How to Propagate a Snake Plant
Propagation of a snake plant may take several attempts, but when successful, you can get three or four new plants from one leaf. This is a great way to get new plants for free or share plants with friends. However, you must follow some specific steps to ensure successful propagation.
- Difficulty:
- Moderate
Instructions
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1
Remove a healthy leaf from the parent snake plant using a sharp knife. The leaf may be any size, but it's best to use a leaf at least 6 inches long so you can attempt to start several new plants from one leaf.
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2
Cut the leaf up into sections about 2 inches long. Keep track of which way the leaf was growing, because they must be inserted into potting mix right side up for successful propagation.
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3
Fill a 3-inch pot with a potting mixture of one part peat moss and one part coarse sand or perlite. Moisten the potting mix to get it ready for the snake plant propagations.
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4
Insert the segments of the snake plant leaf into the potting mix, placing them about a half inch into the mix. Make sure they are planted right side up.
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5
Place the pot in a bright and warm area. Provide water as the top of the potting mix dries out, but not before. Too much water can cause the snake plant leaves to rot.
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6
Wait for new growth shoots to emerge from the snake plant propagations. This may take several months. At this time, cut off the parent plant's leaf sections.
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1
Tips & Warnings
A variegated snake plant may not have the same leaf colorings after it's propagated. For instance, the yellow-bordered variety may not have a yellow border after propagation by leaf cuttings.
