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How to propagate houseplants.

The cheapest way to get more plants is to make them yourself. This is the propagation method for every houseplant we cover - 108 in all - with how long it takes and how fiddly it is. Filter by method to find the easy wins, then open a plant's guide for the step-by-step.

Details come from each plant's own care notes. Timings are rough and depend on warmth and light - spring and summer are the fastest seasons to propagate almost anything.

108 plants
PlantMethodTime to rootDifficulty
Aeonium
Stem cuttings
a few weeks Easy
African Violet (Saintpaulia / Streptocarpus)
Stem cuttingsLeaf cuttingsDivisionOffsets / pups
- Easy
Air Plant (Tillandsia)
Offsets / pupsSeed
- Slow
Alocasia (Elephant Ear)
Leaf cuttingsDivisionOffsets / pups
- Moderate
Aloe Vera
Leaf cuttingsOffsets / pups
- Moderate
Anthurium (Flamingo Flower)
Stem cuttingsDivisionOffsets / pupsSeed
- Slow
Aphelandra squarrosa (Zebra Plant)
Stem cuttings
- Slow
Aralia (Polyscias)
Stem cuttings
- Slow
Areca Palm (Dypsis lutescens)
DivisionSeed
- Slow
Arrowhead Plant (Syngonium podophyllum)
Stem cuttingsLeaf cuttings
2-3 weeks Easy
Baby Tears (Soleirolia soleirolii - Angel's Tears)
Division
- Moderate
Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia)
DivisionSeed
- Slow
Bird's Nest Fern (Asplenium nidus)
Stem cuttingsDivisionOffsets / pups
- Slow
Blue Star Fern (Phlebodium aureum)
Division
- Slow
Boston Fern (Nephrolepis exaltata)
DivisionOffsets / pups
- Moderate
Burro's Tail (Sedum morganianum)
Stem cuttings
a few weeks Easy
Calathea / Prayer Plant (Calathea & Maranta)
Stem cuttingsLeaf cuttingsDivision
- Moderate
Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra elatior)
Division
- Slow
Cat Palm (Chamaedorea cataractarum)
DivisionSeed
- Slow
Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema)
Stem cuttingsDivision
- Moderate
Chinese Money Plant (Pilea peperomioides)
Stem cuttingsOffsets / pups
- Easy
Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera)
see guide
a few weeks Easy
Clivia (Clivia miniata - Bush Lily)
DivisionOffsets / pups
- Slow
Clusia (Autograph Tree)
Stem cuttings
- Slow
Coffee Plant (Coffea arabica)
Stem cuttings
- Slow
Crassula Perforata (String of Buttons)
Stem cuttings
- Easy
Croton (Codiaeum variegatum)
Stem cuttings
- Moderate
Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia milii)
Stem cuttings
- Easy
Ctenanthe (Never Never Plant)
Stem cuttingsLeaf cuttingsDivision
a few weeks Moderate
Cyclamen (Cyclamen persicum)
DivisionSeed
- Slow
Dendrobium Orchid
DivisionOffsets / pups
- Moderate
Dieffenbachia (Dumb Cane)
Stem cuttingsDivision
- Easy
Dischidia (Button Orchid / Ant Plant)
Stem cuttings
a few weeks Easy
Dracaena (Dracaena marginata, fragrans & more)
Stem cuttings
- Easy
Echeveria
Offsets / pups
- Easy
English Ivy (Hedera helix)
Stem cuttings
- Easy
Epiphyllum (Orchid Cactus)
see guide
- Easy
Euphorbia Trigona (African Milk Tree)
Stem cuttings
a few weeks Easy
Ficus Audrey (Ficus benghalensis)
Stem cuttingsAir layering
- Slow
Ficus Benjamina (Weeping Fig)
Stem cuttings
- Slow
Fiddle Leaf Fig (Ficus lyrata)
Stem cuttingsAir layering
- Slow
Fishbone Cactus (Epiphyllum anguliger)
Stem cuttings
a few weeks Easy
Gasteria (Ox Tongue)
Offsets / pups
weeks to months Slow
Goldfish Plant (Nematanthus / Columnea)
Stem cuttings
a few weeks Easy
Gynura (Purple Passion Plant)
Stem cuttings
- Easy
Hatiora (Easter Cactus)
see guide
a few weeks Easy
Haworthia (Zebra Plant & Window Plants)
Leaf cuttingsOffsets / pups
- Easy
Heartleaf Philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum)
Stem cuttings
1-2 weeks Easy
Homalomena (Queen of Hearts)
Leaf cuttingsDivision
- Easy
Hoya (Wax Plant)
Stem cuttings
a few weeks Easy
Indoor Citrus (Dwarf Lemon, Lime & Calamondin)
Stem cuttingsSeed
- Moderate
Jade Plant (Crassula ovata)
Stem cuttings
- Easy
Kalanchoe (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana)
Stem cuttingsLeaf cuttings
- Easy
Kentia Palm (Howea forsteriana)
DivisionSeed
- Slow
Kimberly Queen Fern (Nephrolepis obliterata)
Division
