Snake Plants are a popular houseplant for their ease of care. Snake Plants are similarly easy to propagate and can produce young Snake Plant babies! It does not take expert knowledge or fancy equipment to successfully propagate Snake Plants. All you need is some regular household tools such as sharp scissors or clippers, a container, water or soil, and most importantly, some time and patience for the process. It can take about two months or eight weeks from taking a cutting to planting a rooted Snake Plant baby.
Methods To Propagate Snake Plants
The three main ways to propagate a Snake Plant are via stem/leaf cuttings in water, stem/leaf cuttings in soil, and division. Snake Plants can also be grown from seed, but the three main methods are more reliable than germinating Snake Plant seeds. Plants propagated from leaf or stem cuttings typically do not replicate the variegation of the mother plant and will revert to all green. To duplicate the mother plant’s genetics and enjoy the same color variegation and patterning, you must divide the plant.
Best Rooting Media To Propagate Snake Plants
When taking stem or leaf cuttings, you can root your Snake Plant cutting in either water or soil. Both mediums are good choices but there are advantages and disadvantages to both. Rooting a Snake Plant cutting in water is the easiest and most accessible method; however water can cause root rot on the cutting. Rooting a cutting in soil is another good method; the advantage to this method is that it often produces a stronger plant once established. The disadvantage is that this method takes longer.
You can root your Snake Plant in a cactus mix or a soilless potting medium such as perlite, lightweight expanded clay aggregate (LECA), sphagnum peat moss, vermiculite, sand, or coconut coir. It is important to choose a medium that will not retain moisture since Snake Plants do not like to be overwatered. You will also need soil if you choose to divide your Snake Plant.
Steps To Propagate Snake Plants
Steps To Propagate Snake Plant From Leaf/Stem Cuttings
Step 1 - Select a healthy mother plant
Step 2 - Choose your container and rooting medium (water or soil)
Step 3 - Take a cutting with clean shears near the root of the plant
Step 4 - If rooting in water, place the cutting in a clean container with clean water
Step 5 - If rooting in soil, let the cutting sit for a day or two so that the cut can callus over
Step 6 - Place callused cutting in rooting hormone, and plant the cut end in moist soil
Step 7 - Give the cutting time to root, monitor for growth, and keep the soil moist or change the water
Step 8 - After about 8 weeks, pot up the water-rooted cutting into soil and water thoroughly
Steps To Propagate Snake Plant From Division
Step 1 - Select a healthy mother plant that is big enough to divide
Step 2 - Gather a container and rooting soil
Step 3 - Gently remove the mother plant from its pot and divide the stems gently
Step 4 - Repot stems in new containers with soil; water well
Step 5 - Monitor for growth and water needs
Step 6 - Give the new plants time to establish
Caring For Snake Plant Cuttings
The first step in caring for a Snake Plant cutting is to start with a healthy plant. Once you have a cutting from a healthy plant, you can root it in water or soil. If rooting in water, it is important to regularly change the water to keep it clean. If rooting in soil, use a rooting hormone at the time of planting to promote root growth. Monitor the newly planted cutting for water needs, watering when dry. Place the cuttings in indirect light and never in direct sun where they may burn and dry out. Keep your Snake Plant babies at room temperature with protection from cold drafts and temperature drops.
Transplanting Snake Plant Cuttings
Water-propagated Snake Plant cuttings will eventually need to be transplanted into a container with soil. It is important to have patience while the roots are developing. Snake Plants are slower growers and also slower to propagate than many other houseplants. You should plant your cutting once it has established a full and healthy set of roots. Once roots have developed and the cutting is ready to be transplanted, choose a container not too much larger than the cutting and fill it with a good cactus mix or soilless medium. Water the new transplant and monitor closely while it establishes. Do not fertilize at the time of planting; wait until the plant is fully established.
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Author Katie Endicott - Published 06-23-2023 |