If you’re wondering how to propagate pothos, you’re in luck. Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) is one of the easiest houseplants to grow from cuttings, and you can watch the roots develop when you propagate it in water.

My own pothos has become long and leggy, with vines stretching much longer than I wanted. Rather than simply cutting them back, I decided to give the plant a trim and use the healthy cuttings to grow new plants.

In this guide, I’ll show you how to take pothos cuttings, identify the nodes needed for rooting, how to grow the cuttings in water, and determine when they’re ready to plant in soil. Propagation is a simple way to make new pothos plants and to turn an overgrown plant into a more bushy one.

For complete information about keeping your pothos indoor plant healthy, including light, watering, soil, and ongoing care, see my pothos plant care guide.

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What you need to propagate pothos

To propagate your pothos houseplant, you’ll need the following supplies:

A healthy pothos plant with leggy vines
Clean, sharp scissors or garden shears
A clear jar or a large glass
Water
Potting soil
Plant pot

How to propagate pothos in water

Pothos is one of the easiest plants to grow from cuttings!

Choose a healthy pothos vine

Pruning a long section of vine gives you lots of healthy cuttings.

Choose a long vine that has several nodes along its length.
Avoid sections with yellowing or burned leaves.

What is a plant node?

The nodes along a pothos vine are the places where new roots will develop.

Inspect your pothos vine and look for the place where a leaf or its stem connects to the main vine.
You will see some tiny, raised bumps along the vine.
You may also see scars that were left behind from where a leaf used to be.

Cut the vine into sections

Use a pair of sharp, sterilized pruning shears or scissors to take stem cuttings from your pothos plant.
Each cutting should contain one or more nodes, which will be placed in water.
Make your cut on an angle, just below a leaf node.
Remove the bottom leaves from the cutting.
Leave at least 1-2 leaves at the top of the cutting.

How many cuttings can you take from one vine?

You can take many cuttings from one long vine.
Each cutting should have one or two nodes on it and a few leaves on it.
My vine was about 4 feet long, and I got 7 cuttings from it – enough to fill a medium-sized pot when they root!

Place the pothos cuttings in water

The easiest way to propagate pothos is in a container of water. You can actually watch the roots grow!

Use a clean container.
Add clean, fresh water.
Place the lower stems of the pothos cuttings in the water.
Make sure the nodes are submerged.
Keep the leaves above the water level.
Change the water every

Put the cuttings in a bright location

Place the cuttings where they receive bright, indirect light.
Avoid intense direct sunlight, which can heat the water and stress the developing cuttings.

Change the water regularly

Fresh water helps to keep the propagation container clean and oxygenated.

Once a week, rinse the container and refill it with fresh water.
If the water becomes cloudy, develops an odor, or has debris in it, change it more often.
Ensure the nodes remain submerged, keeping the leaves above the water.

Wait for roots to develop

Roots will begin to develop within 2-4 weeks in good conditions.
Once roots appear, they will continue to grow as long as the cutting remains healthy and has access to light.
My own cuttings have been growing in water for several months and now have a long, well-developed root system.

Plant tip: The roots of my pothos are very long! However, you do not need an enormous root system like this before you move the cuttings to soil. Even a small amount of roots will grow into new pothos plants.

When should you plant rooted cuttings?

Once the cuttings have developed a healthy root system, they can be transferred to potting soil.

Normal potting soil works fine.
I used a mixture that contains perlite, vermiculite, and peat moss. You can find the formula here.
Fill a small pot with suitable potting mix.
Make a hole for the rooted cutting.
Position the roots beneath the soil.
Firm the mix gently around the cutting.
Water thoroughly.
Return it to bright, indirect light.

Once your new plants are established, follow the same basic care requirements as a mature pothos.

Can you keep growing pothos in water?

Yes, pothos can grow in water, but there’s a difference between propagating a cutting in water and growing a pothos permanently in water.

During propagation, water provides the moisture the cutting needs while it develops new roots. Once those roots are established, you can transfer the cutting to potting mix and grow it as a traditional indoor plant.

You can also leave a rooted pothos cutting in water and continue growing it there. If you choose this method, it will need regular water changes, suitable light, and nutrients to support long-term growth.

Common pothos propagation problems

Pothos is one of the easier houseplants to propagate, but it’s normal to have questions when a cutting doesn’t behave exactly as expected. These quick answers cover some of the most common propagation problems.

Why isn’t my pothos cutting growing roots?

Make sure the cutting has at least one healthy node and that the node is submerged in water. Keep the cutting in bright, indirect light and give it time since some cuttings root faster than others.

Why is my pothos cutting turning yellow?

One yellow leaf doesn’t necessarily mean the cutting has failed. Older leaves may yellow and drop after being separated from the parent plant. If several leaves turn yellow, check that the water is fresh and the leaves are not submerged.

Why is the stem getting mushy?

A mushy stem is usually a sign of rot. Remove the cutting from the water and trim away the soft portion with clean scissors, cutting just below a healthy node. Place the healthy section in fresh water. If the entire stem is soft, it’s best to discard the cutting.

Can I propagate a pothos leaf without a node?

No. A pothos leaf without a node cannot grow into a new plant. The node contains the growth tissue needed to produce new roots and shoots, so every cutting needs at least one.

Why is my rooted cutting not growing leaves?

This is normal. Root development usually comes before new leaf growth, so a rooted cutting takes time to develop roots before producing new leaves. If the cuttings appear healthy, give them time; leaves should start growing soon.

Can you propagate pothos in soil?

While water rooting pothos is the most common type of propagation for this plant, it is also possible to propagate pothos directly in soil.

Cut a healthy section of vine with at least 1-2 leaf nodes.
Remove the lower leaves.
Make a small hole in the potting soil and place a cutting into it, making sure the leaf nodes are covered with soil.
Keep the soil consistently wet.
Roots will develop in 2-4 weeks.

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You can also watch this YouTube slideshow video about propagating pothos!

Yield: Healthy pothos cuttings

How to Propagate Pothos from Cuttings

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Learn how to propagate pothos step by step using cuttings and water. See how to choose a healthy node, root cuttings, and plant your new pothos.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Active Time 14 days

Total Time 14 days 15 minutes

Difficulty Beginner to intermediate Gardeners

Estimated Cost $1

Materials

1 healthy pothos plant
Glass or jar
Water
Small pot
Potting soil

Tools

Scissors
Pencil

Instructions

How to take cuttings of pothos

Examine the vines and remove any dead or dying leaves.
Look on the vine to find leaf nodes.
Use your clean scissors to cut a piece of the stem on an angle, just below a leaf node.
Each cutting should have one or two leaf nodes.
Remove the lower leaves.

How to root pothos cuttings

Fill a clean glass or jar about ¾ full of water.
Place the stem cutting in the water.
Do not submerge the leaves, or they will rot.

How to care for the cuttings

Place the glass in a spot that gets bright, indirect light.
Change the water once a week, or more often if it gets dirty

When do roots form?

Roots will begin forming in about 2 weeks.
More roots will grow if you leave the cutting in water for a longer period.

Transfer the cuttings to the soil

Add potting soil to the bottom of a pot.
Carefully place the rooted cuttings in the soil.
Backfill with soil, pressing it firmly around the roots and stems.
Water well. Enjoy your new pothos plant!

Notes

Water rooting is the most common form of propagation for pothos, but propagating pothos in soil is also possible. See my tips in the post above.

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