Plant care guide
Chinese Evergreen Propagation: Division, Cuttings, Layering
Updated
How do you propagate a Chinese evergreen?
Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema) is propagated by dividing a clump into rooted shoots, by rooting tip or stem cuttings, or by air layering a tall stem. A leggy plant with a bare lower stem is the classic candidate: the leafy top can be rooted as a new plant.
What to do first
Wear gloves, because the sap contains calcium oxalate crystals. Divide a clump that has several rooted shoots, or cut the leafy top from a bare stem and root it in moist perlite or water, warm and in bright indirect light.
An old Chinese evergreen often ends up as a tuft of leaves on a bare stem. NC State notes that Aglaonema tends to get leggy with age as the stem grows. That bare stem is a good reason to propagate. Clemson HGIC lists division, stem cuttings, tip cuttings, air layering and seed, and notes that when the lower stem is bare, the top can be removed and rooted.
Handle the sap safely
NC State says Aglaonema contains calcium oxalate crystals. Touching the sap can cause a rash, and swallowing plant parts irritates the mouth. The ASPCA lists Chinese evergreen as toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Signs include mouth pain and swelling, drooling, vomiting and difficulty swallowing.
Wear gloves, work away from pets and children, and bag leaf offcuts straight away.
Choose a method from the plant
| Plant shape | Method | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Several shoots coming from the base | Division | Rooted plants straight away |
| Leafy top on a long, bare stem | Tip cutting | A compact new plant from the top |
| Tall stem you would rather not cut through yet | Air layering | A top that roots while still attached |
| Single stem, no basal shoots | Tip cutting or layering | Division is not possible |
The UF/IFAS commercial guide (EP160) names rooting cuttings and dividing basal shoots, or suckers, as the main methods for Aglaonema. It notes that cultivars vary: some produce many suckers, others none.
Division
Iowa State University Extension’s division method:
- Remove the plant from its pot and lay it on its side.
- Loosen the root ball with your fingers. Use a knife only if it will not separate by hand.
- Make sure each piece has healthy leaves, stems and roots. Larger pieces recover faster.
- Replant in fresh potting mix in a pot sized to the piece, often smaller than the original.
- Water to settle the mix and place in bright indirect light.
- Wait a few weeks before feeding.
Tip cuttings
Illinois Extension suggests tip cuttings or air layering once stems become too long. EP160 notes that commercial cuttings carry four to five leaves and root best in a well-aerated medium.
Iowa State’s stem tip cutting method fits Aglaonema well:
- Cut a tip 8–15 cm (3–6 in) long with at least two nodes.
- Remove the lower leaves. Rooting hormone is optional.
- Insert it into moist perlite or a perlite mix, with at least one node buried and no leaves below the surface.
- Cover loosely with a plastic bag held off the leaves. Do not seal it.
- Give it 4 to 6 hours of bright indirect light and air at 18–24 °C (65–75 °F). A heat mat can hold the medium at 24–27 °C (75–80 °F).
- Pot up once roots are about 2.5 cm (1 in) long. Iowa State says most houseplant stem cuttings root in 3 to 6 weeks.
Rooting in water also works. Illinois Extension notes that Chinese evergreen can grow in water. Iowa State warns that water roots are coarser and adapt less easily to potting mix. Change the water once or twice a week and pot up at about 2.5 cm (1 in) of root.
Air layering
Iowa State lists Aglaonema among plants suited to air layering. For monocots like this one:
- Make an upward-slanting cut about one third of the way into the stem. Do not cut through.
- Prop the cut open with a toothpick and dust it with rooting hormone.
- Wrap moist sphagnum moss around the wound and cover it with clear plastic, tied above and below.
- Keep the moss moist. Roots can take several weeks, or months for some plants.
- When a good root system shows clearly through the plastic, cut below the moss and pot the new plant.
Warmth, the stump and failed cuttings
Clemson gives 20–27 °C (68–80 °F) as the best range and warns against temperatures below 13 °C (55 °F). It also notes that Chinese evergreen is sensitive to chilling below 10 °C (50 °F). Keep cuttings off cold windowsills.
Do not discard the base. Iowa State notes that most plants break buds just below a layering cut and form new shoots.
Iowa State warns that too little light slows rooting, and cuttings may rot or dry out first. Too much light can burn leaves under plastic. Discard a cutting that turns soft and dark.
For year-round care, see the Chinese evergreen care guide. To identify your plant, see Aglaonema varieties. Our propagation methods guide compares techniques across houseplants.
Related guides
Other chinese evergreen problems we cover: drooping, root rot.
References
- Clemson Cooperative Extension HGIC: Chinese Evergreen (Aglaonema) Care, Cultivation & Growing Guide (HGIC 1500)
- NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: Aglaonema
- UF/IFAS EDIS: Cultural Guidelines for Commercial Production of Interiorscape Aglaonema (EP160)
- Illinois Extension: Chinese Evergreen
- Iowa State University Extension and Outreach: How to Propagate Houseplants by Stem Tip Cuttings
- Iowa State University Extension and Outreach: How to Propagate by Air Layering and Simple Layering
- Iowa State University Extension and Outreach: How to Propagate Houseplants by Division and Offsets
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: Chinese Evergreen
How this guide was put together: Clemson Cooperative Extension HGIC, NC State Extension, UF/IFAS EDIS, Illinois Extension, Iowa State University Extension and ASPCA guidance.