Skip to Content

Can You Propagate Pothos Without Leaves — 2 Easy Ways

Many people love to plant Pothos in their garden to enhance its beauty. At the same time, others grow these ornamentals indoors as beautiful décor.

Most Pothos need minimal maintenance, and because of this, many new growers find it pretty easy to nurture and raise some new Pothos out of their old ones.

So, overall, they are perfect plants to propagate into some new babies.

Many people seem to be worried about whether they can propagate their Pothos without leaves or not. The simple answer to this frequently asked question is: Yes!

Epipremnum aureum. Can You Propagate Pothos Without Leaves
“Can You Propagate Pothos Without Leaves?” — Image via Sweet Louise.

You can either propagate a leafless stem portion of your Pothos or a leafless root portion of your heart-shaped green buddy.

This article will give you a thorough answer to “Can you propagate Pothos without leaves?” or “How can you propagate a leafless Pothos?” So, without wasting any further time, let’s get straight into the topic.

Can you Propagate Pothos Without Leaves?

Pothos is a genus of hardy indoor foliage plants of the Araceae family and is native to Southeast Asia.

Pothos are green florae with thick, waxy, heart-shaped leaves and include diverse varieties of indoor plants.

The most common one, which you may have heard, is Epipremnum aureum.

Now, heading to our primary concern: Can you propagate Pothos without leaves or not? The answer is: Absolutely; you can effortlessly propagate new baby Pothos from a leafless parent plant.

Due to many reasons, Pothos propagation is common among gardeners:

  • Pothos propagation is the simple process of multiplying Pothos without spending extra money on these exotic plants.
  • Propagating Pothos proves valuable in commercial gardening.
  • Plant propagation is an ancient way of getting a new plant from the old one.
  • And in this way, you’ll have many small and stunning plants which you can gift to your loved ones.

It is a common misbelief among people that you cannot propagate Pothos without leaves. Many experts share their successful experiences with propagating Pothos without leaves, which I am going to discuss with you.

How to Propagate Pothos Without Leaves?

There are two main methods of propagating Pothos without any leaves:

  • Stem Propagation.
  • Root Propagation.

But before getting into both procedures, it would help if you pick up all the necessary equipment required for propagating your Pothos.

Tools Needed for Propagation

Now, let us take a look at both of the methods.

Pothos in water and pebbles. Can You Propagate Pothos Without Leaves
“Can You Propagate Pothos Without Leaves?” — Image via Int Jungle.

Stem Propagation — Propagating Pothos Without Leaves

How to propagate Pothos without leaves, you say? Go along with these easy-to-follow expert steps to make and grow clean stem cuttings.

Step #1: Find Out the Node

You will need proper stem cutting of your Pothos for propagation.

Take a deep look at the stem of your plant. Looking closer, you will see elevated bumps called nodes along the stem of your plant.

“Nodes are the points where leaves bud out from the stem. A healthy plant should have nodes on every two to three inches of the stem.”

In the case of Pothos, new roots will grow through these nodes.

Step #2: Make a Clean Cut

After getting the node, make a clean cut using a sharp pair of scissors right below a node.

Although we are propagation stems without leaves, most experts suggest cutting stem portions at least 6 inches long, having two to four leaves. Now you are ready to propagate Pothos with the part you cut out from the plant.

Step #3: Letting the Buds Sprout

Now, this one is a special step. From step #2, you can either root the cuttings directly in soil or water.

But an excellent way is to let the buds sprout by placing them in sphagnum moss for a few days and then planting them in soil.

How To Propagate Leafless Pothos Vines (DONT THROW THEM AWAY) – YouTube

Step #4: Plant the Cuttings

The next step is to plant the cuttings. There are typically two ways of planting cuttings for propagating Pothos:

  • Water Propagation.
  • Soil Propagation.

Both of these methods work fine with propagating Pothos. You can either allow the nodes to sprout in water first and then transfer them to the potting mix. Or, you can directly plant them in the soil as well. I’ve elaborated on both of these methods further in the article.

Ensure that the mixture is sufficiently moist before planting the stem cuttings.

Pothos need special care after propagation. You need to make sure that it receives filtered light as direct sunlight can deteriorate the propagated baby plant.

Now, let’s take a look at the other method.

