Best indoor plant cuttings to grow and propagate in water

The best plants to grow from cuttings in water are those that naturally develop roots quickly. Water propagation requires some part of the plant to be submerged. For this reason, slow rooting plants, like snake plants, can get mushy if they are underwater for too long. A fast rooting time means that the stem doesn’t need to remain underwater for too long.

Easy plant cuttings to propagate in water

The top plants to grow from cuttings in water are also some of the most popular varieties! These plants include pothos, tradescantia, begonias, and philodendrons. For many of these varieties we already have plant-specific propagation guides — follow the links to learn more!

• Propagating pothos in water: this guide covers golden pothos propagation, with instructions that will work for any of the many pothos varieties
• Propagating tradescantia in water: tradescantia is the fastest rooting common houseplant and a great option for getting started with water propagation
• Begonia propagation in water: cane begonias grow rapidly, so cutting them back and propagating the stems can keep your plant a manageable size as well as let you create new babies
• Propagating philodendron in water: there are a huge variety of philodendron species, such as the heart leaf philodendron, that propagate quickly and easily in water

List of plants that grow from cuttings in water

Other types of plants can also be propagated in water!

• Snake plant propagation in water: snake plant propagation is different than vining plants. Check out this guide for advice for cuttings and division.
• Propagating succulents in water: you can propagate succulents from stems and leaves! Make sure to let them callous over before placing in water.
• Propagating monstera in water: propagating monstera in water is easiest with cuttings that have aerial roots. An aerial root submerged in water will grow into a regular root.
• Propagate spider plant in water: spider plants often grow babies dangling off the parent plant. Once you separate them you can root the babies in water.
• Propagating peperomia in water: you can propagate peperomia by both stem and leaf cuttings! The new plants send out new shoots with tiny leaves.

Why do plant cuttings grow roots in water?

Whenever you take a cutting from your plant, the piece you remove can no longer sustain itself. While disconnected from the parent plant, the cutting has no way to get water or nutrients. As a result, it will put all of its energy into root growth. The cutting will continue attempting to grow roots until it can sustain itself again, or dies. Providing water as a propagation medium for your cutting will help it successfully grow roots.

Rooting cuttings in water

When propagating plants in water, you provide them the easiest possible access to what they need. Not only do they receive perfectly uniform access to moisture, but the cuttings also get the nutrients added to the water.

Propagating plants from cuttings in water

Once you have your cuttings, find a container large enough to submerge the nodes or cut area wherever the roots will grow from for your plant. (Check out the plant-specific propagation guides for instructions on how to cut different types of plants.)

Water propagation setup

Clear containers, such as glass or reused plastic takeout cups, are best. Through the transparent sides, you will be able to closely monitor the growth of your cuttings. In addition, make sure that mouth of the container is not narrower than the rest. Vase-shaped containers are not ideal because when roots grow, you can have a hard time getting the plant back out through the narrow neck. Click on the image or link to check the current price:

Desktop Plant Terrarium Propagation Station- 3 Pcs Tabletop Glass Planter Water Planting Glass Vase with Lid & Wooden Stand for Growing Hydroponic Plants Home Office Table Decoration

Next, remove any leaves that would be covered by the water in your container. Your goal is to minimize the amount of organic material to limit decay. Submerged leaves will get soggy and eventually rot, which can be harmful to the cutting. Then, fill the container with fresh tap water and replace it once every few days. You don’t need to use distilled water or anything special; almost all houseplants are completely fine with tap water (the exception being carnivorous plants like the venus fly trap that evolved in bogs with completely pure water).

Once roots appear, add a weak fertilizer like LiquiDirt to provide nutrients for your cutting. I prefer to use a liquid, dilutable fertilizer because adding too many nutrients to the water can allow algae to grow. Not only does algae ruin the aesthetics of clear containers, it can also start to compete with your cuttings and provide more organic material to encourage bacteria and disease. Click on the image or link to check the current price:

Liqui-Dirt Nano Powder All-Purpose Organic Complete Plant Food for Indoor or Outdoor Use (Makes over 50 gallons) 18 Balanced Super Foods -Balanced Blend of Vitamins Minerals Micro-Fungi and Bio-Organisms

Ensuring success when water propagating

To complete the equation for plant growth, you need to continue to provide oxygen and sunlight to your cuttings. While submerged, the only oxygen available to your cutting is what is dissolved in the water. Replacing water frequently helps keep it from getting too state. Adding a small airstone, like the kind used in fishtanks, will keep oxygen levels higher in large water vessels with lots of cuttings or expensive ones that need the best shot at success. Click on the image or link to check the current price:

