Knowledgebase
Split leaf philodendron #912538
Asked August 04, 2025, 9:22 AM EDT
Baltimore County Maryland
Expert Response
Your plant is a Philodendron bipinnatifidum which in its home is warm South America, it can grow 10 feet tall and wide. I also has adventitious roots which will allow it to climb up on trees or structures. You have placed your plant in a wonderful location so that it is growing with healthy leaves.
Directions for propagation are:
choose a healthy stem that has at least 2-3 leaves and a few nodes (those are the points on the stem where the leaves were attached and roots can grow.) Dip the cut end of the stem in rooting hormone powder, and shake off excess powder. Fill a clean pot with well draining potting soil, make a hole in the center and insert the cut end of the stem so that at least 2-3 nodes are in the soil. Water the soil with the cutting to settle the soil around the cutting. Place the cutting in warm bright but indirect light. Keep the soil moist but not water logged. It should take the cutting at least 4-6 weeks to grow roots. You can tell if the roots have formed by gently pulling on the stem, if there is resistance, roots are growing!
You can also start the cuttings in water. Place the cutting in a large jar of water, making sure that the nodes are under the water but the leaves are always above the water. Place the container in a warm area with bright but indirect light. You should refresh the water every other day to keep it clean and prevent bacterial growth. You should be able to see roots growing under the water in 3-5 weeks. Wait for the roots to grow a few inches long before planting the cutting in a new, clean pot with new potting mix that drains well.
Or with what we have would a propagation be the only surviving plant?
Yes, I am sure of it. You could use the top 2 leaves, remove the top 3rd leaf and that area would be were the roots would grow. If you cut it there, the rest of the plant will continue to grow for you.
We don't have experience regarding the exact timing of making stem cuttings for propagation, but it probably isn't too critical and now is likely fine. (One of our old reference books for houseplant care suggests late spring or early summer, but they're mostly talking about thin-stemmed young plants that probably also don't have the advantage of having grow lights supplement natural daylight if shorter fall/winter days would slow regrowth.) In either case, you can usually get most sizes of stem sections (1 node, 2 nodes, etc.) to root and leaf-out, but it may take a while for new growth to appear.
You could inquire with the horticulturists at the U.S. Botanic Garden, as they care for large tropical plants and have probably propagated and trimmed thick-stemmed Philodendrons before. (See the linked page for their "plant hotline" contact info.) They might have recommendations for the ideal time of year or how long of a cutting (node count) to take, which might differ for the "top cut" (the piece that has the main growing point that was the top of the plant) and other stem fragments.
Miri
