Succulents are popular plants, almost anyone can find a reason to love them, whether it’s their beauty, the ease of keeping them alive, their drought-tolerant nature, or their ability to propagate without much effort.
Succulents come in many different shapes, sizes and textures. They are often used in containers, both by themselves and paired with other plants.
Succulents are one of the easiest plants to propagate. Many succulents will grow new babies from fallen leaves. Others grow well from cuttings, putting off new growth on the original plant and growing roots on the cutting itself. Others are a little more complicated to propagate.
Propagation can be a great way to extend your collection. As mentioned above, there are different ways to propagate succulents, and each is a little different.
Types of succulent propagation
Succulent propagation from leaves
Propagating succulents from leaves is one of the most surprising methods. You can simply remove a leaf from a succulent plant, place it on soil, and water frequently, and within a few weeks, roots will start to emerge and a tiny new succulent will form on the end of the leaf.
Some succulents, actually grow babies on the edges of their leaves. When they are big enough, they fall off and grow on their own.
Watching a leaf turn into a full-grown plant is something any succulent grower should try at least once, it is an amazing process.
Succulent propagation from cuttings
Most succulents can be grown from cuttings. The technique for taking the cutting varies slightly depending on the plant. Once the cutting is taken, it needs to dry out for a couple of days. Then with frequent watering, it will form roots at the base of the stem ad continue to grow. The original plant will produce new offsets as well, so you end up with more than you started with.
Succulent propagation from chicks
The term “hens and chicks” refers to varieties of succulents that put off tiny new plants all on their own. These types of succulents tend to put off several chicks every year. These chicks form roots much more easily than cuttings and grow very quickly. They can be removed from the mother hen or left to grow where they are. Eventually, the mother hen will die, but she will leave plenty of chicks before she does.
Succulent propagation from seeds
Propagating succulents from seeds is the most difficult method and it is the least reliable. Most succulents will flower at least once during their lifetime. Some succulents will put off just one flower in their lifetime and die after it blooms. The seeds are harvested from the flowers. They have to dry out before they can be planted. Succulents grown from seeds do not always perfectly resemble their parent plant. Pollination causes changes to occur, and the result can be quite exciting.
However you decide to propagate your succulents, you’re sure to be in for a treat. There’s something rewarding about getting more plants without spending any more money. Every succulent will propagate at least one of these ways and maybe more.
