You should be aware that breeding succulent plants, also known as hybridizing them, is a significantly different procedure from basic propagation. Succulent plants must go through a synthetic pollination procedure in order to be bred.
Unlike the flowers of other plant species, the flowers of succulent plants often don’t bloom for a very long time. Because of this, natural pollination is highly challenging, if not impossible. However, if the flowers aren’t pollinated, your succulent won’t be able to generate seeds.
The good news is that you can do it yourself, despite the fact that doing it correctly can be difficult. All you’ll need is some rubbing alcohol, a nylon stocking, and a few small cosmetic brushes. After that, you must carry out a number of procedures to breed your two succulent plants.
Choose Two Succulent Plants to Breed
Selecting the two succulent plants for your hybridization is the first step. Put the plants together as soon as they begin to bloom. To get both plants to bloom at once, you might need to change their habitats.
Also keep in mind that if you have two succulent plants that are closely linked, this process will probably be easier in any event.
When you notice pollen on the blossoms, you should then take action. The middle-positioned stamens of the flowers are where you can discover this pollen. Look for something that resembles dust on the surface of the flower petals if you don’t know what pollen actually looks like. That is the pollen, then.
Store Pollen
You might need to take additional steps to conserve pollen if your plants are not blooming at the same time. This is typically quite difficult, but there are a few measures you can take to perhaps do it successfully.
- Obtain a couple tiny snap-cap microcentrifuge tubes.
- Put the pollen you’ve collected on a clean, sterilized brush into one of the tubes. The tube should then be placed into a sealed container filled with desiccant, such as silica gel packs.
- Give the pollen 24 hours to dry.
- Close the tube’s cover, then take a tiny glass jar that has been halfway filled with sand. Your centrifuge tube should be entirely shut before being filled with sand the rest of the way.
- Snap the glass container shut.
Your pollen should continue to function properly for three to five years if everything has been done correctly.
Disinfect the Brushes
You must clean the cosmetics brushes you’ll be using for the pollination procedure as soon as you notice pollen on the blossoms. For this, rubbing alcohol works wonders. It eliminates a number of the germs that could be present in the brushes.
This is critical because these microbes may wind up infecting your plants, which is especially troublesome given that hybrid plants are frequently more prone to infection in the first place. After you’ve disinfected the brushes, allow them to air dry.
Apply Pollen
Brush the stigma of the second succulent plant using the same brush that you used on the first plant’s stamens. This is the area of the flower that resembles a finger in certain ways. It ought to be a little bit open. If it isn’t, you ought to wait a couple more days before doing the approach once more.
Repeat in Reverse
Repeat the first two procedures using a different, clean brush. But this time, remove the pollen from the second flower’s stamens and apply it to the first flower’s stigma.
Two distinct brushes are required since they can aid in preventing self-pollination. Self-pollination is a capability of succulents, which might be detrimental to any progeny you can produce when it brings up recessive features.
You might wish to skip this step if you want to be absolutely certain that self-pollination doesn’t happen. Additionally, it is possible for the recipient flower to unintentionally pollinate the donor flower’s stamen.
Cover the Flowers
Nylon stockings should be used to cover both blossoms after cross-pollination. This will aid in preventing future cross-pollination between the two plants and eliminate the possibility of any other plants being engaged in the process that you don’t want.
You don’t necessary need to do this if all you want is for your succulent plant to generate seeds and you don’t care about the intricacies of the cross-pollination. Leave the blooms exposed so that the wind can circulate pollen and draw pollination insects like bees. If the plants are inside, it is also rare that insects will cross-pollinate them.
Succulents may be hybridized, right?
If you’re a die-hard admirer of succulents, the “hybrid succulents” method, which is novel and intriguing, can undoubtedly excite you more.
What are they exactly? How does one get made? What are some of the most well-liked hybrid succulent varieties? Please continue reading for answers to all of these queries.
What is hybrid Succulent?
The act of cross-breeding two plants of different species to produce hybrid succulents, also known as hybridization of succulents, results in an entirely new species of succulent that you have probably never seen before!
This procedure, which includes cross-pollinating one type of succulent with the pollen of another species of succulent, is a little complex and demands a lot of patience. Additionally, until the succulent has developed, you won’t actually be able to tell if your hybridization was effective.  
The outcome is well worth the wait, which may even turn into an obsession, even if you can never predict in advance which specific qualities and attributes will be passed down to the new plant.
 
How do you create one?
Get at least two of your succulents to bloom at the same time if you want to try hybridizing some of your succulents. Once you have, apply a delicate, little paintbrush or Q-tip inside one blossom to collect its pollen before transferring it to the flower of another succulent.
You should be able to tell if your hybridization was effective in a matter of weeks to months if you see that the flower’s base has enlarged.
Until the seeds are gathered and sown, be sure to keep the pollinated plant in a semi-isolation. By doing this, you will stop insects from pollinating your plant with those of other plants.
You now get the delight of naming the outcome of your labor of love after seeing it. Either integrate the two names of the hybridized plants into one, or come up with a brand-new name!
Some of the most popular hybrids
As you may already be aware, there are many cross-bred succulents in existence today, with some of the most well-known genera being;
- Any type of Echeveria, as these succulents are quite simple to hybridize. If the plant’s name ends in “veria,” you may be sure that it has been cross-bred with this genus.
- x Graptosedum, a genus that combines Sedum and Graptopetalum.
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- Little Jewel and Pachyveria haagei, two cross-bred Pachyphytum and Echeveria plants, are examples of x Pachyverias.
- x Gasteraloe, which are hybrids of the Gasteria and Aloe genera. The Gasteria Flow Spiky Aloe is a commendable example of this genus.
Succulents can you pollinate them?
