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Home » Latest Blog Posts » Propagation

Can you propagate pothos from a leaf?

Published: Jan 6, 2023 · Modified: Mar 2, 2023 by Morgan · This post may contain affiliate links ·

Did a leaf fall off your Pothos plant? Let's talk about if you can propagate pothos from a leaf and what you might do instead!

All plant parents have been there - you're moving plants around, re-arranging furniture, whatever it is - and your plant gets knocked. A leaf falls off!

One, my (human) kids were throwing pillows in the living room and hit my pilea, knocking every. single. leaf of fit's stem. I was not a happy mama.

Anyways, when something like this happens, it's natural to want to do whatever you can to save it. It takes a lot of love to grow those leaves, plus a long time.

Today we are going to chat about the pothos cutting requirements for a successful propagation.

can you propagate pothos from a leaf

What is propagation?

Propagation is when you take a cutting (or broken off bit in this case, ha!) from a parent plant, place it in water or soil, and grow new roots.

Once the roots are 2-3 inches long, you can plant the stem cutting in potting mix and treat it like a grown pothos plant.

This is a great way to turn 1 plant into many plants to share with friends or just save a poor broken off piece of the plant.

Read my complete guide on how to propagate pothos in water here.

satin pothos plant showing node
node on a pothos stem

Can pothos propagate from a leaf?

Unfortunately, you cannot propagate pothos from a leaf. You need at least SOME stem for it to work.

This is because leaves do not have a leaf node. The NODE is the bump on the stem that leaves - and, here's the kicker - roots, grow from.

You can stick your leaf cuttings in water all you want. You can sprinkle them with rooting hormone. If there's no node, you will not get root growth.

identify a node on a satin pothos plant
identify a node on a satin pothos plant

Will pothos leaves root in water?

Pothos leaves will not grow roots - in water or moist soil - without a leaf node. These nodes are located on the stem and not on the leaf itself.

However, you can root a piece of pothos stem without any leaves, it just takes a little longer. Read my guide on how to root pothos without a leaf here!

neon pothos cutting

If your pothos got a bunch of leaves knocked off, I would probably treat it like I do a leggy pothos. Cut the stem into 6-8 inch segments, making sure each have nodes, and place in water to propagate as normal.

This will encourage your parent plant to grow back bushier and allow you to better fill out the pot with the new cuttings!

Other pothos content you might enjoy:

  • Golden pothos care guide
  • Cebu Blue pothos care guide
  • Baltic Blue pothos care guide
  • Marble Queen pothos care guide
  • Global Green pothos care guide
  • Neon pothos care guide
  • NJoy Pothos Care Guide
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  • How to move pothos from water to soil
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  • Can you propagate pothos without a leaf?
  • Can you propagate pothos from a leaf?
  • Can you propagate a long pothos vine?
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  • Pothos vs Snake plants: which is better for beginners?
  • Cebu Blue Pothos vs Baltic Blue Pothos
  • How to propagate pothos
  • How to propagate golden pothos
  • How to propagate a satin pothos
  • How to propagate pothos in soil
  • How often to water pothos plants
  • How to care for variegated pothos
  • How to revive a dying pothos plant
  • Why are my Pothos leaves curling?
  • How to identify and treat common pothos pests
  • How to divide pothos plant
  • How to make pothos grow bigger leaves
  • Why does my pothos only have one vine?
  • Can you grow pothos in low light conditions?
  • How to cut off dead pothos leaves
  • Are pothos plants toxic to cats and dogs?
  • Can you grow pothos in water?
  • Why is my pothos droopy?
  • Why is my pothos plant dropping leaves?

Printable Pothos Plant Care Guide

Join the (free!) KeepYourPlantsAlive+ community to access this exclusive printable plant care guide! Or keep scrolling for more!

Pothos plant care guide

Any questions about if you can propagate pothos from a leaf?

Thanks for reading!

About Me Plant picture
Morgan mcbride headshot
Morgan

Hey there, I'm Morgan, a houseplant enthusiast from sunny Charleston, South Carolina. Growing up surrounded by my mom's lush orchids and African violets, I discovered the magic of bringing nature indoors. Thanks to the pandemic, I delved deeper into houseplants, discovering their power to uplift moods and transform spaces. I'm here to spill all my secrets, helping you pick the perfect houseplant - and make it happy. Let's keep your plants alive, together! 😊

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Thank you for joining me on my plant-filled adventure here in Charleston, South Carolina! I'm obsessed with my houseplants and keeping my garden green. I want to teach you my secrets and empower you to keep your plants alive, happy, and healthy.

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