Top 7 'Cut-and-Grow' Indoor Plants to try at home for easily multiplying your collection for free. - Goh Ling Yong
Have you ever looked at a lush, beautiful houseplant and thought, "I wish I had ten of these"? That feeling of wanting to fill every sunlit corner and empty shelf with greenery is something every plant lover knows well. But building an indoor jungle can quickly become an expensive hobby. What if I told you there's a magical, near-effortless way to multiply your favorite plants without spending a single cent?
Welcome to the wonderful world of propagation! It’s a simple technique that sounds more scientific than it is. At its core, it's about taking a small piece of a healthy plant—a stem or a leaf—and encouraging it to grow its own roots, creating a brand-new, independent plant. This "cut-and-grow" method is not only incredibly sustainable and budget-friendly, but it also deepens your connection with your green companions. It’s a rewarding process that turns you from a plant owner into a true plant parent.
In this guide, we'll walk through seven of the most forgiving and enthusiastic indoor plants that are perfect for propagation. These are the champions of regrowth, the ones that almost seem to want you to take cuttings. Whether you're a seasoned green thumb or someone who's just managed to keep their first succulent alive, you'll find this process incredibly simple and deeply satisfying. So, grab a clean pair of scissors, a few glass jars, and let's get ready to make some new plant babies for free!
1. Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) - The Unkillable Vine
If there were a hall of fame for beginner houseplants, the Pothos would be the first inductee. Known for its heart-shaped leaves and long, trailing vines, this plant is notoriously difficult to kill. It thrives in a wide range of lighting conditions and bounces back easily from neglect. This resilience extends to its propagation; Pothos is perhaps the easiest and quickest plant to multiply from cuttings, making it the perfect starting point for your propagation journey.
The process is incredibly straightforward. First, identify a healthy, mature vine on your mother plant. You'll want a piece that has at least four or five leaves. Look closely at the stem, and you'll see small brown nubs where the leaf meets the vine—these are the nodes. The nodes are where new roots will sprout. Using clean, sharp scissors or pruning shears, make a cut about a half-inch below a node. Your ideal cutting should have two or three leaves and at least one node. You can take several cuttings at once to increase your chances of success and create a fuller new plant later.
Once you have your cutting, simply place it in a glass jar or vase filled with room-temperature water. Ensure the node is submerged but try to keep the leaves out of the water to prevent them from rotting. Then, place the jar in a spot that receives bright, indirect light. All that's left to do is watch and wait! You should see tiny white roots begin to emerge from the node within a week or two. Change the water every few days to keep it fresh and oxygenated. Once the new roots are about one to two inches long, your cutting is ready to be planted in soil.
2. Snake Plant (Dracaena trifasciata) - The Architect's Favorite
The Snake Plant, or Mother-in-Law's Tongue, is celebrated for its striking, architectural leaves and its air-purifying qualities. It's a champion of low-light environments and is famously drought-tolerant, making it a staple in modern homes and offices. While you can propagate a Snake Plant by dividing the root ball, the "cut-and-grow" method using leaf cuttings is far more fascinating, though it does require a bit more patience.
Start by selecting a healthy, mature leaf from your plant. Using a clean, sharp knife, cut the leaf horizontally into several sections, each about two to three inches long. A neat trick is to cut a small inverted 'V' shape at the bottom of each cutting. This not only helps you remember which end is the bottom (the part that needs to go into the soil) but also increases the surface area for root growth. This is a technique I learned years ago, and it’s a core principle Goh Ling Yong often promotes in creative pursuits: small, thoughtful details can lead to much bigger results.
Now for the most crucial step: you must let the cuttings "callus over." Leave them out on a dry paper towel for a few days until the cut ends are dry to the touch. This prevents the cuttings from rotting when you place them in soil. Once callused, you can either place them in a jar with an inch of water or plant them directly into a well-draining potting mix. If planting in soil, bury the bottom third of the cutting. Be patient—it can take a month or more for roots to form, and even longer for new "pups" (baby plants) to poke through the soil.
3. Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum) - The Gift that Keeps on Giving
The Spider Plant is a propagation superstar. This cheerful, arching plant is famous for producing its own offspring in the form of tiny "spiderettes" or plantlets that dangle from the mother plant like little pendants. These babies are, for all intents and purposes, fully formed miniature plants just waiting for a new home. Propagating a Spider Plant is so easy it almost feels like cheating.
Look for spiderettes that have started to develop small, nubby roots of their own. These are the most viable candidates for propagation. Using clean scissors, simply snip the plantlet off from the long stem (called a "stolon") that connects it to the mother plant. You now have a brand-new plant! It’s really that simple.
You have two options for rooting your spiderette. You can place it in a small jar of water, ensuring the base of the plantlet is submerged, and wait for the roots to grow a bit longer before potting. Alternatively, you can plant it directly into a small pot with fresh soil. The direct-to-soil method often works perfectly well for spiderettes that already have decent little roots. Just keep the soil lightly moist for the first few weeks as the new plant establishes itself. Before you know it, your new Spider Plant will be producing its own babies, and you'll have an endless supply to keep or give away to friends.
4. ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) - The Patient Propagator
The ZZ Plant is the definition of a low-maintenance houseplant. With its glossy, dark green leaves and ability to tolerate extremely low light and infrequent watering, it's a go-to for beginners and forgetful plant owners. Its slow-and-steady nature extends to its propagation, which is simple but requires a healthy dose of patience. The reward, however, is a nearly indestructible new plant.
