Philodendron Brasil Propagation
Philodendron Brasil is a jazzy Heartleaf Philodendron. I love the vivid and bold chartreuse variegated foliage and it’s crazy fast growth rate. This is all about Philodendron Brasil propagation including pruning, propagating, care, and planting.
The botanic name for this splashy beautify is Philodendron hederaceum “Brasil”. This popular indoor vine is indeed a fast grower. It’s especially true if the light levels are to their liking – moderate to high. Mine grows in the kitchen which has lots of windows to let in the (almost constant)Tucson sunlight.
For growing info on this popular hanging plannt, check out this post on Philodendron Brasil Care.
How to Propagate Philodendron Brasil
I propagated my Philodendron Brasil by stem cuttings in water in a glass jar. I prefer this method of propagation for most of my houseplants because I can clearly see how the rooting action is progressing.
I also have a Philodendron Silver Stripe and propagate it in the same way.
You can easily propagate the long-time popular Heartleaf Philodendron with this method too.
Other Methods
You can also root the stem cuttings in soil (either a lightened up potting soil, propagation mix, or succulent and cactus mix) just as easily. Another method is by division. Here’s a post on how I divided my ZZ Plant into 3 to show you what I mean.
I could in theory divide my Brasil into 2 or 3 plants but it might be tricky. There are a lot of long stems that are intertwined so I’ll stick with the stem cutting method for mine.
Some Of Our General Houseplant Guides For Your Reference:
- Guide To Watering Indoor Plants
- Beginner’s Guide To Repotting Plants
- 3 Ways To Successfully Fertilize Indoor Plants
- Indoor Plant Care Guide For Beginners
- How to Clean Houseplants
- Winter Houseplant Care Guide
- How to Increase Plant Humidity
- Buying Houseplants: 14 Tips For Indoor Gardening Newbies
- How to Water Bromeliads Indoors
Why Should You Prune Philodendron Brasil?
Because this plant is fast-growing, 1 reason is to control the length/size. My Philodendron Brasil sits on this hanging shelf and the long trails had hit the floor and were creeping every which way.
Other reasons: to encourage more growth on top, remove spindly and dead growth, and/or to propagate.
When to Prune and Propagate
The spring and summer months are the best times. Early fall is fine if you’re in a climate with warmer winters like me.
If for some reason you have to propagate your Philodendron Brasil in winter, no worries. Just know it’s not the optimum time. I’ll occasionally tip prune in the cooler months, but in general, I leave my houseplants be.
Philodendron Brasil propagating:
Materials Needed
Important to know: Make sure your pruning tool is clean and sharp. Philodendron Brasils have thin, fleshy stems so I like to use my Fiskar snips when pruning these plants because they make precise, easy cuts. A good pair of scissors would work also.
What you’ll need for Philodendron Brasil propagation in water
- pruning tool – snips, pruners, or scissors
- jar or vase
- fresh and clean water
That’s it! After the stems have rooted, then you’ll need a grow pot (with at least 1 drainage hole) and soil mix for your new plant.
How to Cut Philodendron Brasil
Make clean cuts straight across the stem.
Where to Cut
Make your cuts about 1/8″ below the leaf nodes/root nodes. You need at least 1 node to go in the water when propagating because that’s where the roots emerge from.
I don’t cut the stems at the same points. I stagger the cuts a bit because I think that looks more natural. If you like the stems on the mother plant all the same length, then go for it!
How long should the stem cuttings be?
The cuttings I took were about 18″ long. I ended up cutting the stems back a bit after planting because they looked a little leggy and to encourage filling in.
You can do them shorter if you’d like. Just make sure there’s at least one node in the water so rooting can occur.
Philodendron Brasil Propagation Steps
It’s best to watch the video above for this, but here are the simple steps.
Gather the materials needed.
Make your cuts straight across just below a node.
Put your cuttings in water (or soil mix). There’s no need to let them heal over like you would succulents.
If you’re rooting in water, make sure the bottom node (or 2) is submerged in water at all times. If the cutting is shorter, I submerge 1 bottom node. If longer, then the 2 bottom nodes.
If you’re rooting in a mix, make sure it’s well moistened before you put the cuttings in and that 2-3 of the bottom nodes are down in the mix.
Easy!
Philodendron Brasil Cuttings Care
Put them in a bright spot. My cuttings rooted in a spare bedroom in an east-facing window. They received bright light, and indirect sunlight.
If placed in too much direct sunlight, they’ll burn. If not receiving enough light, the foliage will become stunted, your Philodendron Brasil cuttings will be weaker, and the rooting process will be slower.
You want to keep the water nice and fresh. I change it out every 7-10 days. Be sure to maintain the water level so those emerging roots don’t have a chance to dry out.
When do new roots appear?
I saw the first root appearing around the 7-day mark. The rest came after the 2 weeks. It was August/September when I did this propagating so the temps were still very warm here in the desert.
When to plant the cuttings
I planted mine about 6 weeks after the pruning/rooting process began. I could have planted them sooner (as early as the 4 week mark), but I was in the midst of a full out kitchen remodel. It’s fine to leave them in water for longer if you need to.
Just know that If the roots get too long, thick, and intertwined, it can be harder to plant them. This is especially true of you’re planting them back in with the mother plant.
Planting the Cuttings
The video will illustrate this process towards the end.
I filled the 6″ grow pot approximately 1/2 full of the mix.
Arrange the cuttings in the pot, getting the roots down in the mix the best you can.
Fill in with the mix and top with compost.
Water thoroughly.
Philodendron Brasil Propagation FAQs
Yes, they’re very to propagate via stem cuttings in water or soil mix. Dividing the mother plant into 2 or 3 plants is the fastest method but you could lose stems in the process.
Yes – that’s what this post and video are all about!
It’s a fast process. You should see roots appearing after 10-14 days. I generally plant the cuttings after 4 weeks, sometimes longer.
You want to make sure at least one node is in the water so the roots can emerge. Keep the water fresh and make sure it covers at least one bottom node. No water and the roots can’t emerge and grow.
If the light levels are low, the process will be slow. If you’re propagating in winter, the same thing.
Philodendron Brasil plants grow quickly. Mine is in high to moderate light and grows fast. The lower the light levels and temps, the slower the growth rate will be.
No, the leaves can turn solid green. I’ve found that some of the older foliage loses variegation in different degrees.
Some of the leaves on any one plant are naturally more variegated than others. By the way, a small portion of the leaves on my Philodendron Brasil are solid green and always have been.
No, it’s not. But both are in the same family though along with a lot of other popular indoor plants like other Philodendron plants, Arrowhead Plant, Spathiphyllum, Monstera, Aglaonema, Alocasia, and Anthurium.
Philodendron Brasil propagation is easy as can be so give it a go. The cuttings keep on coming!
Happy gardening,
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Nell, the founder of Joy Us garden, was born into a gardening family and grew up in Connecticut’s countryside. After living in Boston, New York, San Francisco, & Santa Barbara, she now calls the Arizona desert home. She studied horticulture & garden design, working in the field all her life. Nell is a gardener, designer, blogger, Youtube creator, & author. She’s been gardening for a very long time & wants to share what she’s learned with you.
