She looks so amazing with her bizarre growth, thick stem and bright flowers! You just can't get enough of it, but want to call several copies your property? Then multiply your desert rose!
With a little patience, the desert rose can be propagated by seeds or cuttings
Propagation Method 1: Sowing
The seeds of the desert rose are available in specialist shops. You can sow them indoors all year round. But be warned: It is a long way from the seed to a stately plant… The seeds usually germinate well. They are about 1 cm tall, elongated, narrow and light-colored.
Sow the seeds properly
How to sow the seeds correctly:
- Fill seed trays or pots with seed compost
- if necessary, soak the seeds in water for 24 hours before sowing
- Sow seeds 0.5 to 1 cm deep below the surface of the soil
- Lightly press
- keep moist
Germination time, germination temperature and transplanting
It usually doesn't take long for the seeds to germinate. Ideally, the first peaks can be seen after a week. The germination time can be up to 3 weeks depending on the ambient temperature and soil moisture. The germination temperature should be between 20 and 25 °C. From a height of 10 cm, you can prick out the young plants and transfer them to larger pots.
Propagation Method 2: Cuttings
The second method is less time consuming. To propagate by cuttings, you need cuttings from a healthy mother plant. Prune these in either spring or summer! They should be about 10 cm long and fleshy and have at least 2 pairs of leaves.
This is how it goes on:
- remove any existing buds
- Set cuttings aside to dry for 1 to 2 days
- Fill pots with potting soil
- Put the cuttings in pots with potting soil (preferably several per pot)
- place in a warm place (e.g. above the heater in the living room)
- keep slightly moist
Once the desert rose cuttings have developed roots and grown strong enough, they can be pricked out. After that, it is crucial to overwinter them properly!
tips
Warning: desert roses that have emerged from head cuttings do not form the thickened stem base that makes the plant look so distinctive and bizarre.