String Of Bananas Propagation In Water: A Complete Guide

String of Bananas have a striking appearance, which makes them popular houseplants. The vine has banana-shaped leaves, which is how it gets its name. Propagating the plant is beneficial to the mother plant, in addition to providing you with more plants. 

String of Bananas propagation in water is actually easy. The biggest requirement is patience. 

Materials for Propagating String of Bananas

To propagate your String of Bananas, you’ll need a few materials. The most important is a healthy mother plant. To make the cutting, you’ll need sterile scissors. 

Once you’ve made the cutting, you’ll need a small container to keep the cutting in. A small glass jar or vase works well for this. 

String of Bananas Propagation in Water

To propagate your String of Bananas plant, you’ll just need to follow these simple steps. You should have a rooted plant within a few weeks with this method. 

Step 1: Choose Cuttings 

Before you cut, you’ll need to decide where to take the cuttings from. It’s best to take cuttings from a vine that branches into several smaller vines. If the cut area doesn’t grow, it won’t severely affect the fullness of the plant. 

In many cases, the cut area will actually branch into more vines, which will make your mother plant fuller. 

You’ll need to choose cuttings that provide some vine before the first banana leaf as well. 

Step 2: Take Cuttings

Now you are ready to make cuttings. Be sure that your scissors are sharp and sterile. You can sterilize the scissors with alcohol or bleach. Simply wipe them down before using them. 

Make a clean cut for the best results. Messy cuts are less likely to sprout roots. 

Step 3: Submerge in Water

Once you’ve made the cutting, place it in your container of water. Glass containers like drinking glasses or small mason jars work well. These allow you to see the root development of your cutting. 

You’ll need at least two inches of vine in the water. If there are leaves in the water, you can remove them. However, most experts say that it’s fine to leave the leaves in the water as well. 

If you’ve made multiple cuttings, you can keep them in the same container. Just be sure that they aren’t crowded. This allows you to work with one jar rather than keeping track of several. 

Step 4: Caring for Your Cuttings

You can keep the cuttings indoors or out, if the weather permits. If they are outside in warm weather, keep a close eye on the water level. The water will evaporate faster under these conditions than it will indoors. 

Be sure your String of Bananas cuttings get plenty of sunlight. Replace the water every 3-5 days, or when it begins to appear dirty. This prevents bacteria or fungi from growing and attacking the roots. 

Step 5: Potting 

Eventually, typically in 2-4 weeks, the day will come. It’s time to pot your new String of Bananas vine. 

When the roots first begin to form, they will be translucent and fragile. They are not yet ready to plant. Once the roots are white and appear solid, you’re ready to pot your new plant. 

You’ll need to use light soil that drains well. Any soil designed for cactuses or succulents will work well. Choose a small pot. You’ll want to provide the String of Bananas with a bit of room to grow, but a pot that is too large encourages root rot. 

When potting, use a chopstick or pencil to create a small hole in the soil. Place the plant into the soil. You can curl the vine around in the pot since it’s actually a ground cover. This gives it the opportunity to root along the vine. 

Why Choose Water Propagation?

Many plants, including String of Bananas and others like Peperomia, can be propagated in water or soil. However, some plants are more likely to sprout roots when they are propagated in water. 

Most people report better results when propagating String of Bananas in water, rather than soil. It’s also a bit simpler. When propagating in soil, you’ll need to place the fragile cutting in the soil. Placing the cutting in water is easier, and allows you to monitor the root growth. 

Caring for a String of Bananas 

There are a few things to know about caring for a String of Bananas once you have a baby plant in its pot. 

Watering 

You’ve got your new String of Bananas in its pot. Now it’s time to care for your baby plant. It will take 1 to 2 weeks for your plant to root into the soil. 

During this time, you’ll need to water it often. The soil should remain damp, but not waterlogged. 

After 2 weeks, the String of Bananas should be securely rooted and thriving. You can then begin watering it as you do an adult plant. 

Adult plants require watering about every 2 weeks. It is a succulent, so allow the soil to dry before rewatering. 

Sunlight

String of Bananas of all ages love sun. However, direct sun isn’t their friend. Allow your plant to soak up lots of indirect sunlight. If you place it outside in warm weather, be sure it has some shade. 

You should also shield your plant from getting too much water if it’s outside. Some rain is fine, but a waterlogged String of Bananas will be susceptible to root rot. 

Final Thoughts on String of Bananas Water Propagation

String of Bananas do very well with water propagation. Be sure that the plant you take the cuttings from is healthy. Place at least two inches of vine into the water. 

Be patient before reporting, and give it a little extra care during the first two weeks after planting.