It is simple to cross-pollinate succulents. Stem cuttings are the most frequent method of propagating succulents. A plant that is genetically identical to its parent is produced through rooted stem cuttings. You must cross-pollinate two distinct succulent cultivars if you want to combine their genetic makeup.
How can I create colorful succulents?
What are variegated succulents exactly, and what causes their distinctive appearance?
After a cell mutation causes some of the plant cells to lack the green pigment (chlorophyll), plants typically develop variegation. Zones of various colors begin to form on the leaves and stems of plants as a result. The various zones could be patterned with stripes, blotches, dots, or another design. The variations in color range from little variations in shade to strong, opposing hues.
Due of their distinctive colors, variegated succulents are highly popular among gardeners. In actuality, some more expensive types can fetch hundreds of dollars! The reasons of variegation and how to care for variegated succulents are covered in this article.
Sunlight
Keep in mind that the pigment chlorophyll, which shields leaves from sunburn, is absent from variegated plants. As a result, keep your variegated succulent out of the sun’s intense rays. Indirect light is best for variegated succulents because it prevents harm to the white sections of the leaf. You could wish to relocate your plant into the shadow during noon, when the sun is at its strongest.
Bruised, calloused, and dried-out leaves have a dark brown appearance. It is advisable to start your plant off with less sun and increase it as needed rather than placing it out in full sun from the start because a scorched succulent leaf cannot recover to its former form.
Temperature
Additionally, compared to their green-colored counterparts, variegated plants are more sensitive to temperature fluctuations. Plants with variegation are not frost- and cold-tolerant. Keep your variegated plant between 18 and 24 degrees Celsius.
Fertilizer
Take additional care to prevent overfertilizing a variegated plant, even if over fertilizing is bad for all plants. Fertilizer typically aids plants in producing nitrogen. An oversupply of nitrogen in a variegated succulent might hinder the roots from taking up water, which will cause the plant to die. You might discover that your succulent doesn’t even require any fertilization at all.
Water
Similar to other succulents, variegated succulents require water. This means that brief soaks are essential. Before watering, make sure the top inch of soil is dry. In the summer, water around once every week, and in the winter, water about once every three to four weeks, letting the soil entirely dry out in between. When watering, you should soak the soil of the plant until water starts to leak out of the drainage hole (if your pot has one).
Can you induce variegation in plants?
The majority of plant variegation results from a genetic mutation. To cause variegation, you would need to use a chemical mutagen or introduce a virus, making it nearly hard (and risky) to accomplish this at home.
It is preferable to leave variegation induction to the experts. Fortunately, several varieties of variegated succulents are inexpensive and easy to find. You can ask a friend who has a variegated plant for a cutting if you’re fortunate enough to have one.
Can a variegated revert back to its green color?
A plant may change back to its natural hue for a variety of causes, such as excessive light, little water, or extremely high or low temperatures.
In some plants, if a branch or offset returns to its original green hue, it performs better than the other leaves that lack pigment. This is due to the fact that the white segment devoid of chlorophyll is unable to synthesize nutrition. The entire plant may eventually go back to being green.
Your plant can become confused and believe it needs to generate more chlorophyll if you expose your variegated succulent to really bright sunlight, which will result in greener leaves.
Remove any solid green growth if you want to retain your plant’s variegation; doing so will prevent the solid green growth from outperforming the rest of the plant. Take a look at the temperature, sunlight, and watering schedule that your plant experienced while it was growing. If you think any of those conditions could use adjustment, give your plant some more attention by reducing the amount of light it receives, maintaining it at the proper temperature range (18C to 24C), and watering more frequently.
Why are variegated plants so expensive?
Plants with variegation are more difficult to breed than plain plants. The ratio of green to white on the leaves must be precisely correct as they grow. Because it lacks chlorophyll, a plant with exclusively white leaves will wither away because it cannot create nutrition. A plant with too much green, on the other hand, will outperform its whiter competitors and take over. See the issue?
Additionally, compared to their greener counterparts, variegated plants develop more slowly and are more susceptible to environmental stresses since they contain less chlorophyll. Because the white parts of the plant lack protecting chlorophyll and cannot manufacture nutrition through photosynthesis, they are more susceptible to sunburn.
These elements work together to raise the cost of plants with variegation.
Fortunately, not all plants with different colors are pricey. You can enjoy these unusual-looking succulents without your wallet becoming too upset because certain variegated types are relatively common.
I adore variegated succulents because of how distinctive they appear and how they stand out in any yard. Every leaf has a distinctive design.
What You’ll Need:
Remove Some Leaves or Behead
Take a few leaves at random from your succulent plant, gently twisting each one off the stem without breaking it.
These can be cut off the bottom of the stem, which will be discarded, when it begins to grow lanky.
To remove a specific leaf from a plant, such as a Christmas cactus, you might need to use scissors.
If you’re “beheading,” cut the stem of the plant head cleanly with your scissors or clippers about an inch below the lower leaves.
Plant
When roots start to form, either choose a site in your garden that is ideal for planting or fill well-draining containers of your choosing with potting material.
Sunshine and well-drained soil are ideal for succulent growth. They get paler in the absence of sunlight, and they decompose in excess moisture.
When the sun is less powerful, such as in the early morning or late afternoon, plant in a sunny location.
To lift the cuttings above the edge of your container or garden surface, pile dirt higher. To stabilize the roots, gently tamp the earth down; do not water.
Water and Feed
It’s time to buy a succulent/cactus food at this stage, such as Miracle-Gro Succulent Plant Food, which is sold on Amazon. administer as directed by the manufacturer.
Succulents can also be propagated via cuttings that are placed on top of potting soil and allowed to callus off so they can root themselves in the soil.