Plant care guide

String of Hearts Propagation: Tubers and Stem Cuttings

Updated

How do you propagate a String of hearts?

String of hearts is easy to propagate. The simplest method is to press one of the bead-like aerial tubers, still attached to its vine, onto the mix in another pot and cut it free once it roots. Stem cuttings also root, best with gentle bottom heat in early summer.

What to do first

Pin a tuber-bearing section of vine onto moist, free-draining mix without cutting it, keep the mix moist but not wet, and sever it once new growth starts. For cuttings, take 10–15 cm (4–6 in) lengths in early summer and root them in cactus mix kept warm.

String of hearts makes new plants almost on its own. The small, bead-like tubers that form along the vines are ready-made starts. NC State Extension notes that these tubercles root and produce another plant if the stem touches soil.

University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension says the plant is easily propagated from cuttings, from tubers, or by seed. Tubers are the most reliable route for most homes. Cuttings are faster to set up but need warmth and careful watering.

Before you start

  • Use a healthy plant. Iowa State University Extension advises propagating only from healthy, vigorously growing plants, not ones with pests, disease or weak growth. Check vines for mealybugs first.
  • Pick the season. Iowa State says early spring through summer is the best time for both the new plant and the parent. The RHS recommends taking stem cuttings in early summer.
  • Prepare a free-draining mix. The RHS suggests cactus compost. Wisconsin recommends a cactus and succulent mix or potting mix with extra perlite, and a pot with drainage.

Method 1: Root a tuber while it’s attached

This is a form of layering, which NC State lists as a recommended method for this plant.

  1. Find a tuber. Small, potato-like tubers form at the leaf joints along the stems. Wisconsin describes them as aerial tubers or “beads”.
  2. Set a small pot of moist mix next to the parent plant.
  3. Press the tuber onto the mix, still attached to its vine. Wisconsin prefers leaving it attached. A bent wire or hairpin holds it in contact with the mix.
  4. Keep the mix moist, but not wet, as Wisconsin advises.
  5. Sever the vine once the tuber has rooted and started growing. Wisconsin says this takes a few weeks or months.

You can also lay several tuber-bearing sections across the surface of the parent’s own pot to fill out a thin plant.

Method 2: Stem cuttings

  1. Cut 10–15 cm (4–6 in) lengths of healthy vine, as the RHS suggests. Use clean scissors or a sharp knife.
  2. Include leaf joints, since tubers and roots form at the nodes. A cutting that carries a tuber has a head start.
  3. Lay or insert the cuttings in cactus compost so the nodes touch the mix.
  4. Keep them warm. The RHS gives a rooting temperature of 22–25 °C (72–77 °F). Wisconsin says cuttings root best with bottom heat, such as a propagation mat.
  5. Keep the mix moist, per the RHS, but never waterlogged. Put the pot in bright, indirect light.
  6. Check for rooting by tugging gently. New leaves at the tips show the cutting has taken.

Method 3: Seed

Seed is possible but slow, and rarely available from a houseplant grown indoors. The RHS gives a germination temperature of 19–24 °C (66–75 °F) in early spring. Wisconsin notes that pollinated flowers form horn-shaped pods with silky, wind-dispersed seeds.

Why cuttings fail

  • Rot. String of hearts tolerates dry soil much better than soggy soil, according to Wisconsin. Cuttings without roots can’t use much water. Keep the mix only lightly moist.
  • Wrong season. NC State says the plant is dormant over winter. Iowa State and the RHS both point to spring and summer for propagation, so wait until then.
  • Unhealthy stock. If you are rescuing a rotting plant, University of Maryland Extension advises taking cuttings only from healthy tissue. Use firm, clean vines.

After rooting

Once the young plant is growing, move it to the normal routine: bright light, a full soak when the mix is completely dry, and less water in winter. Wisconsin notes the plant does best crowded, so a small pot is right. Our soak-and-dry guide for string of hearts covers watering, and the string of hearts hub covers light and general care.

Other string of hearts problems we cover: yellow leaves, dropping leaves, leggy growth.

References

How this guide was put together: University of Wisconsin–Madison Extension, RHS, NC State, Iowa State University and University of Maryland Extension guidance.

Other String Of Hearts problems

Related plant care guides

Knowledge record: pg-string-of-hearts--propagation