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Plantiful

Rooting your Teruno cutting

By Alysia Lynn · 6 min read

Every cutting I ship leaves Squamish with a healthy node wrapped in a moist paper towel and sealed for the trip. Here's exactly what to do when it arrives, the same process I use for my own propagations.

The first hour: unbox and assess

  1. Open the package right away. Don't leave it in a hot or cold mailbox; cuttings are resilient, but temperature extremes are their enemy.
  2. Unwrap gently. Remove the tape, cellophane, and paper towel from the node. A little discolouration on the paper towel is normal.
  3. Don't panic about travel fatigue. A cutting can arrive looking slightly wilted or with a soft leaf. As long as the node (the bump on the stem where roots emerge) is firm and intact, it will propagate. Leaves are the passengers; the node is the engine.
  4. Trim if needed. If the cut end looks brown or mushy, snip a few millimetres above it with clean scissors.

Week one to three: rooting in water

Water rooting is the easiest way to watch progress, and it's how I root most Teruno cuttings:

  1. Fill a small glass with room-temperature water, a shot glass or small jar works; the node should sit submerged with the leaves above the rim.
  2. Place it somewhere warm with bright, indirect light. No direct sun.
  3. Change the water every 3–4 days. Fresh water carries more oxygen and prevents rot.
  4. Roots typically appear in 1–3 weeks, first as white bumps at the node, then as strands. Warmth speeds this up noticeably; in winter, a spot above a warm appliance or near (not touching) a radiator helps.

Prefer soil from day one? That works too; see the full stem cutting propagation guide for the soil method with rooting hormone.

When to pot up

Wait until the longest roots reach about 5 cm (2 inches) with a few branching strands. Then:

  1. Pot into a small container (8–10 cm) with a drainage hole, a small pot dries evenly and prevents rot.
  2. Use an airy mix: potting soil with a generous handful of perlite.
  3. Keep the soil lightly moist for the first two weeks. Water roots need a moment to adapt to soil, and this eases the transition.
  4. After that, settle into normal care; the full routine is in the Teruno pothos care guide.

The first month: what's normal

  • A pause. Cuttings often sit still for a few weeks after potting while roots establish. No visible growth doesn't mean no progress.
  • A modest first leaf. The first new leaf is often smaller or less dramatic than the mother plant's. Colour, texture, and variegation strengthen as the plant matures.
  • One sacrificed leaf. Occasionally the cutting drops its oldest leaf while pushing new growth. As long as new growth is coming, all is well.

Troubleshooting

  • Node turning brown/mushy in water: trim back to firm tissue, rinse, and restart with fresh water. Change water more often.
  • No roots after 4 weeks: almost always temperature. Move the glass somewhere warmer (21–26°C is ideal).
  • Algae in the glass: harmless, but switch to an opaque container or change water more frequently.

Ready to add a variety to your collection? See what's currently available in the shop; every cutting ships free across Canada.