You should cut pothos vine for propagation about half an inch below a leaf node. That small bump on the stem where a leaf meets the vine holds all the cells your cutting needs to grow roots. Knowing where to cut pothos makes the difference between a thriving new plant and a dead stem sitting in a glass of water for weeks.
I spent my first year as a plant parent cutting pothos in the wrong spots and wondering why nothing happened. The nodes on my Golden Pothos were easy to spot because the stems were thick and the brown aerial root bumps stuck out on both sides. When I tried the same thing on a new Neon Pothos with thin, tender vines, I had a much harder time finding them. The trick is to look at the spot right across from each leaf stem. You'll see a small brown nub or a slight swelling on the opposite side of the vine.
Those nodes matter because they contain meristematic cells that can turn into root tissue. Cut a vine between two nodes and you get nothing. The stem will sit in water, turn soft, and rot. But include even one node on your pothos node cutting and those special cells will start pushing out white root threads within a couple of weeks. No node means no roots, period.
The University of Illinois Extension says to aim for 3-5 inch tip cuttings. Commercial growers at UF/IFAS use shorter 1-1.5 inch cuttings with just one node and one leaf. Both ways work fine. The longer cutting gives beginners more stem to grip and extra leaves that store energy for root growth.
Sterilize Your Cutting Tool
- Cleaning method: Soak scissors or pruners in a 10% bleach solution for at least 30 seconds before making any cuts to kill bacteria and fungi.
- Why it matters: Dirty blades transfer pathogens straight into the fresh wound on your cutting, which can cause rot before roots even form.
- Quick alternative: Wipe blades with rubbing alcohol between each cut if you prefer a faster method that still prevents cross-contamination.
Find The Node On The Vine
- What to look for: A small brown bump or aerial root nub sitting on the stem right across from where a leaf attaches to the vine.
- Mature stems: Thick, older vines show nodes as obvious brown knobs that sometimes already have short air roots growing out.
- Young stems: Thin new growth hides nodes under smooth green skin, so feel for a slight ridge or swelling opposite each leaf base.
Make The Angled Cut
- Cut position: Trim about half an inch below the node so the node sits near the bottom of your cutting with enough stem to absorb water.
- Angle matters: Cut at a slight diagonal angle to increase the surface area that contacts water, which helps the cutting drink more.
- Leaf cleanup: Remove the bottom 1-2 leaves so no foliage sits below the water line, as submerged leaves rot fast and foul the water.
Your pothos stem cutting location should always center around the node. Count two or three nodes up from the vine tip before you cut. This leaves the mother plant with enough energy to push out fresh growth. The parent vine will sprout a new branch right below your cut.
I keep a jar of pre-mixed bleach solution next to my plant shelf so I never skip sterilization. That one habit saved six cuttings from stem rot last spring. A friend brought over a plant with bacteria, and clean tools kept my cuttings safe. Sharp angle cut plus the right spot below a healthy node gives your pothos the best shot at strong roots.
Read the full article: Propagating Pothos in 3 Easy Steps
