How To Propagate Wandering Jew? [COMPLETE BEGINNER’S GUIDE]

Wandering Jew, also known as Zebrina pendula and a native of Mexico, is a fast-growing plant with dangling branches and purple and green leaves frequently striped with silver. Wandering Jew thrives outside U.S. Department of Agriculture plant tolerance zones 9 through 11. It is a warm-climate plant that is typically grown indoors.

The wandering jew can be propagated in either soil or water. To propagate it in soil, you will have to make a cutting and plant them in a hole inside a soil-filled pot and water them. The cuttings will be inside a jar of water, and the bottom leaf node will have to be submerged.

The wandering jew is very simple to spread. It can be grown in a pot like a bonsai or, for a more rustic appearance, you can allow it to grow naturally enough to fit in a dangling container and let its branches hang from your window.

How To Propagate Wandering Jew In Soil

Plants of the Wandering Jew can be multiplied successfully and easily; they can adapt and live even if you give them little care. A Wandering Jew plant may grow in any climate; thus, there is no ideal season to propagate them. So do not bother awaiting a specific period if you want to grow your Wandering Jew.

Although they will grow more quickly in the spring and summer than in the winter, this does not preclude their propagation in the latter season. Jews on the move are not dormant in the winter. Propagating requires a little more work to grow wandering Jew plants in soil than in water.

You do not have to be concerned about your efforts being in vain because both techniques have a success rate. Proper cutting preparation is essential for proliferation. For clean cuts, use pruning shears or a sharp blade that has been sanitized; to aid in the cuttings taking root more quickly, if at all feasible, cut at a 45-degree angle.

A leaf node must be below the cut line; for the propagated plant, roots will emerge from these leaf nodes. Make a snip below the most recent leaf if there are no leaf nodes; your cuttings must be between four and six inches long. The cuttings should air dry so they can develop calluses.

When the cuttings are planted, this prevents them from decaying; fill a pot with a draining hole at least 6 inches in height with a quality potting mix. Leave a gap of 1 inch at the pot’s top. Wandering Jews look excellent in hanging displays, but you might also use a dangling basket.

Plant your cuttings in 2-inch-deep holes you have dug in the ground; ensure they have adequate room to grow and are distributed equally. To make the cuttings more sturdy, compact the soil around them. Keep the pot in a well-lit place at all times.

The pots should be kept in a shaded area with lots of indirect sunshine because excessively direct light will kill the cuttings. Water the pot uniformly to ensure that all cuttings get enough water.

Alternatively, you might cover the pot with a clear plastic bag. You would only need to water crops once every few weeks to keep the moisture. In a month, you will start to notice fresh growth.

How To Root Wandering Jew

If you decide to plant your stem in the soil to root it, you will want to begin with the correct soil type to give it the highest chance of succeeding. Make sure to use soil that drains effectively. To prevent your stem from rotting before it has an opportunity to develop roots, you should avoid using too heavy soil.

Make sure the soil is quite wet after selecting the appropriate type. To accomplish this, put your soil in a sizable container and immerse it in water for a short while, breaking up any soil clumps. Take a handful of the soil when it has been completely moistened, and press out as much moisture as possible.

Put that soil in the pot you will be using, breaking it up once more as you do so. After adding a top-notch propagation promoter, plant your stem directly in the ground. Even though it is not often necessary, a propagation promoter will help your new plant resist bacteria and have faster-growing roots.

The Wandering Jew needs to be rooted in water differently; for maximum results, fill your container with non-chlorinated, room-temperature water. Place the plant cutting inside the water after mixing your propagation promoter. Within a week, you will start to notice fresh root growth.

Your stem will have developed a strong set of roots after two weeks, and if you decide to propagate in water, it should be moved to well-draining potting soil to continue growing. After about a month, you will notice fresh growth above the dirt. Remember that the position of your plant in your house can affect the rate of germination and the timing of new growth.

The location of your new plant should be in a well-lit place that is out of direct sunlight. Depending on how quickly you notice improvement with the new plant or if the plant starts to look dull, you might need to change the location of your plant.

Wandering Jew Cuttings

These houseplants grow quite quickly; pruning is essential for proper growth. Your plant will grow new growth if you prune it. It is ideal for pruning long stems from old, healthy plants and rooting them next to the mother plant in the same container. The most efficient technique to multiply a Wandering Jew plant is stem cutting.

It is not as challenging as it might sound; take a cutting from the existing plant and allow it to establish roots so it can develop into a new plant. By taking slips, sometimes referred to as cuttings, from a mature, healthy plant, wandering Jews can be easily rooted. Under a node, which is a tiny, budlike projection where a leaf or bud is starting to develop, cut the stem using clean, precise scissors.

New roots begin to form here when the plant is being propagated. Cut the stem slightly below the most recent leaf if there is not a node visible. The best-rooted cutting is between 4 and 6 inches long.

Wandering Jew Plant Care

You could let the soil dry up between waterings for wandering Jew plants because they can thrive even with little neglect. Watering should be reduced in the winter when growth is slower. If necessary, fertilize your wandering Jew every two weeks during every summer and spring by applying a water-soluble fertilizer diluted to half-strength.

Your spiderwort plant might lose some of its foliage towards the base of the stems in the first year of growth. When a plant looks lanky, instead of pruning it back to make it look fuller, take cuttings from healthy stems and grow them in the same pot as the mother plant. Remove leaves that are fading or dried out.

Despite their considerable adaptability, spiderwort plants prefer medium to strong indirect light to grow. Move it to a brighter location if you notice the leaf marks disappearing, but ensure it is out of strong sunlight.

Brighter environments increase the likelihood of flowering in plants. Put your wandering Jew in potting soil that is all-purpose and well-drained. It will thrive in a warm, moderate environment with temperatures ranging from 55 to 70 degrees.

Final Thoughts

Due to their extreme hardiness and ability to adapt to various humidity levels and environmental factors, wandering Jews are simple to reproduce. They only need a little tender loving care. Aphids are to be avoided; they are drawn to plants with strong stems and, if unmanaged, can grow into a massive infestation.

Victoria Wilson

Victoria is the owner and main author of hobby plants. She loves spending her free time in her garden planting and taking care of her plants. Victoria hopes you enjoy the content here!