Related Article: Emerald Pothos (8 Caring and 6 Propagating Tips)

Root Propagation — Propagating Leafless Pothos

Propagating Pothos from root cutting is not famous. Some gardeners feel hesitant to do it, but you can propagate your plant from root cuttings if you have some decent knowledge about it.

Also, you can give this method a shot during root pruning.

In fact, I would strongly recommend that you always take proper cuttings from your plants (for the purpose of propagation) while pruning.

Let’s browse through the steps of root propagation.

Step #1: Take Cuttings

Take cuttings from the roots of parent Pothos during the dormant season because, during that period, roots contain a peak amount of carbohydrates which confirms the rapid growth of the propagated plant.

  • Avoid using the rotten or infected rootlets during propagation, and make sure to use the healthy and happy roots.
  • And as we saw in the stem propagation method, the roots should also be 5–6 inches in length to get better results.

Step #2: Planting the Roots

After cutting, place the roots in a pot with your potting mixture.

You can cover the pot/container and prevent it from direct sunlight, just as in the stem propagation method.

After the patience of several weeks, you can see the emerging shoot. After it, remove the cover so that the plant gets open air.

Step #3: Grow Your Pothos with Proper Care

Make sure to provide your Pothos with perfect caring conditions.

Epipremnum aureum (Devil’s Ivy / Pothos) Houseplant Care — 11 of 365 – YouTube

Two Different Mediums for Propagating Leafless Pothos

Now that you got the answer to: “Can you propagate Pothos without leaves?” Let’s take a look at the two common mediums people usually go for propagating their plants:

Water Propagation

Many people prefer to propagate Pothos in water as this process makes it easier to notice the root progress.

Experts advise using the water propagation method if you are a complete beginner in propagation.

Suppose you want to keep a closer eye on root development; you must apply a water propagation method.

  • Take a regular glassware lying somewhere around your kitchen and fill it with water.
  • Submerge the stem or root that you just cut in the water.
  • Roots will eventually come out of the node, so make sure the water is deep enough to cover one or two nodes.
  • You also have to make sure that you placed the cutting side up for the upward growth pattern of the plant.
Water propagation of Pothos. - Can You Propagate Pothos Without Leaves?
“Can You Propagate Pothos Without Leaves?” — Image via Dan Jones.

Can You Keep Your Pothos in Water Forever?

Briefly, the answer is Yes! It is good to grow new Pothos in water and let them grow forever in it instead of transplanting them into the soil. Pothos grow well in both water and soil.

Although the cuttings root faster in water, a mature Pothos plant will grow faster in soil than in water. It is better to transplant your Pothos into the soil when you see a developed root system.

Can you Propagate Pothos Directly in Soil?

The usual method for propagating Pothos is to place the cutting from the parent plant in water. After a month, roots begin to show; you can now plant the cuttings in the soil.

But on the other hand, you can also transfer these plant cuttings directly to the soil. Here, you’ll have to keep a perfect moisture and nutrition balance in the soil.

Try to use the best soil for your plant; if you use unhealthy soil, your Pothos will not be able to grow.

In an unhealthy potting soil, plants are deprived of oxygen and water — essential components for plant growth, especially for the stem and root cuttings.

Benefits of Propagating Pothos

As I mentioned earlier, it is better to propagate Pothos and take cuttings during the act of pruning.

Pothos are trailing and vining species and require frequent trimming. Therefore, while pruning, it is best to take a few cuttings to propagate them into new Pothos plants.

“In this way, you propagate the plants for their own sake.”

These gorgeous green Pothos also prove wonderful gifts for your loved ones.


Conclusion

If your old Pothos seems unhealthy, do not think you will lose them. You can propagate Pothos without any leaves.

  • You can make your plants feel better and healthier just by propagating them.
  • But some of you might have a not-so-good-looking plant, and you ask Google: “Can you propagate Pothos without leaves?” In that case, the answer is yes, you can.
  • It doesn’t matter whether the parent plant has leaves or not.
  • You can use any method mentioned above to propagate your Pothos plant.

You will surely love it when the baby plant gradually flourishes from the cutting. Many creative gardeners propagate different Pothos to make new varieties. You will get positively attached to this adventurous plant if you are an innovative gardener.

Happy Planting. ✌🏻