Propagation is an important issue for many plant lovers and hobby gardeners. But not every plant can be propagated in the same way and sometimes it takes a lot of patience until a result is in sight.
The thick leaf can easily be propagated by cuttings
Sometimes, however, the plants reproduce all by themselves, such as the brood leaf, a plant species from the succulent family. Other types of thick leaf can be propagated via leaf or head cuttings, such as the rosette thick leaf. If you have a thick leaf that forms branches, then use new shoots as cuttings. The best time to take cuttings is spring.
How do I take cuttings from my thickleaf?
Cut leaf cuttings as deep as possible out of the rosette (in the case of rosette-shaped thick leaves) or directly on the trunk. Remember that rosettes that have just flowered will die back. These are no longer suitable for propagation. In this case, it is better to use a different rosette.
After drying, stick the leaf directly into the cactus soil, but about a third of it should still be sticking out of the ground. Place your cuttings in a bright, warm spot out of direct sunlight. Now you need a little patience until a small plant has grown out of it. A head or shoot cutting grows a little faster. Use a complete rosette or a shoot about 10 cm long.
A special feature: the propagation of the brood leaf
The brood leaf has a very special way of propagation. Therefore, you do not have to worry about offspring with this species. On the edges of the brood leaf (in some species only on the tip of the leaf) grow tiny little plants, also called Kindel. These daughter plants fall off the mother plant as soon as they are sufficiently rooted and able to exist independently.
The essentials in brief:
- slow propagation by leaf cuttings
- a little faster: head or shoot cuttings
- best time for cutting cuttings: spring
- Sowing very time consuming
- Brood sheet: propagated by Kindel
tips
Sowing the thick leaf is very time-consuming. If you don't have a thick leaf yet, you might want to try sowing.