Start Swedish ivy from a stem-tip cutting. Cut just below a node, strip the lower leaves, and root the stem in water or moist mix.
Take a stem-tip cutting below a node
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Wood | A healthy 3- to 6-inch tip with at least one node | Do not take a flower spike or a thick old bare cane as the only cutting |
| Node | Cut just below a leaf node; roots form at the node | Do not try to root a leaf with no stem |
| Medium | Clean water, or a mix that drains and stays barely moist | Do not leave the cutting in a soggy cup |
| Light | Bright light out of hot direct sun | Do not cook it in a closed bag in full sun |
The reliable way to copy Swedish ivy is a stem-tip cutting. Take it at any time of year; spring and summer are fastest. [1] A piece 3 to 6 inches long, cut just below a node, is enough. [2]
Can Swedish ivy be propagated in water?
Yes. Stand the bare node in clean water, change the water when it clouds, and pot the cutting once roots are about an inch long. It also roots in moist mix.
How to root a Swedish ivy cutting
Strip the lower leaves so no leaf sits in water or under the mix. Hormone is optional; this plant roots without it. [3] New growth often shows within a few weeks. Stem-tip cuttings can be taken at any time of year. [4]
- Use clean shears. Cut a 3- to 6-inch stem just below a leaf node.
- Remove the leaves from the lower two inches, or from the lower two-thirds of the stem, so the node is bare.
- Stand the bare node in a jar of room-temperature water, or push it into moist mix that drains. If you use mix, cover the pot loosely so the air stays humid.
- Set it in bright light out of hot sun. Change the water every few days, or keep the mix barely moist. Empty any saucer.
- When roots are about an inch long, or a gentle tug meets resistance, pot the cutting in mix that drains. Keep it a little moister for two weeks, then water it as you would an established plant on How to Grow Swedish Ivy.
Is it better to root Swedish ivy in water or mix?
Either works. Water lets you watch the roots. Mix skips the extra potting step. Keep leaves out of the water, and do not leave mix soggy.
Cut below a node, strip the lower leaves, and root the stem in water or moist mix until a gentle tug meets resistance.
FAQ
Can I grow Swedish ivy from seed?
RHS lists seed, but a stem cutting is the usual copy of the plant you already have. Cuttings root in weeks.
Will a single leaf root?
No. Roots form at a stem node. Take a tip with at least one node, not a detached leaf.
Is this the same as propagating English ivy?
No. English ivy is Hedera, a different plant. This cutting is Plectranthus. Do not follow an English ivy tutorial for this basket.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
- [1] Royal Horticultural Society -
https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/13263/plectranthus-verticillatus/details - [2] eHow -
https://www.ehow.com/how_5727889_cuttings-swedish-ivy.html - [3] Garden Hike -
https://www.gardenhike.com/swedish-ivy-propagate-from-cuttings/ - [4] UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions -
https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/houseplants/swedish-ivy/
This note is part of Swedish_ivy Guides.
More notes on making another plant live in Propagating Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors