houseplant care
How to propagate pothos in water or soil — 14-day guide
Propagate pothos (devil's ivy / money plant) from cuttings in water in 7-14 days. The full method, common mistakes, and water vs soil propagation.
How to propagate pothos in water or soil — 14-day guide
Pothos — sometimes sold as devil's ivy or money plant — is the easiest houseplant to propagate in cultivation. One mother plant can produce dozens of new plants per year, and the rooting process is reliable enough that propagating in water on a kitchen windowsill almost always works. Take cuttings only from a healthy parent, though — if the donor plant has yellowing pothos leaves, fix that first, because stressed mother plants root poorly. This guide is the full 14-day method, plus common mistakes and the soil-vs-water decision.
Track propagation timelines: Snap a photo of your cutting in Growli and the app tracks the rooting timeline — alerts you when it's time to transfer to soil and reminds you to change the water every 5-7 days.
What you need (2 minutes prep)
- Sharp, clean scissors or pruners (wipe with rubbing alcohol)
- A glass jar (clear is better — you can see root development)
- Filtered or rainwater at room temperature
- A bright indirect spot (east window is ideal)
Optional but not necessary:
- Rooting hormone (pothos roots without it — don't bother)
- Small pot + fresh potting mix (for soil propagation method)
How to take a cutting
Find a healthy section of vine with at least 2-3 nodes. A node is the small brown bump on the stem where a leaf attaches — that's where new roots form.
The cut:
- Locate a node on the parent vine.
- Cut about 1/2 inch below the node at a 45° angle with clean scissors.
- Take 4-6 inch cuttings with 2-3 nodes each.
- Remove the bottom 1-2 leaves so the lower nodes are bare — those are the nodes that will go in water.
A cutting without a node won't root. Always include at least one node, and submerge it.
Method 1 — Water propagation (recommended)
- Place the cutting in your glass jar so at least one node is fully submerged and the top leaves are above the waterline.
- Position in bright indirect light — east-facing window, or 3-4 feet from a south/west window. Avoid direct sun (cooks the cutting).
- Change the water every 5-7 days to keep oxygen levels high and prevent stagnation.
- Wait for roots. Root nubs appear in 7-10 days; 2-3 inch roots take 3-4 weeks.
- Transfer to soil once roots are 2-3 inches long.
Total time to a soil-grown rooted plant: 3-4 weeks.
Method 2 — Soil propagation (slower, stronger roots)
Skip the water phase entirely:
- Plant the cutting directly in moist (not soggy) potting mix.
- Keep the soil consistently damp for the first 3-4 weeks.
- Don't let it dry out — but also don't water so much it rots.
Soil propagation takes 3-6 weeks to establish but produces a stronger root system from the start — water roots are different from soil roots, and water-propagated plants go through a transition period when first planted in soil.
For your first time, use water. Once you're comfortable, soil works for batch propagation when you don't want to mess with jars.
Method 3 — LECA / Pon (advanced)
For experienced growers: leca pebbles or pon (a mineral substrate mix) gives faster rooting than water with the structural support of soil. Skip this for the first time; it requires understanding hydroponic nutrient cycles.
Common mistakes
The five reasons a pothos cutting fails to root:
- Node not submerged. The node MUST be in the water. Leaves above water, node below.
- Stagnant water. If you forget to change the water for 2+ weeks, oxygen drops and the cutting rots instead of rooting. Change every 5-7 days.
- Cutting from old woody growth. Mature woody pothos stems root very slowly. Use green flexible stem sections — ideally with visible aerial roots (the small brown bumps on the stem).
- No node in the cutting. A leaf alone won't root. Always include at least one node.
- Direct sun on the jar. Heats the water and cooks the cutting. Bright indirect, not direct.
Timeline expectations
| Day | What you should see |
|---|---|
| Day 0 | Fresh cutting in water |
| Day 7-10 | Small white root nubs emerging from the node |
| Day 14 | Roots 1-2 inches long, branching |
| Day 21-28 | Roots 2-3 inches long — ready for soil |
| Week 4-6 | Established in soil, new growth from the top |
| Week 8-12 | Vining starts to extend |
| 6 months | Mature plant suitable for a hanging basket |
Variety-specific notes
- Golden pothos — fastest rooter; reference variety.
- Marble queen — slightly slower; variegation maintained on cuttings.
- Neon — fast rooter; bright green color throughout.
- Cebu Blue — slower rooter; cuttings need 14-21 days.
- N'Joy — similar to marble queen.
- Manjula — slow and finicky; use soil method rather than water for higher success.
Related articles
- Pothos care — the full pothos care guide
- Monstera care — different propagation method (woodier stem)
- Low light plants — where to put your propagated pothos
- Why are my plant leaves turning yellow? — if your propagation goes wrong
Reviewed and updated by the Growli editorial team. For questions about anything here, open Growli and ask — or email hello@getgrowli.app.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to propagate pothos?
In water: root nubs appear in 7-10 days, with 2-3 inch roots ready for soil at 3-4 weeks. In soil directly: roots establish in 3-6 weeks but the cutting wilts more during the first week. Total time from cutting to a vining plant in a pot is 8-12 weeks.
Is water or soil better for propagating pothos?
Water is faster and easier to monitor — you can see the roots forming. Soil is slower but produces a more drought-tolerant root system right away. For your first time, start in water; for batch propagation when you've done it before, soil is less fiddly.
Where exactly do I cut a pothos vine?
Find a node — the small brown bump on the stem where a leaf attaches. Cut about 1/2 inch below the node at a 45° angle using clean scissors. Each cutting needs at least one node — that's where roots form. A 6-inch cutting with 2-3 nodes propagates more reliably than a single-node cutting.
Why are my pothos cuttings not rooting?
The three most common reasons: the node isn't submerged in water, the water hasn't been changed in 2+ weeks and oxygen is depleted, or the cutting was taken from old woody growth. Take a fresh cutting from green stem with visible aerial roots if possible — these root within days.
Do I need rooting hormone for pothos?
No. Pothos roots prolifically without any hormone. Rooting hormone helps with woody plants like fiddle leaf fig and rubber plant, but it's wasted on pothos. Save your money.
Can I leave pothos in water forever?
Yes, but growth slows after the first few months because the water lacks nutrients. If you want a permanent water-grown pothos, add a couple of drops of liquid houseplant fertilizer to the water once a month, and change the water every 2 weeks. For long-term display, soil produces a fuller plant.
How many cuttings can I take from one mother plant?
A healthy pothos can spare 30-50% of its vines without slowing. For a mature plant with multiple vines, take 4-6 cuttings of 6 inches each — that yields 4-6 new plants. Cut just above a node on the mother plant so it branches from there.
How does Growli help with pothos propagation?
Snap a photo of your cuttings in Growli and the app tracks the propagation timeline based on the day you started. Growli reminds you to change the water every 5-7 days and alerts you when the roots should be long enough to transfer to soil. Growli also confirms from your photo whether the cutting has a viable node before you commit to a long propagation cycle.