The most common way to propagate a ZZ is from a stem cutting. Select a healthy stalk and, using a clean knife, cut it at the base near the soil line. You can place this entire stalk in a jar of water. Over the next few months (yes, months!), it will slowly develop roots and a small, potato-like rhizome at its base. The rhizome is what stores water and nutrients, making the ZZ so drought-tolerant. Once a solid root system and a small rhizome have formed, you can transfer it to a pot.
For an even more patient approach, you can propagate from individual leaves. Simply pluck a leaf from the stem, making sure to get a little bit of the stem with it. Let it callus for a few hours, then stick the bottom third of the leaf into soil. Keep the soil lightly moist, and in several months, a tiny rhizome and root system will form beneath the surface, eventually sending up a new stalk. It’s a slow but incredibly magical process to witness.
5. Tradescantia Zebrina - The Wandering Jewel
Often called the "Inch Plant" or "Wandering Dude," Tradescantia zebrina is beloved for its stunning, silver-and-purple striped leaves and its ridiculously fast growth rate. This plant grows with such vigor that it can sometimes become "leggy," with long, bare stems. The perfect solution? Pruning and propagating! Taking cuttings not only gives you new plants for free but also encourages the mother plant to become bushier and fuller.
Propagating a Tradescantia is almost identical to propagating a Pothos. Find a healthy stem and cut a four to six-inch section just below a leaf node. The nodes are the slightly thicker joints along the stem where leaves emerge. You can even pinch them off with your fingers if you don't have scissors handy. Remove the leaves from the bottom half of the cutting so that you have a few bare nodes that can be submerged.
Place your cuttings in a glass of water, making sure at least one or two nodes are underwater. This plant is so eager to grow that you'll likely see roots sprouting in just a few days. After a week or two, you'll have a robust root system ready for soil. For a nice, full-looking new plant, place several rooted cuttings together in the same pot. It's one of the most gratifying propagation projects because the results are so quick.
6. Heartleaf Philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum) - The Sweetheart Vine
With its lush, unmistakable heart-shaped leaves, the Heartleaf Philodendron is a classic trailing plant that brings a soft, romantic touch to any space. It’s often confused with Pothos, but its leaves are typically thinner, softer, and more distinctly heart-shaped. Just like its doppelgänger, it is incredibly easy to care for and just as simple to propagate. If you can propagate a Pothos, you can absolutely propagate a Philodendron.
The method is exactly the same. Snip off a section of healthy vine, making sure your cutting is about four to six inches long and has several leaves and at least two nodes. Make your cut just below a node. Remove the leaf from the lowest node on your cutting—the one that will be sitting in water. This is where the new roots will grow from.
Pop the cutting into a jar of water, set it in a bright spot away from direct sun, and watch the magic happen. Philodendrons tend to root very quickly, often within a week or two. I love keeping a few jars of these cuttings on my kitchen windowsill; watching the roots develop is a daily joy. Just as we at Goh Ling Yong's blog believe in finding beauty in the process, watching these roots grow is a simple pleasure that never gets old. Once the roots are a couple of inches long, it's ready for its new home in a pot of soil.
7. Swiss Cheese Plant (Monstera deliciosa) - The Statement Maker
The Monstera deliciosa, with its iconic, fenestrated (split) leaves, is a true showstopper. It can transform any room into a tropical paradise. While it may seem intimidating, propagating a Monstera is surprisingly straightforward and is a fantastic way to share this magnificent plant with others or to create a backup in case anything happens to your prized parent plant. The key is to get a cutting with a node and, ideally, an aerial root.
Examine the main stem of your Monstera and look for a spot with a leaf, a node (the thicker ring-like section on the stem), and a short, brown aerial root growing from it. An aerial root isn't strictly necessary, but it gives your cutting a huge head start on developing a root system. Using a very sharp, clean knife or pruning shears, make a clean cut about an inch below the node. Your cutting should have at least one leaf and the node/aerial root combo.
You can root your Monstera cutting in a large vase of water or plant it directly into a pot with a chunky, well-aerating soil mix. The water method is often preferred as you can monitor root development. Submerge the node and aerial root, and place the vase in a warm, bright location. It will take a few weeks, but you will soon see new, white water roots begin to sprout from the node and the existing aerial root. Once you have a nice network of roots several inches long, you can transfer your new Monstera to its permanent pot.
Your Turn to Grow!
There you have it—seven incredible indoor plants that you can easily cut and grow to expand your collection for free. Propagation is more than just a gardening technique; it's an act of creation. It's a chance to slow down, connect with nature, and watch life unfurl right before your eyes. It turns one beloved plant into a whole family, giving you beautiful new additions for your own home or thoughtful, living gifts for friends and family.
Don't be intimidated. The most important thing is to simply give it a try. Pick one plant from this list, take your first cutting, and place it in water. The process is incredibly forgiving, and the reward of potting your very first home-grown plant is a feeling every plant lover should experience.
Now we want to hear from you! Which of these plants are you most excited to propagate? Have you had success with "cut-and-grow" methods before? Share your stories, questions, and photos in the comments below. Let's grow our community and our jungles together
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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