Flor Propagation Kit
Sculptural, functional, and playful vase, designed for propagation of plants in water and soil. Complete with kit accessories and marketing.
Project: Flor Propagation Kit
Role: Product Designer & Research Lead
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Flor aims to make propagation intuitive and fun; building accessible, multipurpose, playful products for plants and their humans.
Plant propagation is the process by which new plants grow from a parent source: seeds, cuttings, or other plant material like a garlic bulb or scallion root. Through my own journey as a beginner propagator, I encountered a common pain point in my own experience and widely in the community: the absence of a product that could support diverse propagation origins. Through user research and market analysis, we found that existing propagation vessels were either too utilitarian, too limited in function, or mechanically flawed. Flor was created, offering a functional and sculptural vase alternative designed to make propagation intuitive, joyful, and accessible.
Working with a cross-disciplinary team, I led user research, product experience design, and storytelling for the prototype. We developed a customizable acrylic vase with an integrated pull-drain for water changes, a plate attachment for soil-based propagation, and flexible “snake clips” to securely suspend cuttings above water without disposable DIY hacks. The final kit included both the physical product and a brand experience: an informational zine, messaging panel, and accessory keychain to help users learn and delight in the intersection of whimsy and plant care.
My Approach
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Conducted user and market research identifying key problems in beginner propagation and gaps in existing products
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Led product concepting and experience design, emphasizing flexibility, visibility, and ease of use for both water and soil applications
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Co-developed mechanical features including the pull-drain system and reusable plant-suspension clips
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Created branded materials including an informational zine, feature panel, and playful accessories
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Oversaw iterative prototyping with techniques such as laser cutting, step drilling, CAD modeling, 3D printing, water sealing, plasti-dipping, and vinyl-cutting
Iridescent acrylic gives the product a whimsical appearance that also makes water level and cleanliness visible. The vase’s different designs allow for customizability and personalization of organic shapes in playful colors.
At the base of the vessel is a small pull drain, offering an easy way to drain water without having to disturb root structures. This feature overall increases the health of your plants by making the water re-oxygenation process fast and clean.
When rooting plants in water, hobbyists often use DIY methods like toothpicks, foil, or plastic wrap to suspend the parent plant in a vase. We designed snake clips, allowing users to create and reuse bendable, flexible structures to support their plants.
Flor allows users to propagate in water, soil, or both. When the vase is used for soil-bound plants, a water-catching plate can sit below the drain to catch water like a traditional pot.
Our kit comes with an informational zine, a panel detailing product features, and a flower keychain, helping people delight in the intersection of design and plants.
Product Specs
Special thanks to the Yale Center for Engineering, Innovation, and Design and to project mentors Audrey, Joe, Issac, and Lucas for their constant support. Lena and Arlo, deep thanks for being such hard-working, motivating, and funny teammates.