena fragrans (Corn Plant) | * | * | |||
| Dracaena marginata (Dragon Tree) | * | * | |||
| Dracaena trifasciata, syn: Sansevieria trifasciata (Snake Plant, Mother-in-Law's Tongue) | * | * | |||
| Epipremnum aureum (Devil's Ivy, Pothos) | * | * | |||
| Ferns (Asplenium, Cyrtomium, Nephrolepis, Pteris, others) | * | ||||
| Ficus benjamina (Weeping Fig) | * | * | |||
| Ficus elastica (Rubber Tree) | * | * | |||
| Ficus lyrata (Fiddleleaf Fig) | * | * | |||
| Fittonia verschaffeltii var. argyroneura (White Nerve Plant) | * | ||||
| Fittonia verschaffeltii var. pearcei (Red Nerve Plant) | * | ||||
| Hedera helix (English Ivy) | * | * | |||
| Maranta leuconeura (Prayer Plant) | * | ||||
| Monstera deliciosa (Swiss Cheese Plant) | * | * | |||
| Palms (Caryota, Rhapis, Dypsis, Chamaedorea, others) | * | ||||
| Peperomia species (Peperomia) | * | ||||
| Philodendron bipennifolium (Fiddleleaf Philodendron) | * | * | |||
| Philodendron hederaceum (Heartleaf Philodendron) | * | * | |||
| Philodendron selloum syn. Thaumatophyllum (Lacy Tree Philodendron) | * | * | |||
| Pilea cadierei & Pilea microphylla (Aluminum Plant, Artillery Plant) | * | ||||
| Pilea peperiomoides (Chinese Money Plant) | * | * | |||
| Plectranthus australis (Swedish Ivy) | * | * | |||
| Rhoeo spathacea (Moses-in-the-Cradle) | * | ||||
| Schefflera actinophylla (Umbrella Tree) | * | * | |||
| Schefflera arboricola (Dwarf Schefflera) | * | * | |||
| Senecio mikanioides (German Ivy) | * | * | |||
| Strobilanthes dyeranus (Persian Shield) | * | ||||
| Syngonium podophyllum (Arrowhead Vine, Nephthytis) | * | * | |||
| Tradescantia species, Zebrina species (Inch plant, Wandering Dude, Tradescantia) | * | * | |||
| Zamioculcas zamiifolia (Zz Plant) | * | * | * |
Best Propagation Method for Flowering Plants by Species
| Plant Species | Leaf Cuttings | Stem Cuttings | Layering | Division | Offsets/ Plantlets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annuals from the garden (Impatiens, Pelargonium, Lantana, Fuschia, Begonia) | * | * | |||
| Anthurium species (Flamingo Flower) | * | ||||
| Begonia coccinea & B. lucerna (Angel Wing Begonia) | * | * | |||
| Bromeliads (Aechmea, Guzmania, Neoregelia, Vriesea) | * | ||||
| Citrus species (Citrus) | * | ||||
| Clivia miniata (Clivia) | * | ||||
| Columnea species (Goldfish Plant) | * | ||||
| Episcia species (Flame Violet) | * | * | |||
| Euphorbia milii (Crown of Thorns) | * | ||||
| Hibiscus species (Hibiscus) | * | ||||
| Hippeastrum species (Amaryllis) | * | ||||
| Hoya carnosa (Wax Vine) | * | * | |||
| Orchids (Phalaenopsis, Cattleya, Oncidium, Paphiopedilum) | * | * | |||
| Pachystachys lutea (Golden Shrimp Plant) | * | ||||
| Rosa species (Miniature Rose) | * | ||||
| Saintpaulia species (African Violet) | * | * | |||
| Schlumbergera species (Holiday Cactus) | * | ||||
| Sinningia speciosa (Gloxinia) | * | ||||
| Spathiphyllum species (Peace Lily) | * | ||||
| Strelitzia reginae (Bird of Paradise) | * | ||||
| Streptocarpus hybrida, S. saxorum (Cape Primrose, False African Violet) | * | * | |||
| Zantedeschia species (Calla) | * |
Best Propagation Method for Succulents by Species
| Plant Species | Leaf Cuttings | Stem Cuttings | Layering | Division | Offsets/ Plantlets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adenium species (Desert Rose) | * | ||||
| Aeonium species (Pinwheel Desert Rose) | * | ||||
| Agave americana (Century Plant) | * | ||||
| Aloe species (Aloe) | * | ||||
| Bryophyllum daigremontianum (Mother of Thousands) | * | ||||
| Cephalocereus senilis (Old Man Cactus) | * | ||||
| Crassula argentea (Jade Plant) | * | * | |||
| Echeveria (Echeveria) | * | ||||
| Echinocactus grusonii (Barrel Cactus) | * | ||||
| Epiphyllum species (Orchid Cactus) | * | ||||
| Euphorbia lactea (Candelabra Plant) | * | ||||
| Euphorbia tirucalli (Pencil Cactus) | * | ||||
| Graptopetalum (Ghost Plant) | * | * | |||
| Gymnocalycium mihanovichii friedrichii (Grafted cactus) | * | ||||
| Haworthia species (Haworthia) | * | ||||
| Kalanchoe blossfeldiana (Kalanchoe) | * | ||||
| Lithops species (Living Stones) | * | ||||
| Opuntia species (Bunny Ears, Prickly Pear) | * | ||||
| Pachyphytum species (Moonstones) | * | * | |||
| Sedum species (Sedum) | * | ||||
| Sempervivum species (Hen and Chicks) | * | ||||
| Senecio rowleyanus (String of Pearls) | * |
More Information
- How to Care for Houseplants
- Indoor Plants (publication)
- How to Propagate Succulents
- Growing Indoor Plants Under Supplemental Lights
- Home Propagation Techniques (pdf)
- Propagating Houseplants from South Dakota State University
- New Plants from Cuttings from Purdue University
- Propagating Houseplants from Penn State University
- Home Propagation of Houseplants from University of Missouri