Having a collection of succulents might be most gratifying when you propagate them. You can increase the number of a popular plant in your yard through propagation, swap plants with friends, and even preserve a dying plant. Here are our top ten picks for beginner-friendly succulents.
Sedum rubrotinctum (Pork and Beans or Jelly Beans)
Bright crimson in direct sunlight; green in shadow. This resilient Sedum quickly fills in container gardens and rock gardens. Remove the leaves and place yourself on a damp, well-draining surface.
Echeveria ‘Lola’
one of the most productive Echeveria leaf plants. Both newcomers and seasoned collectors adore the flawlessly round rosette and the pearly pink leaves. They germinate swiftly and successfully spread through leaves in large numbers.
Sedum nussbaumerianum
difficult in dry, warm areas with little water. Easy to grow from leaf or tip cuttings. Before planting in soil, wait for a scab to develop (this takes about a week). This species’ colors and leaf shapes vary widely.
Sempervivum arachnoideum (Cobweb Houseleek)
Fast-growing and yields more offsets than you could possibly use! Plant cuttings directly in damp soil after cutting propagation, and you’ll observe roots forming in approximately a week.
Graptopetalum paraguayense (Ghost Plant)
A stunning hanging rosette succulent that may change color depending on the environment to orange, bronze, pink, and purple. It is quite simple to spread by leaves; you might even notice one growing on its own.
Echeveria colorata
Initially slow, but well worth the wait. Echeveria colorata starts out by producing lovely leaf sprouts with scarlet tips. Before removing the mother leaf from the new plant, wait until it has totally died.
Echeveria lilacina (Ghost Echeveria)
We frequently see the succulent Echeveria lilacina multiplying by itself. By planting leaves gently in soil with their roots down and leaf up, you can prevent the fast curling that occurs with leaves.
Which succulents can be propagated using cuttings?
The good news for succulent enthusiasts worldwide is that you don’t have to spend a fortune on new plants all the time because the plants you already have in your yard can grow more young succulents on their own. Propagation is the name of this amazing process, which is quite fascinating to observe. While Aeoniums can only be propagated from cuttings, two succulent species, Sedum and Echeveria, can be grown from leaves, cuttings, and offsets. Other well-liked choices that are excellent for cutting and offset propagation include Crassula and Hawothia. This post will provide you our advice on how to successfully reproduce your succulents using these three methods.
Is it simple to grow succulents?
One of the most useful and simple to grow plants in nature is the succulent. It belongs to the category of “xerophyte,” a shallow-rooted marvel that grows well in arid environments and retains water in its thick, fatty leaves and stems.
Is it challenging to grow succulents?
Growing your collection of succulents without spending a lot of money is easy and affordable with self-propagation. In the simplest terms, propagation is the process of using a component from an established succulent to create a new plant. Offsets, leaf cuttings, stem cuttings, or seeds from a mature plant can all be used to accomplish the task. Succulent propagation is normally a pretty straightforward process, but certain plants are more challenging to grow than others. See the 4 basic techniques for propagating succulents below to choose the one you want to try.
Can you grow succulents of all kinds?
In the spring and summer, when leaves and stems are ready for active growth, it is simplest to propagate succulent leaves and cuttings. Most common succulents can be multiplied successfully from individual leaves or stem fragments.
- For succulents with fleshy leaves, like jade plants or echeveria and sempervivum rosettes, leaf propagation works well. The leaf must remain intact for the root to take. To loosen the leaf, gently bounce it back and forth while holding it between your forefinger and thumb. After that, carefully separate the leaf from the parent plant, keeping the base in tact.
- Succulents with distinct stems, including stacked crassulas and spreading or erect sedums, respond well to stem cuttings. Cutting succulents is analogous to propagating soft-stemmed plants. To cut stem tips, use a sharp knife, or take an entire stem to make many starts. Each cutting should be 2 to 3 inches long and have multiple leaves. Only the top two leaves should be kept.
Which succulent is the most difficult to grow?
These are typically the most beautiful succulents available on the market. Despite the fact that we do have several, we don’t have any nice ones, nor would we want to.
Although Compton Carousels and Silver Prince are two of the most exquisite succulents, they are also some of the most challenging to maintain.
A beginner succulent grower combined with a price tag of $20 to $60 for a 2-inch or 4-inch succulent is a recipe for catastrophe. You would be better off literally burning your money.
Customers should be aware that not all hybrid succulents require complicated maintenance. However, some people are VERY sensitive to heat, light, and water.
We discover that not all hybrid succulents are low-maintenance, carefree plants as a result of cross-breeding.
But before purchasing one of these pricey beauties, be sure you understand what you’re getting into. The Compton Carousel appears to thrive in greenhouses. Possess you a greenhouse?
Before adding them into your home or garden collection, it’s crucial to know what temperatures they require, how much sun, how little sun, whether it needs to be filtered, indirect, or in glaring shade, among other things.
Can succulent cuttings be planted directly in the ground?
