How to Propagate a Snake Plant: 3 Simple Ways to Create New Plants

Learn how to propagate a snake plant using these three simple methods. You can divide the existing plant, place cuttings in water, or place cuttings in soil. These are the easiest ways to create new plants for your home or to share with friends and family.

The snake plant is one of the easiest plants in the world to care for. It is a succulent so can withstand drier soil and can tolerate many different types of lighting situations.

What I love about the Snake Plant is it’s also one of the easier plants to propagate and make more plants from!

How to Propagate a Snake Plant

There are many ways to propagate a snake plant, but three are super easy. This is great because it doesn’t matter if you are a beginner gardener or an expert, anyone can do this.

1. Divide the existing plant

This one is probably the easiest one. If your plant has grown significantly and it’s time to put it in a bigger pot you might want to consider dividing the plant and creating multiple plants.

All you need to do here is gently remove the plant from the pot and lay it on a surface. I put mine on my garage floor but if you have a work table that might be easier on your back.

Gently brush away the dirt and find a natural place among the rooms to separate them. I was able to create many plants from my single larger plant. I arranged them in several rooms of my home, I really do love snake plants!

Here you can see my plant is outgrowing the pot and has a few leaves that are falling over. It’s time to divide this plant or put it in a bigger pot. I decided to divide it.

I took one plant and created three by dividing it. And created a mess on the garage floor in the process!

2. Place cuttings in water

Another way to propagate a snake plant is to cut off a leaf with a sharp clean cutting tool and place the cut end in water. Make sure you change out the water frequently.

Now just a word of warning, this method takes a couple of months to accomplish so don’t be impatient. Mine took between 2-3 months and finally, I started to see a pup growing. Now it is ready to plant in soil.

Here are the two leaves that were leaning over. I cut them, let them harden over a couple of days and put them in a glass of water.

Here are the leaves after a few months in water. You can see they both are growing roots but one of them has grown a pup! A pup is a baby leaf that grows when you root in this method.

Here are the new plants I put in a small pot. The pup is really small but soon there will be lots of new leaves growing.

3. Place cuttings in soil

If you don’t want to go with the water method you can plant your leaf directly in soil. Here is how you do it.

• Using a clean sharp cutting tool remove a left from your plant.
• Cut the leaf in two-inch sections so you can have multiple pups grow.
• Let the cut ends harden for a couple of days and callus over.
• Place the cut end in soil and water.

Make sure you don’t overwater your cuttings. Once every couple of weeks should be fine. Allow the soil to dry out in between.

This method also takes a couple of months so be patient.

I put mine in a tin pan used for baking. I will wait a couple of months and I will have new plants that I can put in a new pot.

Snake Plant Propagation Problems

There are times when propagating your Snake Plant doesn’t go as planned. Here are some of the things to watch out for.

Root Rot is one of the most common problems when propagating your snake plant. This is often caused by overwatering.

If your cuttings start to look yellow or feel mushy then they have been overwatered. Sometimes there is nothing you can do, you will lose the plant. But there are a few things you can try that might save it.

Remove the plant from the soil and cut off any mushy parts with a clean sharp cutting tool. Replant it in fresh dry soil. Allow the plant to sit in the dry soil for a couple of days to acclimate before you resume watering.

It’s always best to propagate from a healthy plant. If your plant is dying and you try to save it by propagating you might be spreading disease to the new plant. But sometimes this is necessary to try.

Sometimes pests can be a problem with Snakae Plants. Spider Mits and Mealy bugs can injure plants. Mealy bugs can be removed by hand and Spider Mits can be removed by washing away with water.

Some plants can develop a fungal disease that is usually a result of overwatering or too much humidity. Keep the leaves dry and do not overwater.

FAQ’s on How to Propagate a Snake Plant

Can you grow a Snake Plant from cutting?

Absolutely you can! This is one of the methods I used to create multiple plants from just one.

You can grow a Snake Plant cutting in soil or water, whichever you prefer. Just remember that it takes two to three months for the Snake Plant to grow roots and create pups.

Is it better to propagate a Snake Plant in soil or water?

There really isn’t a better method. They both take about the same amount of time to make a new plant so it’s really personal preference.

What is the best propagation method for Snake Plant?

There really isn’t a best method. It really depends on your original plant and what you want to accomplish.

If you have a really big plant then dividing it might be the best option. It’s also the fastest.

If you have some leaves that are falling then you might want to cut them off and use the cutting in soil or water to create a new plant. These methods do take time so just keep that in mind.

Can I root Snake Plant cuttings in water?

You bet you can! I tend to use the water method when I propagate any plant and I have always had success, especially with the Snake Plant.

Other plant posts you might like:

• When is the worst time to water your plant?
• The Ultimate Guide to Snake Plant Care
• Best Pet-Friendly Plants that are Safe for Cats and Dogs
• 31 Houseplants for Beginners
• 14 Plants and Trees that Repel Mosquitos

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