Quiet Aquarium Air Pump 1.5 Watt Energy Saving Mini Oxygen Pump for 1-15 Gallon Fish Tank with Accessories White

Make sure to provide your cuttings plenty of light, by placing them in a bright window or under a grow light. While they are in the fragile state of rooting, it is especially critical that they receive enough light. The majority of houseplants need “bright, indirect light,” which means approximately 20% of the strength of direct outdoor sun. It may surprise you to learn that even a few feet away from the window, indoor light levels are usually 1% or less of the light outdoors. Our eyes are meant to work in varying light levels so humans are not good at distinguishing the exponential scale of light intensity. Nevertheless, it makes a big difference to our plants!

Don’t worry if you don’t have the perfect windowsill; grow lights are an easy option to make sure your cuttings can thrive in any location in your home. GE grow lights are my favorite because they come in multiple sizes and can fit into a normal lightbulb socket. The light is high intensity and optimized for plant grow, but appears bright white, which looks great in your home compared to ugly purple grow lights. I always order them on Amazon because the price is usually discounted compared to big box hardware stores. Click on the image or link to check the current price:

GE Grow LED Light Bulb, For Seeds and Greens, Balanced Light Spectrum, Medium Base, PAR38 Bulb Shape (Pack of 1)

Rooting plant cuttings in water vs soil

Because water roots don’t need to draw moisture from the soil and maneuver around obstacles, they grow thinner with more fragile root hairs. As a result, water roots can grow more quickly than soil roots. The main benefit of the speed of water rooting is that your cutting will be able to sustain itself again more quickly. As a result, it remains more healthy and less stressed.

Furthermore, water is a cleaner medium without organic material like soil. Rooting cuttings in soil requires consistent moisture levels that can cut off the airflow in the soil. This leads to an anaerobic environment with harmful microorganisms, disrupting the balance of the soil’s ecosystem. When that happens, it is easy for cuttings to rot.

You may wonder if the speed that water roots grow versus soil roots means that the overall propagation process will happen faster. The answer is sometimes, but not necessarily, because cuttings grown in water need to transition to soil to start growing soil roots. The overall time depends on how well you transition your cuttings.

Transitioning cuttings from water to soil

There is a common misconception that plants that grow from cuttings in water for too long cannot be switched back to soil. In fact, the reality is more complicated. The longer the plant grows in water, the more water roots it will develop. More roots are always better than less when transitioning a plant between mediums, even if they are not the correct type. The difficulties that might arise from switching plant cuttings in water to soil result from 1. the amount of roots needed to sustain a certain sized plant in water versus soil and 2. keeping the water roots happy in the new medium while the plant starts its soil roots.

Plant type

You may have heard that one type of plant or another is difficult to transition between mediums or doesn’t do well. In truth, no plant likes being replanted in a different medium because it is disruptive and not part of its normal growth routine. The success of the transplant depends mainly on how well you acclimate the plant to its new conditions, not the type of plant.

How much water roots is enough?

First, let’s address the amount of roots. Due to the ease of receiving water and nutrients, a plant growing in water needs a smaller root system. For example, say you have a plant with three leaves that grows exactly enough roots to sustain itself in water. Once you move that plant to soil, that same amount of roots might only be enough to sustain two leaves in a more challenging environment, so the plant will shed its oldest leaf. In order to prevent leaf loss when transitioning, you should wait until your plant has more than enough roots.

How do you know how much that is? The exact length or quantity of roots depends a lot on the plant, so there is a lot of varying advice. The easiest way to know is to look at your plant’s behavior. Once you see visible signs of growth, such as a new leaf starting, you know the plant has enough roots to sustain itself. Take a picture to remember what the size of the root system is. Then, wait until the root system increases by half, or one and a half times (150%) of the original size. Switching the cutting to soil after this point ensures that it can afford to lose some roots. Even if it loses up to 1/3 of its water collection efficiency, there will still be enough roots to sustain the new plant.

Acclimating plants grown from cuttings in water to soil

Lastly, take into account the difference between water and soil roots. Once you place your cutting in soil, any new roots it grows will be soil roots. In the meantime, though, the water roots are used to consistently moist conditions. If you wait until the soil is dry before watering the first time, the water roots can dry out too much and die. Ease the transition for your cutting by starting off planting it in moist soil, and gradually reduce the amount of water for a few weeks until you are watering normally for a soil-grown plant. Click on the image or link to check the current price:

Atree Soil Moisture Meter, Plant Moisture Meter, Plant Water Meter for House Plants, Soil Test Kit Hygrometer Moisture Sensor for Garden, Farm, Lawn, Indoor & Outdoor (No Battery Needed)

Want to use what we use to propagate plants? Check out our recommended best plant propagation supplies on Amazon!

