Want more of your favorite succulents? Try taking leaf cuttings!
To start, cut or pinch off a leaf at the base when the plant is actively growing, usually spring or summer—they’ll root the fastest. Lay the cutting in a shaded spot so the wound can dry for a few days.
Fill small pots with potting mix similar to what the parent plant is growing in and tuck the cut edge of the leaf into the mix. You may notice some leaves start to wrinkle—that's OK. They'll still sprout. Let the soil dry out between waterings or the cuttings may rot. And don’t cover them with plastic.
Keep the planted cuttings in shade until you see growth, usually in 1 to 4 weeks, then move them to larger pots.
These three succulents start easily from leaf cuttings:
- Echeveria Echeveria spp. and hybrids
- Gasteria Gasterhaworthia hybrids
- Jade plant Crassula ovata (in photo)