Plant care guide
Monstera Adansonii Propagation: Node Cuttings in Water or Mix
Updated
How do you propagate a Monstera adansonii?
Monstera adansonii propagates from stem cuttings. A cutting needs at least one node, the bump where a leaf and aerial root grow from the vine. A leaf without a node will not grow into a new plant.
What to do first
Cut a healthy vine just below a node, keeping two or more nodes and a leaf or two. Root it in water or a moist, airy mix in bright, indirect light, and pot it up once roots are 2.5–5 cm (1–2 in) long.
Monstera adansonii is one of the easier aroids to multiply. NC State Extension’s Monstera adansonii profile lists stem cuttings as the recommended method. UF/IFAS Extension’s Swiss cheese plant article puts it simply: take a stem cutting with at least one node, or with roots already on it.
The node is the part that matters. A single leaf on its stalk may stay green in water for weeks, but it has no node to grow a new vine from.
Find the node before you cut
A node is the slightly swollen joint on the vine where a leaf stalk attaches. On Monstera adansonii, a brown aerial root often grows from the same spot. Montana State University Extension’s guide to stem cuttings explains that nodes hold actively dividing cells that can form new tissue, including roots.
Choose a vine that is firm and green, with healthy leaves. Do not propagate from soft, dark or yellowing stems.
Take the cutting
- Wear gloves. NC State lists Monstera adansonii as a cause of contact dermatitis and recommends gloves when handling it.
- Pick your timing. Iowa State University Extension’s guide to propagating houseplants by cuttings calls early spring ideal, though most houseplants root at any time of year.
- Cut below a node. Iowa State’s stem tip cutting guide recommends cuttings 7.5–15 cm (3–6 in) long with at least two nodes. Montana State suggests three to five nodes where possible and cutting just below the lowest node with clean, sharp pruners.
- Trim the lower leaves. Remove leaves that would sit in water or mix, so they do not rot. Keep one or two leaves at the top.
- Keep the aerial roots. A cutting with roots already on it, which UF/IFAS mentions, has a head start. Let those roots go into the water or mix.
Rooting in water
Montana State gives clear steps for water rooting:
- Use room-temperature tap water.
- Make sure at least one node sits under the water.
- Change the water weekly.
- Do not add fertilizer; the cutting’s stored reserves are enough to grow roots.
- Pot up once roots are 2.5–5 cm (1–2 in) long, to reduce transplant shock.
Iowa State notes that roots formed in water are coarser and the plant may be stressed when moved to mix. Pot water-rooted cuttings when the roots are still short, and keep the new mix lightly moist for the first weeks.
Rooting in mix
Rooting directly in mix skips the switch from water roots to soil roots. Iowa State’s stem tip guide recommends:
- Media: perlite, sand, coarse sphagnum moss, vermiculite, peat moss, or a mix of these.
- Container: clean, with good drainage and at least 5 cm (2 in) deep.
- Humidity: high. Cover the pot with a clear bag or dome, held off the leaves with supports.
- Light: 4 to 6 hours of bright, indirect light.
- Warmth: air at 18–24 °C (65–75 °F), with the rooting medium at 24–27 °C (75–80 °F).
Iowa State says most houseplant stem cuttings root in 3 to 6 weeks.
After the cutting roots
Move the rooted cutting into a small pot of well-drained mix. UF/IFAS suggests an orchid mix would suit this plant.
Then treat it like an adult plant. NC State recommends bright, indirect light, moist but well-drained mix, high humidity, and a stake, trellis or moss pole to climb. Keep it above 10 °C (50 °F).
When cuttings fail
- Cutting rots at the base: usually no node in the water or mix, a soft stem to begin with, or stale water. Cut above the rot and start again from firm tissue.
- Leaf stays green but no roots: check that a node, not just the leaf stalk, is under water.
- Roots form but the cutting wilts after potting: typical of water roots moving to mix. Keep it out of direct sun and the mix lightly moist while new roots form.
For overall care, see the Monstera adansonii hub. Our pothos node selection guide shows the same node logic on a related vine.
Related guides
Other monstera adansonii problems we cover: yellow leaves, care guide, thrips, root rot.
References
- NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: Monstera adansonii
- UF/IFAS Extension Charlotte County: Holey leaves, when holes in leaves are a good thing
- Iowa State University Extension and Outreach: How to Propagate Houseplants by Stem Tip Cuttings
- Iowa State University Extension and Outreach: How to Propagate Houseplants by Cuttings
- Montana State University Extension: Cloning at Home, propagating plants from stem cuttings
How this guide was put together: NC State Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, Iowa State University Extension, and Montana State University Extension guidance.