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How to cut a snake plant

The tall, blade-like leaves of a snake plant are its most distinctive feature. For that reason, we also call snake plants by the name “mother in law tongue.” Due to their unique shape, you may wonder where you need to cut in order to propagate a snake plant.

Unlike other houseplants such as pothos, snake plants do not have stems and nodes to propagate with. The leaf blades are instead connected by an underground growth called a “rhizome” that looks like a white stem. We can propagate snake plants by leaf cuttings and rhizome divisions, which are commonly known as “pups.”

How to cut snake plant leaves

To propagate from a leaf, select a leaf to cut. I choose one from the middle of the plant so the stub is not visible from outside. You can select multiple leaves to cut as long as you take no more than 1/3 of the plant’s leaves at once. Next, you’ll need a pair of pruning shears to cut through the thick leaf at the base. Shears cut the stem cleanly, without causing any crushing damage, to keep the tissue healthy. I recommend these shears:

Ultra Snip 6.7 Inch Pruning Shear with Stainless Steel Blades

Once you have a leaf cutting, you can propagate the whole leaf or cut it further. Keep in mind that each cutting only has the limited energy available within it to grow roots; the smaller the piece, the longer it will take to grow. If your goal is to make as many plants as possible, subdividing is the way to go. On the other hand, if you want to create a nice looking baby plant, whole leaves are the most appealing. Subdivided leaves do not grow back into full leaves, so they will stay as a stump.

To subdivide a leaf cutting, cut it into horizontal strips at least 2 inches tall. Don’t forget which side is the top and which is the bottom. The cuttings need to be placed top side up when rooting because the roots will grow from the bottom.

Treating the cuttings

Now that you have your cuttings, they need to grow roots to survive. In order to help them along, you can add rooting hormone to the cutting, if you wish. Plants naturally produce this hormone, which signals to the plant that it should grow roots, but by adding hormone you can encourage it to grow roots faster. Some rooting hormones also contain fungicide to prevent fungus or rot.

HydroDynamics Clonex Rooting Gel, 100 ml

Rooting hormone comes in powder and gel format. I use Clonex gel because it works in both wet and dry mediums. Powder only works in dry mediums (like soil and not water) because it will wash off in a liquid.

Whether or not hormone is applied to the cuttings, leave them out for a day or two for the cut ends to callous and form a barrier over the cut. Snake plants have succulent leaves so this takes longer than it does for other plants. When the cutting is no longer dripping water or sticky on the cut end, it’s ready to go.

How to divide a snake plant

Depending on how long you’ve owned your snake plant, you might notice new growths poking up through the soil. As the plant gets older and more mature, the rhizome grows bigger underground. Then once the new rhizome gets big enough, it will send up a new leaf shoot and create a baby pup. Without human help, snake plants reproduce in the wild using pups.

Leaving pups in your snake plant’s pot will help the plant become more full looking. If the pot is too full or you want to create new plants, it’s time to divide!

First, grab the plant by the leaf blades in one hand and pull the plant out of its pot. Gently remove any loose dirt. A chopstick can help loosen the plant and tease out dirt from the roots. You should see the orangish roots of the plant, as well as the white stemlike rhizomes between leaf clusters. You may also see rhizomes that don’t have any leaves growing yet. Using your pruning shears, cut cleanly through the rhizome to separate pups on the outer edge of the plant. When dividing, try to leave at least 2/3 of the parent plant intact. Gently detangle any roots on the cut pieces from the main plant’s roots.

What to do with snake plant divisions

If your rhizome divisions already have several root clusters, with smaller root branches coming off the main roots, then you can plant them directly into soil. If they have no roots or not enough roots, you will need to root them like you do with cuttings. Don’t worry though, since the rhizomes are already formed it will be easier and faster than rooting from a leaf. Ideally, let the rhizome divison cut dry, but only if you are able to keep the roots moist.

Which cutting method to use? Cutting vs divisions

The best method is up to your personal preferece. Each has pros and cons. For example, leaf cuttings are less complicated to take from the parent plant, while division requires you to dig the parent up. On the other hand, each leaf cutting will need to grow roots and then grow a new rhizome before it can start putting out new leaves. Because of these extra steps, leaf cuttings take longer to produce new growth than pups.

