Philodendron Micans Propagation In Sphagnum Moss

We cover all you need to know about philodendron micans propagation in sphagnum moss. With step by step instructions and images. Sphagnum moss is great for propagating a lot of plants in one go, as you can take one take-out container with moss in and fit a lot of cuttings in it, giving the nodes moisture and air to encourage fast rooting.

See also: our Philodendron Micans Care article for a full guide to caring for this plant, our other micans prop method: Philodendron Micans Water Propagation, as well as our Philodendron Propagation section. And How To Propagate Philodendron

What You’ll Need

You will need:

A philodendron micans plant
Sphagnum moss
A tupperware/takeout container
Sharp scissors or knife
Water (filtered tap water is good).

See also: our guide How To Prepare Sphagnum Moss For Propagation.

How To Propagate Philodendron Micans In Sphagnum Moss

Step 1: take the cutting

Take a cutting of one long stem of your micans, and cut between each node so you get a lot of cuttings with a node and a leaf on each.

Step 2:

You then want to get a container and fill it with moist, pre-soaked moss. You want the moss or be moist but also light and airy , so squeeze off any excess water and don’t heavily pack it down.

Step 3:

I then space out the cuttings over the surface. Push the nodes down into the moss as much as you can (a chopstick or pencil is good for this). You want each node to be surrounded by moss.

Step 4:

Make some holes in the container or the lid and then put the lid on. If you don’t put holes in, the air cannot circulate and you can get mold easily. You want the box to be shut which will lead to a really humid environment which is ideal for propagating, but at the same time you want some air to be able to move to avoid rot.

Step 5:

Keep the box somewhere bright but without direct sun and take the lid off once or twice a week to get more fresh air in and check if it needs water. You want to keep the moss moist but not soaking.

Step 6:

It should root well in a couple of months, once the cuttings are well rooted they will grow new foliage and you won’t be able to put the lid on. At this point you can consider the propagation done. You can keep the plants growing in moss or plant them up in soil.

Here’s a picture of some of my micans cuttings that have been growing in moss for 6 months or so and are very well rooted and are putting out a lot of new stem and leaf growth. They can stay like this indefinitely, but I will probably move them to soil soon.

To move them to soil you need to remove the moss, the easiest way is to do this is in a big bowl of water as the moss will come away more easily. Be gentle with the roots as they can break at this stage.