What is there to love other than a succulent? Obviously, a full garden of succulents! Fortunately for us, it’s simple to propagate a variety of these resilient, vibrant plants at home. We can’t wait to see succulents growing all year long in containers around the house and garden; there are various easy ways to reproduce them.
Propagating by Division: Plants that have gotten too leggy perform best with this method, which produces new succulents from cuttings. Start by delicately removing any leaves that may be attached to the stem below the rosette; be sure to preserve the leaf’s base while you do so. After all the leaves have been eliminated, cut the rosette with shears, leaving a brief stem intact. The cuttings should be let to dry in an empty tray for a few days until the raw ends have calloused. The cuttings can then be rooted in either water or soil.
Soil: After the stems have calloused, set the cuttings on top of a shallow tray filled with well-draining cactus/succulent soil. From the base of the cuttings, roots and little plants will start to emerge in a few weeks. Once the roots start to show, water sparingly once a week; take care not to overwater. The parent leaf will eventually wither; carefully remove it while taking care not to harm the young roots. Your propagated succulents can be replanted once they have established roots. As soon as the plants are established, keep them out of direct sunlight.
Water: After the stem has calloused, place a cutting with the end barely visible above the water’s surface on the lip of a glass or jar filled with water. Pick a sunny location for your glass. The incision will eventually produce roots that extend toward the water. Once roots have sprouted, your new succulent can either be replanted in succulent potting soil or allowed to remain submerged in water as illustrated above.
Offsets are little plants that develop at the base of the main specimen, and many species of succulents, such as aloe, hens and chicks, and some cacti, will generate them. Check for root growth after an offset has developed for two to three weeks before carefully twisting, cutting, or using a sharp knife to separate it from the main stem. Be cautious to prevent destroying any already-formed roots. Follow the directions above for propagating in soil or water, letting the offsets dry, establish roots, and then repot when they have had time to callus any exposed regions. Removing offsets has the added benefit of enhancing the health of your current succulents and redirecting energy into the growth of the primary plant.
How long does a succulent take to grow new plants?
- Leaf propagation: Typically, it takes 2 weeks for roots to develop through leaf propagation. New leaves will start to form in around 8 weeks and can optionally be transplanted to a tiny container.
- Root formation typically takes 4 weeks, but it can occasionally take longer with stem proliferation.
- Offset propagation: Once the pups have developed a calloused skin, the roots typically begin to grow after 4 to 10 weeks.
- The process of propagating seeds takes the longest—cactus seeds can take anything from three weeks to a year to even begin to germinate. After that, the seedling takes a very long period to mature into a full-grown adult.
Why won’t my succulent root?
You recently purchased some gorgeous succulent cuttings from a nursery in your neighborhood, or even better, online with free shipping. The cuttings you purchased are incredibly lovely, and you can’t wait to see them take root, develop, and flourish just as you anticipate!
Sadly, weeks have passed and your succulent cuttings haven’t even the least bit rooted! Now that the succulent cuttings appear dried up, wrinkled, or dying, you’re probably wondering why they aren’t taking root.
Be kind to yourself because this is something that occurs frequently. Rooting succulent cuttings is a challenge for many succulent growers, especially beginners. Especially if you recently purchased these cuttings and they aren’t rooted, it might be really discouraging.
Your succulent cuttings not rooting for a variety of reasons. It can be the result of overwatering, underwatering, insufficient sunlight, a lack of nutrients, improper soil use, or improper potting.
Not to worry! By the time you finish reading this article, you’ll understand exactly why your succulent cuttings aren’t rooted and how to fix the problem.
Propagate succulent stems above water
Succulents can indeed be grown hydroponically, but you should use caution when doing so. Remove the lowest leaves from your mother plant by making a clean cut. After that, take a water jar and wrap it with plastic wrap. Make a few holes in it, and with the stem never actually touching the water, insert the exposed nodes about half an inch above the water. Whenever the water evaporates, top it off. Your roots should begin to expand in two to three weeks.
Propagate succulents on a wet paper towel
Leaving succulents on a paper towel is another approach to grow them. For a few days, let the ends of your succulent leaf cuttings dry out on a piece of paper towel on a tray. Spray water on the paper towel after a few days, then do it again after a few days. You should begin to notice roots and pups after a few weeks. Some gardeners will additionally cover the paper towel with a clear lid with holes or plastic wrap. You can eventually move your succulents into soil using both the jar and paper towel methods. Just remember that not all of your cuttings might grow successfully because the roots might be shocked by being transplanted into a different media.
Since succulents have so many fleshy leaves and may grow rapidly, you’ll always have room to experiment even if not all of your plants produce roots and pups. You’ll be able to share your succulents sooner than you think if you use leaf cuttings, new cactus soil, bright indirect light, and sporadic spritzes of water.
Can you replace a succulent after cutting off the top?
Your succulent won’t appear as stretched out and leggy when you remove the top and transplant it in soil. Grab a good pair of gardening shears or a knife. Additionally, you should put on gloves. Succulents can irritate your skin since some have milky sap while others have thorns.