For variegated snake plant varieties, like “laurentii” and “moonshine,” leaf cuttings result in reverted babies that display no variegation. Variegated snake plants can only be propagated true to type by division.

How to grow a snake plant from cuttings

Now that you have your cuttings or rootless divisions, it’s time to grow them into new plants! The first step of creating a new plant is rooting. There are lots of methods that can work, but each have pros and cons. The right method depends on your preference as well as the specific plant type.

Slow-growing snake plants are also slow rooters, putting them at higher risk for rot than other plants. For this reason, I prefer high airflow methods like perlite and LECA for the most successful propagations, although it’s hard to beat the convenience of water.

Rooting method criteria

When choosing a rooting method, consider the things your cutting needs to grow roots and avoid rot:

Moisture keeps your plant alive without roots and encourages root growth. Any existing roots should be kept consistently wet. High humidity around the plant will limit water loss. Airflow is important in a high humidity environment to maintain oxygen around roots and prevent root rot.

Whichever method you choose, make sure the base end of your cutting or pup is covered by the rooting medium about 1 to 1 and a half inches down.

How to propagate a snake plant in water

Water is the least complicated way of propagating your snake plant! Fill a glass or jar with water, place the cutting in, and replace the water every few days. A fish tank air stone can be added to increase water oxygen levels. We recommend this fish air pump. Click on the image or link for the current price:

Quiet Aquarium Air Pump 1.5 Watt Energy Saving Mini Oxygen Pump for 1-15 Gallon Fish Tank with Accessories White

Since snake plants take so long to root, you may notice the cut end of the stem becoming goopy or soft from sitting in water. This is ok as long as the area is still light colored, but if it becomes dark brown or black and falls apart, it is rotting. Cut the rotted bottom off the cutting and try again.

Pros: Can use a clear container to see roots form and check cutting for rot. Keeps your cutting from becoming dehydrated & don’t need to worry about watering frequency. Very easy to maintain consistent moisture around roots. No organic matter in medium to introduce disease. No damage to roots when removing from water. Roots grow quickly in water. Extremely easy to set up.

Cons: No airflow around roots. Only source of oxygen is what is dissolved in water. More difficult to transition roots grown in water to soil. Cut end of stem is in water.

Using test tubes allows a plant to grow its initial root system. Plus, the clear tubes allow you to monitor progress. The vertical walls (i.e. no neck) of the tube ensures that removing the plant and its new roots is easy! If you plan on growing a very large root system, stop using the lid as the root system progresses. We recommend this propagation station. Click on the image or link for the current price:

Desktop Plant Terrarium Propagation Station- 3 Pcs Tabletop Glass Planter Water Planting Glass Vase with Lid & Wooden Stand for Growing Hydroponic Plants Home Office Table Decoration

How to propagate a snake plant in perlite

Perlite has similar benefits to water, with the addition of greater airflow. Perlite is absorbent and porous, so it will wick moisture up to areas of the container that are not underwater. Keep the container filled with a small reservoir of water below the level of the cut end of the leaf, and cover the top if possible to hold in humidity around the roots.

You can use any chunky, inorganic material for this method, like pumice or lava rocks, if you don’t have perlite. Perlite is my preference because it is so lightweight; it is easy to pull out the cutting to check on it without disturbing it too much. Heavier mediums will help tall leaf cuttings stand up better, however.

Make sure you pick a course perlite (#3 or bigger to minimize dust) without fertilizer. I recommend this perlite:

Mother Earth Perlite #3, Covers 4 cu. ft., Large and Coarse, Average Size 1/2 inch, For Hydroponic Use, Neutral pH

If the perlite you chose comes with dust, rinse it very thouroughly before use. Keep the perlite moist but not soaking around your cutting. You know the perlite has the right moisture content when it causes fogging on the inside of the container.

Pros: Easy to maintain consistent moisture around roots. No organic matter in medium to introduce fungus or disease. Minimal damage to roots when removing from perlite. Allows airflow to roots.

Cons: Can’t check on roots forming or see rot.

How to propagate a snake plant in LECA

LECA, short for lightweight expanded clay aggregate, is a larger sized wicking medium. Some people grow plants in LECA permanently even after they have roots, a process called “semi-hydroponics.” Fill a close-bottomed container with damp LECA in the bottom 1/3, then place in your cutting and surround with more LECA to hold it up. Fill the container with water to just below the level of the cutting and refill or replace the water as it goes down. In addition, covering the top of the container will help maintain humidity around the roots. As the plant grows roots, you can reduce the level of the water reservoir to just below the roots.