- Slow
Lipstick Plant (Aeschynanthus radicans)
Stem cuttings
a few weeks Easy
Lithops (Living Stones)
DivisionSeed
- Slow
Lucky Bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana)
Stem cuttings
a few weeks Easy
Ludisia discolor (Jewel Orchid)
Stem cuttingsDivision
a few weeks Easy
Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum)
Division
- Moderate
Majesty Palm (Ravenea rivularis)
DivisionSeed
- Slow
Money Tree (Pachira aquatica)
Stem cuttings
- Moderate
Monstera Adansonii (Swiss Cheese Vine)
Stem cuttingsLeaf cuttings
2-4 weeks Easy
Monstera Deliciosa (Swiss Cheese Plant)
Stem cuttingsLeaf cuttings
3-6 weeks Easy
Monstera Siltepecana (Silver Monstera)
Stem cuttingsLeaf cuttings
- Easy
Nerve Plant (Fittonia)
Stem cuttings
- Easy
Norfolk Island Pine (Araucaria heterophylla)
Seed
- Moderate
Oncidium Orchid (Dancing Lady Orchid)
Division
- Moderate
Oxalis (False Shamrock / Purple Shamrock)
Division
- Easy
Parlor Palm (Chamaedorea elegans)
DivisionSeed
- Slow
Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum)
Leaf cuttingsDivision
- Easy
Peperomia
Stem cuttingsLeaf cuttings
- Easy
Philodendron Birkin
Stem cuttingsDivisionOffsets / pups
- Moderate
Philodendron Brasil (Philodendron hederaceum 'Brasil')
Stem cuttingsLeaf cuttings
2-3 weeks Easy
Philodendron Micans (Philodendron hederaceum var. hederaceum)
Stem cuttings
- Easy
Philodendron Pink Princess (Philodendron erubescens 'Pink Princess')
Stem cuttings
a few weeks Moderate
Polka Dot Begonia (Begonia maculata)
Stem cuttings
- Easy
Polka Dot Plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya)
Stem cuttingsSeed
- Easy
Ponytail Palm (Beaucarnea recurvata)
Offsets / pupsSeed
- Slow
Portulacaria Afra (Dwarf Jade / Elephant Bush)
Stem cuttings
- Moderate
Pothos (Epipremnum aureum / Devil's Ivy)
Stem cuttings
1-2 weeks Easy
Prayer Plant (Maranta leuconeura)
Stem cuttingsLeaf cuttingsDivision
3-6 weeks Easy
Rabbit's Foot Fern (Davallia fejeensis)
Division
a few weeks Slow
Rex Begonia (Begonia rex-cultorum)
Leaf cuttingsOffsets / pups
- Moderate
Rhaphidophora Tetrasperma (Mini Monstera)
Stem cuttingsLeaf cuttings
2-4 weeks Easy
Rhipsalis (Mistletoe Cactus)
Stem cuttings
a few weeks Easy
Rubber Plant (Ficus elastica)
Stem cuttingsAir layering
- Moderate
Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta)
Offsets / pupsSeed
- Slow
Satin Pothos (Scindapsus pictus)
Stem cuttingsLeaf cuttings
2-4 weeks Easy
Schefflera (Umbrella Plant)
Stem cuttingsAir layering
- Moderate
Selaginella (Spikemoss / Resurrection Plant)
Stem cuttingsDivision
- Moderate
Snake Plant (Sansevieria / Dracaena trifasciata)
Leaf cuttingsDivision
weeks to months Slow
Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum)
Stem cuttingsDivisionOffsets / pups
- Easy
Staghorn Fern (Platycerium)
DivisionOffsets / pups
- Moderate
Streptocarpus (Cape Primrose)
Leaf cuttingsDivisionOffsets / pups
- Easy
String of Bananas (Curio radicans)
see guide
- Easy
String of Dolphins (Senecio peregrinus)
Stem cuttings
a few weeks Easy
String of Hearts (Ceropegia woodii)
Stem cuttingsDivision
- Easy
String of Pearls (Senecio rowleyanus / Curio rowleyanus)
see guide
a few weeks Easy
String of Turtles (Peperomia prostrata)
Stem cuttings
- Easy
Stromanthe Triostar (Stromanthe Sanguinea 'Triostar')
Stem cuttingsDivision
a few weeks Moderate
Swedish Ivy (Plectranthus verticillatus)
Stem cuttings
- Easy
Tradescantia (Inch Plant / Wandering Dude)
Stem cuttings
- Easy
Venus Flytrap (Dionaea muscipula)
Leaf cuttingsDivisionSeed
- Slow
Watermelon Peperomia (Peperomia argyreia)
Stem cuttingsLeaf cuttingsOffsets / pups
- Slow
Yucca (Yucca elephantipes)
Stem cuttingsDivisionOffsets / pups
- Easy
ZZ Plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia)
Stem cuttingsLeaf cuttingsDivision
- Slow
ZZ Raven (Zamioculcas zamiifolia 'Raven')
Leaf cuttingsDivision
- Slow

New to it? Stem cuttings and division are the most forgiving - start there. Then browse the full gardening guides, find your next plant with the plant finder, or see the curated plant collections.

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