How to Propagate Aroids Easily
Aroids have always been one of the most beloved types of houseplants. Who doesn’t love their wide range of colors, sizes, leaf shapes, stem shapes, etc.? I know that we have all become suckers for a gorgeous Aroid here at HPH. The vast majority of them are fairly expensive as well, which we all know is a huge downfall of theirs for the houseplant enthusiast. While you can find some for cheaper if you buy an unrooted cutting, this can be quite the daunting task for most people. If you have a healthy cutting that you want to try to root, or if you’re just wanting to propagate, (aka chop and prop) your own plant, then just follow these easy steps!
Three Philodendron bannoniae nodes rooting and growing in sphagnum moss
Materials Needed:
Scissors/knife that is sharp and clean
Damp but not wet sphagnum moss
Container with clear lid
Clear plastic bag if your container doesn’t have a lid
Bright/warm spot
Two Philodendron ernestii node cuttings that have rooted and grown in sphagnum moss.
The first thing that you need to do is make sure that the cutting is a healthy, firm looking cutting that has a node on it. To tell if it is has a node, just make sure to look for little aerial roots, which are brown bumps or nobs, and are where the leaves grow from. These cuttings don’t need to have leaves to grow as long as they have nodes, which will form roots and then a brand new baby plant! If you purchased the cutting, make sure that the stem is still firm but not dried out, and certainly not mushy. Also, make sure that it is a healthy color.
Two Philodendron node cuttings that have rooted and grown in sphagnum moss
What I generally do next is soak some sphagnum moss in aquarium water, but you can just as easily use whatever water you water the rest of your plants with. While that is getting rehydrated, I decide which container to use that will be the appropriate size. I tend to go to someplace like Dollar Tree and buy some cheap clear plastic little containers that don’t have lids so I’m not wasting them, or I will reuse clear plastic cups or takeout containers if they use plastic. I tend to not use the lids because I like using a clear plastic bag to give the plant some room to grow once it starts taking off. Also, using a clear container will help you be able to see the roots once they start to grow. Once the sphagnum moss is wetted, I squeeze out as much of the water as I can so I’m not leaving a cutting to rot, because leaving a cutting on something that is too wet will cause it to die. After that I just put as much sphagnum moss into the container as needed, but don’t push it down too hard so that the new roots will be able to get air.
Four Philodendron ernestii node cuttings that have been rooted and grown in sphagnum moss
All you have to do next is place your cutting on top of the sphagnum, you don’t have to push it into it, and place the container into a plastic baggy. I keep mine fully closed so that the cutting has plenty of humidity to encourage new growth. The next step is the hardest, you place the entire thing into a bright spot and wait. The waiting game is not a fun one, I’ll be honest, but with using a clear bag you can easily watch the entire process! Once my cuttings have produced new growth that has a healthy and strong new leaf, I start to leave the bag open, but just a little bit. As it grows more I will open more of the bag until the plant is fully adjusted to the ambient humidity in the room. You will have to pay attention to the sphagnum moss once you start opening the bag, and if it dries out then give it just enough water to keep it moist but not too wet.
Philodendron 'Lime Fiddle' node cutting that was rooted and grown in sphagnum moss
Hopefully this helped you in your propagation efforts. One thing we love about this method is that you can reuse the materials so you aren’t wasting plastics. If you have any questions from our amazing members about propagating, or if you would like to show off what you’re propagating, then make sure to check us out on the Mesh Communities app, or on our Facebook group! We can’t wait to see you there!
Philodendron 'Lime Fiddle' and Epipremnum pinnatum 'Skeleton Key' node cuttings that have been rooted and grown in sphagnum moss