You can buy large bags easily from Hydroton brand on Amazon, and also find small LECA bags at Ikea! Make sure to buy a variety like the one linked here that is made out of expanded clay. Some smaller, smooth and colorful propagation balls are marketed as LECA on Amazon, but they are made of ceramsite and do not wick as well as real LECA.

Mother Earth Hydroton Original Clay Pebbles – 10 Liter, Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate

LECA comes covered in red clay dust so make sure to rinse it until the water runs clear before use.

Pros: Easy to maintain consistent moisture around roots. No organic matter in medium to introduce fungus or disease. Minimal damage to roots when removing. Allows airflow to roots. Large particle size is easier to work with than perlite and easier to see roots growing due to the large gaps between particles. Plants in LECA can go longer between waterings as the resevoir holds a lot of water.

Cons: Need to pay attention to maintain resevoir at correct height. LECA will not wick if it dries out completely. Requires more complicated care to grow plants in long term than soil.

How to propagate a snake plant in sphagnum moss

You can also propagate snake plants in sphagnum moss. Moist moss holds a lot of water, which is great for maintaining humidity around roots while still allowing airflow. A cover, like cling wrap or a humidity dome, can be used to hold humidity in the container. We recommend this propagator dome.

Propagator with Humidity Vents Domes,Heavy Duty Growing Tray Mini Greenhouse for Seedlings,Clones

This method can yield great results, but is difficult to execute correctly. People often have issues caused by moss that is too wet or too dry.

besgrow New Zealand Sphagnum Moss (100 Grams)

Pros: Maintains high moisture and humidity without liquid water. Lightweight and easy to shape around roots. Roots transition more easily to soil.

Cons: Can easily become too compacted. Hard to maintain consistent moisture. Can’t check on roots forming or see rot. Damaging and time consuming to remove from roots. Organic medium can introduce fungus or disease.

How to propagate a snake plant in soil or dirt

Many commercial nurseries that need to produce new plants efficiently just plant their cuttings straight into soil. This method can work, especially with a fresh, healthy cutting, but it has the most downsides out of all the methods. Make sure to use an appropriate soil mix for snake plants, not dirt from outside.

Snake Plant Imperial Houseplant Potting Soil Mix by rePotme – Mini Bag (2 Quarts)

Pros: No transplanting required. Plant can benefit from beneficial bacteria and fungi in soil.

Cons: Hard to maintain consistent moisture. Can’t check on roots forming or see rot. Soil can become anaerobic if overwatered. Organic medium can introduce fungus or disease.

How to propagate a snake plant in sand

While snake plants have succulent leaves like a cactus, I don’t recommend propagating them in sand. Sand has the same downsides as soil, although it is inorganic. In addition, sand becomes compacted extremely easily, which means no airflow to your plant and a much higher chance of rot in a waterlogged and anaerobic environment.

Propagating snake plants faster

Until your cutting grows roots, you don’t need to add nutrients to the water you use to moisten your propagation medium, because it can’t absorb them. Once roots begin to grow, you can add nutrients to help it grow faster. I use a few drops of Liqui-Dirt added to the water. This is a low strength fertilizer that won’t harm fragile baby plants or encourage algae growth in your propagating medium.

Liqui-Dirt Nano Powder All-Purpose Organic Complete Plant Food for Indoor or Outdoor Use (Makes over 50 gallons) 18 Balanced Super Foods -Balanced Blend of Vitamins Minerals Micro-Fungi and Bio-Organisms

Snake plant propagation problems

The two most common propagation problems with snake plants are dehydration and root rot. In both cases, the plant is not getting the water that it needs. If the leaves of your cutting or pup become wrinkled and limp, your first action should be to check the roots.

If your cutting doesn’t have any roots yet, it’s been too long since it had a drink. You can cut a small slice off the cutting bottom callous, and place it in water for a day or two to rehydrate. Then, place it back in the propagation medium.

If the cutting does have roots, check to make sure they are still firm and orangey white in color. Dyhydration with good roots means that the plant needs more consistent water in its medium and you should water more frequently. If the roots are black, brown, mushy, or stringy they are rotted and are not longer providing your plant any water because they are dead.

Treating root rot in snake plants

If your snake plant gets root rot, don’t panic! Cut off any stringy and mushy tissue with your shears, and then reroot it as though it were a rootless cutting using one of the methods outlined above. Using these methods you can rescue any cutting, pup, or established snake plant.

Do you have everything you need to get started with propagating your plants? Check out our recommended supplies!

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