Favorite Easy-To-Propagate Plants

After spending tons of money on houseplants that promptly began to die the moment they entered my ‘black thumb’ residence, I decided to propagate my own plants.

Check out my tips on Plant Care For The Black Thumb, where I also share how I re-evaluated what kind of plants work best for my lifestyle.

These plants below are the ones that not only made the cut, but had that extra special good fortune to easily reproduce. More plants that require low maintenance AND are easily reproduced? Well that’s a no brainer!

Monstera Deliciosa

These are just some of the prettiest hardy houseplants out there! My monstera has been the gift that keeps on giving although I have starved it, knocked it over, and relocated it several times.

I discovered how easily it propagates by happy accident. After placing several cuttings in a vase for decoration, one of the cuttings sprouted roots in just a couple weeks! Now I regularly glean cuttings to set in jars, and anytime one turns into a full fledged plantling I happily pot it after the root system is well established.

For the best chances of it rooting, be sure to cut just below a node.

Snake Plants

I can’t tell you how many times I have over watered a snake plant which led to it rotting away. Instead of throwing it away, cut the rotted bottom right off and stick them in a pot with soil. Water it as usual (but don’t over water!). It may take a long time, but either new baby leaflets will start popping up around the cutting, and/or the cuttings will develop it’s own roots.

Now whenever my snake plants get really full of new growth, I split the whole plant in half and re-pot it into two new plants. Occasionally I will just cut a few stalks and stick them in a pot of soil to propagate a brand new plant.

Succulents

Not all succulents are created equal when it comes to propagation. You win some, you lose some… But hey, it never hurts to take a couple leaves from the bottom row of a succulent that is doing well and try.

Set the leaflets in a pot with loose soil and let it form calluses a couple days before watering them. After that I pretty much water the pot anytime I remember to water the rest of my nearby succulents. Some leaves will dry up and die, while others sprout.

Zamioculcas Zamiifolia (ZZ Plants)

These little guys are pretty low maintenance, and when they are really thriving they grow several tall shoots. I always cut the taller shoots and put them in a jar of water, but you could also do the shorter ones if preferred.

Again, don’t worry if it is a hit or miss when it comes to them sprouting roots, because your main plant will keep growing, and the cuttings (whether they root or not) become pretty household decor or part of a tablescape.

Ferns

I wouldn’t call all ferns “low maintenance” since I almost killed my button fern by under watering then over watering, but if you get situated in the right location (and keep the soil an even moisture…I’m using a self watering method) they will thrive without a whole lot of work or attention.

So why do I like them so much? You can divide these bad boys in the spring! Remove the dirt from the roots, and cut away a piece of the root system to re-pot. I stole half of the tall one below and started a whole new plant. It will fill in throughout the Spring.

 Creeping Plants

Most clippings from plants that “creep” or have a rhizome root system do quite well rooting.

Clip off a little chunk of the root system and place in water or re-plant. OR set the plant near another pot of moist soil and situate the creeping vine on the soil. It will begin to send out rootlings to grab onto the soil, then severe the connecting vine once it is well established.

RELATED POST: Learn how to propagate Pilea from our friends at Delineate Your Dwelling blog!

Don’t Sweat The Root Just Let It Do It’s Thang

I can’t stress this enough…this should be the most fun easy experiment going on in your life.

As a matter of fact, often I walk around my yard (and other people’s yards…it’s not creepy, I ask my friends first. Haha!) and clip random branches and plants. It never hurts to see what will root and it is a decorative element even if it doesn’t propagate.

Cuttings a great alternative to flowers which are usually expensive and die in a week. Instead my house is always filled with plants, or at least with plant clippings.