Proplifting Can Get You Free Plants, But Is It Worth It?

Between pots, soil, tools, and of course the plants themselves, growing plants as a hobby can get surprisingly costly. Some plant enthusiasts have turned to "proplifting," a combination of "propagation" and "shoplifting." Despite the name, most people who practice proplifting aren't stealing in the traditional sense; they propagate from cuttings that have already fallen off on their own. Some shops welcome the practice, while others are not happy about it — and whether it aligns with your personal ethics is another matter.

Proplifting may be an unfamiliar concept to most, but it's now prevalent enough to have its own Wikipedia page and a Reddit forum with more than 260,000 members. Most commonly, people take leaves from succulents that have dropped onto the floor of big box stores like Lowe's, Home Depot, or Walmart. Propagating succulents is a total breeze, so these leaves can yield many baby plants — just set them on top of some soil, and keep them moist. It's a similar concept to dumpster diving: reclaiming what would otherwise be considered trash. And like dumpster diving, it's not clear-cut, legally speaking.

Taking discarded items from a store is a legal gray area, and whether it's considered theft or not depends on your location. Taking cuttings from live plants in stores or parks, on the other hand, is never legal. Not only could you be charged for theft and vandalism, but the plants may also suffer damage. The proplifting community is staunchly against it, but some people worry that it's a slippery slope.

The Reddit proplifting community, where the term originated, is strict about its ethical standards. Most importantly, it says to take only cuttings that have fallen to the ground, and it encourages making a purchase from the store at the same time. But critics fear that it's all too easy to get into the habit of taking plant material and start cutting from live plants, a practice that is also not uncommon and can cause serious financial damage to stores. There are also concerns over the boom in proplifting's popularity — it could be more of an issue, critics say, if enough people begin making a habit of it.

What do plant stores say? Walmart replied to a post on X about proplifting, calling it a "good way to recycle." One Home Depot employee told Apartment Therapy there's no official store policy and recommended checking with your local store's employees. On Reddit, an independent shop owner complained about people who come in solely to proplift and don't buy anything, or sell the baby plants for profit. Many proplifters take cuttings only from big box stores, which they see as less likely to be financially impacted. Big box stores are also more likely to sweep fallen leaves into the trash, while independent stores often propagate them themselves.

The safest bet is to ask the store if you can take fallen cuttings; many won't mind, especially if you're shopping there anyway. And if you can't get on board with proplifting, there are other ways to score free plants. Check your local Facebook groups — many gardeners pass along plants to neighbors, and plant trades are also common.