Due to their unique adaptations, succulents can increase their populations in nature in a variety of different ways. This helps them to survive in their often harsh and unforgiving habitats. In cultivation and horticulture, this gives us an assortment of possibilities to take advantage of when propagating these special plants. In this blog, we will delve into some special techniques professional growers use for succulent propagation.
Method 1 – Succulent propagation using leaves
Leaf cuttings are the easiest way to try succulent propagation for a beginner. It is also the most common way to quickly propagate succulents.
Simply remove a leaf from the stem of the plant, making sure to remove a bit of stem tissue. You can let the leaf dry for a few days. After it is dry, place it on top of some slightly moist soil so it can start making roots. In time, the leaf will produce some small plantlets. Crassula, Echeveria, and even Haworthia can be propagated using this technique.
Echeveria leaf propagations
Method 2 – Succulent propagation by taking cuttings
Taking cuttings is relatively easy from most succulents that make offsets, pups or grow multiple stems.
Using a clean and sharp knife, cut the offset from the mother plant off as close as you can to the main stem. Let the cutting dry for at least one week before planting, as planting it too early will cause it to rot.
In time, a callus will form at the point where you cut the offset. Once you see the callus has formed, you can plant the cutting. It will eventually form roots, and become a whole new plant on its own.
Method 3 – Beheading, chopping, or coppicing
A ‘growth point’ is the part of a plant’s stem where new growth occurs. Removing or damaging the growth point of a plant will force it to make completely new growth points at random locations along its stem.
A variety of cultures around the world have used this for centuries to their advantage. By cutting off the top of a tree in a technique called coppicing, one can force it to make more stems for wood farming. This can also be applied in succulent propagation.
Similarly to taking a cutting, use a clean and sharp knife to cut off the top portion of the succulent’s stem. Make sure to keep the cut end of the stem dry for at least two weeks, as they are sensitive to rotting at this time. In time, the plant will begin to produce more stems or offsets. One can then harvest these extra stems or offsets, as if they were normal cuttings.
This technique can be applied to all succulents that have a stem, including Aeonium and Graptopetalum. With some careful practice, it can also be applied to plants like Haworthia and cacti. We don’t recommend trying it on these without getting some experience first, though!
Coppicing a variegated Cotyledon resulted in plentiful offshoots
Method 4 – Growing succulents from seed
The most natural way for most succulents to reproduce is through their flowers. In nature, a variety of either birds or insects seek out flowers to obtain their energy filled nectar, and in turn will spread pollen from flower to flower.
The strange, star-shaped flower of Dorstenia
People are mostly responsible for pollination in cultivation, and especially so in enclosed greenhouses.
Pollinating can be difficult or easy, depending on the type of plant. The core concept is that the anther (male part of the flower) needs to get its pollen onto the pistil (female part of the flower).
Most growers have their own personalized techniques to do this, but generally a small, fine paint brush would be sufficient to spread the pollen between flowers. Successfully pollinated succulents will eventually produce seeds. Collect the seeds once they are ripe, and germinate them in a contained, humid environment like a propagation dome.
This is by far the most time consuming, but also most gratifying way to propagate your succulents!
Variegated seedling of Dorstenia