How to Propagate Philodendron

Are you looking for how to propagate philodendron? Philodendrons comprise over two hundred different tropical plant species. Examples include the heartleaf philodendron, fiddle leaf philodendron, and tree philodendron or houseplant.

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One common characteristic of these plants is that they are quite sensitive to cold temperatures. Despite this fact, you can still grow them as perennials with the right propagation techniques.

Do you want to learn how to propagate philodendron or how to propagate philodendron in water?

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This post will provide you with the necessary details to carry out these processes. Without further ado, let’s dive into the crux of this post.

Can you grow a philodendron from a cutting?

The answer to this question is a resounding “YES!” You can easily propagate philodendrons by rooting stem cuttings in a cup of water or a small container containing soil. This section will show you how to carry out this relatively simple process in a few steps.

Step 1: Make your stem cutting

You can do this with the help of a sharp, clean knife. Alternatively, you can make use of garden snips. The stem should be between three and six inches long.

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Note that the best point to cut the stem is above a leaf. Doing this helps the plant produce other leaves and shoots from this location. It also ensures that your stem cutting has sufficient room for new roots.

Step 2: Rid the cutting of leaves

Take out the leaves on the cutting by breaking them gently or snipping them. You should only leave between three and four leaves on the cutting.

Step 3: Plant the stem cutting

Now that the stem is rid of leaves, it is time to plant it. You can do this by placing the stem in a small container that has some soil or inside a cup containing water.

If you choose the first option, then you should make sure that the soil is moist but firm enough to hold the stem in place. You should also ensure that you don’t submerge or bury any of the leaves.

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If you notice that leave is submerged or buried, you can either cut it or perch your stem a little higher.

Step 4: After planting

Once you are done planting, you should place the container in a location where it receives bright and indirect sunlight. Your best bet is a window that doesn’t face the sun directly.

Also, you need to water the soil daily to keep it moist for the plant. If you are using a cup of water, then you should top the water frequently.

That’s it for how to propagate a philodendron in water or soil. Within three weeks the roots of the cutting should appear after which you will see the leaves. It is easier to see the roots if you are using a glass cup of water.

Note that you can keep growing the stem cutting in water but it will never attain full size. However, you can transplant the cutting into the soil after the roots grow to about one inch long.

Move the philodendron to a three to a four-inch-wide container with moist soil and frequently wet the soil.

Why is my philodendron not propagating?

One very common philodendron is the “Prince of orange.” Just like you, many people want to know how to propagate the philodendron prince of orange.

We have already shown you how to do this while talking about how to propagate philodendron. It is the same process.

What if you follow this process but your cuttings aren’t producing any roots? You begin to wonder if the process is wrong or you didn’t take the right steps.

Yes, propagating philodendrons isn’t so difficult, but things could go wrong sometimes. We will look at some of the reasons why your philodendron is not propagating as you expect in this section.

Wrong timing

The best period to propagate your philodendron is at the start of the growing season. When you plant at this time, the roots develop very quickly to survive in the winter.

However, if you choose to propagate in the winter or fall, the success rate drops drastically. They might wait until spring to begin rooting. By this time, the cutting may have rotted.

Asides from the time of the year, you should also consider the time of the day. When is the best time to collect your stem cutting?

Experts say you should collect your cutting early in the morning. The reason is that the parent plant still has a lot of water and this is important for the cutting to produce roots.

Wrong cutting size

This is one of the most common reasons why philodendrons don’t propagate properly. Cutting size affects the ability of the stem to grow and root. When the cutting is longer than it should be, it lacks sufficient energy to grow roots.

Instead, it distributes this energy to other parts of the plant and neglects the roots. Stick to the measure we prescribed above, between three and six inches.

No node

There should be at least a node to ensure that your philodendron grows roots. When cutting the stem, ensure that you have at least an inch below and above the node. Doing this helps your plant to produce roots faster especially if you add some rooting hormones to the ends of the stem cutting.

Poor access to light

Light is one of the most important factors that determine how well your philodendron propagates. The light provides the plant with the energy that it needs to root and start growing. As we mentioned above, the best kind of light for philodendrons is “bright indirect sunlight.” Notice that we said indirect sunlight. Direct sunlight can burn the leaves as well as restrict root growth.

Wrong temperatures

Philodendrons are sensitive to cooler temperatures so they will always thrive when the temperature is higher. When you propagate your cuttings in cold temperatures, you slow their root growth down. In some cases, the root growth stops completely. Below are the best temperatures for your cuttings:

About 75^oF during the day.
At least 65^oF at night.