Horticulture in the Home

Propagating Potted House Plants

Share your favorite plants with friends and family!

By Chritine Hanson 

Propagation by Cuttings:

Materials: house plant (mother plant) clippers new pots with soil water fertilizer IBA solution/rooting compound (optional) If a rooting compound is not used, the rooting percentage will drop. Procedure: Cut a leaf or a stem section from the mother plant. The type of plant determines which type of cutting to take (leaf or stem). Dip the bottem end in the rooting compound. (optional) Stick the cutting in the soil of your new pot. Water. Set in a warm, sunny location. Fertilize once roots have formed.

Propagation by Division:
Materials: mother plant new pots with soil fertilizer Procedure: Remove mother plant from old pot. Gently pull sections of the plant apart, trying not to damage the roots. Each new section should have a top with stems and leaves and a bottem with roots. Pot each of the new sections in a different pot. Water and Fertilize. Set in a sunny location.

The Best Ways to Share Plants:

Tip or Leaf Cuttings	Stem Cuttings	Division
Chrysanthemum	Chenille Plant	Flamingo Flower
Coffee Plant	Bougainvillea	Clivia
Cigar Plant	Cigar Plant	Amaryllis
Crown of Thorns - (allow cuttings to dry for 24 hours before planting)	Gardenia - (take cuttings of ripe, firm but green, stems with a bit of mature wood at base)	Orchids - (divide sympodial types, leaving three stems on each. Remove rooted offshoots from monopodial types)
Poinsettia - (allow cuttings to dry overnight before planting)	Hibiscus	Oxalis
Geranium	Wax Vine	Cape Primrose
African Violets	Jasmines	Century Plants
Christmas Cactus	Kalanchoe	Medicine Plants
Gloxinias	Sweet Olive - (set cuttings in sand, and keep the humidity very high for good rooting)	Asparagus Fern - (divide large plants by cutting all the stems down to the soil, then slicing the root ball into 4-inch wide wedges)
Zebra Plant	Passionflowers	Cast-Iron Plant
Foliage Begonias	Stephanotis	Bromeliads
Cacti	Chinese Evergreens	Cacti
Jade Plant	Foliage Begonias	Spider Plant
Dumbcane	Cacti	Ferns
Dracaena	Grape Ivy	Figs - (creeping types)
Figs - (only creeping types)	Croton	Pearl Plant
Fittonia	Jade Plant	Prayer Plant
English Ivy	Dumbcane	Ponytail Palm
Polka Dot Plant	False Aralia	Peperomia - (clump forming types)
Peperomia - (only the upright or vining types)	Dracaena	Philodendron
Philodendron - (vining types)	Aralia	Pileas
Pileas	Fittonia	Snake Plant
Swedish Ivy	Peperomia - (only the upright or vining types)	Baby's Tears
Pothos	Philodendron	Peace Lily
Snake Plant - (only green-leaved type, use 3 inch cuttings from the leaf)	Burro's Tail
Strawberry Begonia
Burro's Tail
Syngonium
Piggyback Plant
Wandering Jew