How to Propagate a Succulent

Want to add more succulents to your garden? There’s no need to spend a fortune on a new one!

Succulents can propagate from seeds, cuttings, offsets, and other parts of the plant. Multiply your succulents to fill your garden or share it with friends!

Learn basic ways of succulent propagation to help you start growing your garden.

Ways to propagate a succulent

Pick a healthy and growing mother plant to successfully propagate it. For most succulent propagation, you'll need to remove a part from the mother plant. 

Take care of it afterward by letting the cut part callus over for a few days. You can resume watering and treating the mother plant like normal once the area where you removed the stem or leaf has callused.

Check out the different types of succulent propagation: 

Succulent leaf propagation

Have you noticed that some leaves fell from your succulent? Don’t throw them yet! You can use the leaves to propagate a succulent. 

Sedum and echeverias are some of the succulents you can use for leaf propagation. You can remove a leaf if you want to plant more succulents without waiting for a leaf to fall. 

It’s simple. Just twist the leaf gently to pull it off without breaking the plant. It’s best if you leave nothing on the stem, but it’s not going to be a waste if you pulled out a little stem, too.

After it’s done, propagate succulent leaf by following these steps:

• Put the leaf on a paper towel. You can set it down on a dish and place it on the window sill. This will give the leaf enough indirect sunlight while waiting for it to dry. 
• Let the leaf wound callus. Don't water it or touch it until the end dries out.
• Once the leaf wound callused, transfer the leaf on top of a succulent or cactus potting soil. Don’t bury it yet.
• Little roots and rosette will begin to sprout in about three weeks. Nestle the roots in a cactus soil with the rosette on top.
• Water it lightly once planted. After a week, you can water it just like how you would normally water a succulent.

Succulent propagation from stem cutting:

Do you have succulents with stems or rosette-shaped succulents? Stem propagation can work on succulents like echeverias and sedum. 

Multiply your succulents using these steps to propagate stem cuttings: 

• Use a sterilized knife, a sharp blade, or a pair of scissors to cut a piece of the succulent through the stem. 
• Make sure to cut near the end of the stem.
• Remove the leaves from the stem since you’re going to bury that part. Some leaves can be used for propagating depending on the type of succulent you have.
• Dry out the wound on the stem cutting for a few days or until you see a callus forming before planting it. This is to prevent it from rotting.
• Stick the base of the stem in dry cactus or succulent soil.
• Water it lightly or just enough to wet the soil once a week. This will go on for about three to five weeks.
• You'll notice baby plants growing around the stem after a few weeks. Continue watering it like normal and place it in a bright sunny spot. 

Succulent propagation with offsets:

Ever noticed a baby plant growing beside your bigger succulent? These are offsets and they are fully-formed and rooted plants in small sizes!

Hens and chicks, aloe, and cacti are some of the succulents that produce offsets. But don’t remove it yet when you see one! Allow the offset to grow for about three weeks to let the root develop. 

After that, follow these instructions for propagation:

• Moisten the soil first to remove the offset easier.
• Carefully twist the offset to remove it from the mother plant. You can also get it using a sharp sterile knife or scissors. Make sure to avoid damage to the root. 
• Let the wound dry for a few days. Once it has callused, you can now replant the offset on a cactus or succulent soil.
• Water it lightly once a week or when the soil is dry.
• Once the original offset starts to die, carefully remove it without disturbing the root system. 
• Transplant the new plant to the pot or tray of your choice.

Succulent propagation with seeds:

Whether you're collecting the seeds from your succulent or buying them from the store, make sure you're using fresh and dry seeds.

Depending on the type of succulent, you can get the seeds of the mature plants in the swollen base of the flower or "fruit". These can be collected once the succulent has fully bloomed.

Succulent seeds are incredibly tiny so make sure that you place the planter or pot in a sheltered area where the wind won't blow them away. It’s best to plant during spring to give your succulent time to grow before winter.

Successfully propagate the seeds with these simple tips: 

• Dampen the soil so the seeds will stick to it. 
• Spread the seeds on top of the succulent soil and make sure they’re not buried.
• You can cover the planter with clear plastic to keep the seeds moist and warm.
• Place the planter in a warm and sunny environment so the seed can germinate.
• Spray the seeds with water daily.
• Around six to ten weeks later, you can start watering the succulent every other day. 
• Once the succulent has properly grown, you can replant it into another container. 

Growing your own succulents is easy and cheap. However, take note that propagation takes a little while, so you will need a lot of patience!

If you want new succulents right now, we have a variety of succulents to help you start improving your garden! Visit our website for DIY kits, succulents, and succulent accessories.