Houseplants: Share the wealth

I have three houseplants I’d like to share with a friend: a heartleaf philodendron, ZZ plant, and an African violet. What’s the easiest way to divide them?

Many houseplants can be shared. Some root from leaf or stem cuttings, others can be removed from the pot and divided at the rootball. All three of the plants named here are easily propagated.

Heartleaf philodendron: These are easy to root from stem cuttings. You can try to simply cut the tip of a stem with several leaves from the parent plant just below a node (where a leaf attaches to the stem). Remove the bottom leaves, and place the stem in a jar of water. Change the water frequently, and with luck, the stem will begin to grow roots at the node. When there are enough roots to support the plant’s growth, transfer it to a pot filled with sterile potting mix.

A better method, though, is to dip the freshly cut stem in rooting powder (usually sold in garden centers) and stick the stem into seed-starting mix. Water the mix gently, or spray with a mister, and cover the pot and cutting with plastic. Mist it daily. New growth should appear in a few weeks, and the new philodendron can be transplanted into regular potting mix.

ZZ plant: Zamioculcas zamiifolia – ZZ for short – grows from rhizomes (fleshy, sometimes bulbous underground stems), so it’s a simple task to share parts of an overgrown plant. Simply lift the plant out of the pot and separate the rhizomes by pulling them apart gently Replant the rhizomes into clean pots with new potting mix, water, and maintain as usual.

You can also propagate ZZ from plant cuttings. Plant the cuttings in potting mix that drains well, water lightly, and place the cuttings in a warm, brightly lit area. This is a slow-growing plant, so it may take weeks or months before the new plant shows signs of rooting. Whatever you do, don’t overwater. ZZ is usually happier on the dry side.

(For more information about Zamioculcas zamiifolia, check out my article How to Care for a ZZ Plant at HGTV.com.)

African violet: These sweet little plants are easily shared by rooting petiole (leaf stem) cuttings. Cut a healthy leaf with its stem from the parent plant, trim the stem to about and inch or inch-and-a-half long, and stick the end of the stem into damp seed-starting mix. You may want to cover the pot with plastic to keep the cutting humid and warm. In any case, check daily to make sure the soil remains lightly moist. In a few weeks, you will see tiny plantlets emerge from the soil. At that time, you can transplant it to regular potting mix and cut away and discard the parent leaf.

This is a good technique to use when you accidentally knock a leaf off your established African violet. More plants for your friends, and for your own indoor garden!