How To Propagate Pothos In Water – A Wonderful Journey
Pothos (commonly known as money plant) is familiar to most people worldwide for its heart-shaped leaves and trailing vines. In Feng Shui, it is considered a lucky charm that brings wealth and prosperity. It is known to add a touch of greenery to any space, whether it’s a brightly lit office or a cozy living room corner. One of the most fascinating features of pothos is its ability to propagate easily, which allows the grower to expand or share their collection with friends and family. Among all methods of propagation, water propagation is the most commonly used method due to its convenient nature, as it also facilitates faster root development.
The article below, covers everything related to how to propagate pothos in water, including their description, types, and propagation techniques, clearly and concisely, so that any plant enthusiast will not miss any information related to the plant and its propagation in any indoor space.
Different Types of Pothos
| Pothos | Characteristics |
| Golden Pothos | Scientific Name: Epipremnum aureum ‘Golden’. It has heart-shaped leaves which are green and yellow in colour. It can thrive well even in low light conditions. |
| Marble Queen Pothos | The Scientific name of this other vibrant species is Epipremnum aureum ‘Marble Queen. It shows a distinguished pattern of leaf colors (green, lemon yellow, and cream). It prefers bright, indirect light to maintain its vibrant coloration. |
| Neon Pothos | This money plant is also known as Epipremnum aureum ‘Neon’. It stands differently in any room due to its vibrant, fluorescent green leaves. Neon pothos is one of the popular choices for any grower owing to its excellent color variant of the foliage. A moderate to bright indirect light and regular watering are enough to keep this money plant in good condition. |
| Jade Pothos | Known by the name of Epipremnum aureum ‘Jade’, this pothos has a rich, deep green foliage that lacks the variegation present in other cultivars. With a vigorous growing habit and adaptability to wide environmental conditions, it is considered a versatile and perfect choice for indoor conditions. They are also easy to take care of and can quickly trail/climb with suitable support. |
| Manjula Pothos | Botanically known as Epipremnum aureum ‘Manjula. It has blotched patterns and white variegation, with the perfect heart-shaped leaves, which make it an exquisite addition to any home. |
| Pearls and Jade Pothos | This pothos is also called Devil’s Ivy, Devil’s Vine, Golden Pothos, Ivy Arum, Marble Queen, and botanically Epipremnum aureum. This low-maintenance, compact plant grows only up to 6-8 feet in height if utilized as a horizontal ground cover. The climbing vine can attain a height of 40 feet, which makes it suitable for hanging baskets. |
Pothos Propagation: 3 Different Methods
Propagation of pothos is an exciting journey to grow new pothos plants for free and to expand the plant’s collection. Below are the three basic media for propagating these plants.
Propagate Pothos in Water
Water propagation is the most common and easiest method of propagating pothos. One will only require some healthy cuttings, a container/pot, and some water. To propagate pothos in water, the grower should know the fundamentals of the vine plant.
Step 1: Take stem cuttings
This step requires sharp, sterilized pruning shears or scissors to take healthy stem cuttings from the mother plant. The cuttings selected should have at least 3-4 nodes, which will grow into new roots/ leaves.
Step 2: Take off the bottom leaves
Gently pull off the bottom leaves from the stem taken, so that no leaves will remain underwater in the container. Only retain 1 to 2 leaves at the top of each stem cutting, only to make it easier to propagate pothos in water.
Step 3: Plant the selected cuttings in water
To propagate pothos in water, put the selected stem cuttings in a small glass/plastic container filled with fresh water, and ensure that the leaves remain above the water surface and the nodes are submerged in water. During the growing phase of cuttings, one needs to change the water in the container once a week. By doing so, there would be a favourable environment for the roots to grow from the nodes in a couple of weeks.
Step 4: Place the rooted cuttings in soil to propagate pothos in water
The final step to propagate pothos in water is to place the above mentioned rooted cuttings (roots that are 2-3 inches long) in a well-drained soil mixture in a pot with drainage holes. Keep this pot in a bright, indirect sunlight area and ensure good watering for the first two weeks to help the roots to habituate to the soil.
Propagation by Soil
Another way to propagate pothos is to directly grow them in soil. For this, one will need a rooting hormone, a small pot, and a good, well-drained soil mixture, unlike the method to propagate pothos in water. The steps below are those that a gardener can perform to produce soil-propagated pothos.
Step 1: Get hold of stem cuttings
The healthy, stem cuttings with 3-4 nodes should be taken from the mother plant with the help of sharp and sterilised pruning shears.
Step 2: Take off the bottom leaves
From each cutting, remove the basal leaves by gentle pull and leave only 1 to 2 leaves at the top.
Step 3: Drench the cuttings in rooting hormone
Contrary to propagate pothos in water, put the cut end of each stem cutting in a powder rooting hormone (contains auxins) for stimulating root growth.
Step 4: Plant the cuttings in soil
At last, place the cutting in a suitable pot with drainage holes and a good potting medium. Provide the plant with a good amount of water and place the pot in a bright, indirect sunlight area.
Propagation by Sphagnum Moss
Step 1: Take the healthy stem cuttings
For propagating pothos, the beginners will need some healthy cuttings (cut with the help of pruning shears or a sharp knife) with 3-4 nodes, without the bottom leaves.
Step 2: Readiness of Sphagnum moss
Soak the dry sphagnum moss completely in water for 20-30 minutes. Afterwards, when it is slightly moist, place it in a container as a rooting medium. Now, into that medium only, secure the pothos cutting.
Step 3: Put the container in the sunlight
For the good growth of the plant, ensure the pot receives bright, indirect sunlight along with sufficient moisture.
Things to Consider
Prior to propagate pothos in water, the grower should know about some basic things that have to be considered to avoid any plant stress later.
- The pot selected should be opaque/translucent in appearance so that it will block more sunlight and reduce the chances of algal growth.
- A good amount of tap water (with low chlorine) is required for the healthy growth of the plant.
- A liquid fertiliser is considered a better option compared to solid fertilisers, as the former will be readily available to the plant’s roots, allowing quick access to all the nutrients.
Wrap up
To propagate pothos in water, one will only require the above concise information, and he is perfectly able to do water propagation of pothos. This is an easy, simple, and rewarding method for any gardener who wants to add this beautiful houseplant to their collection. The water propagation is the easiest way that yield a good quality vine of pothos. The only care that one should take is not to place the plant in bright, direct sunlight, as it will burn the leaves.
Now, when someone asks you how to propagate a pothos in water, you should be able to answer it perfectly. This is the easiest and most convenient method of propagation. What is stopping you from starting? Go, grab your equipment and a healthy cutting of this houseplant, and begin the plant journey.
