Houseleeks (Sempervivum) are a very interesting genus of plants from the thick-leaved family. Over time, the perennial succulents form large rosette cushions, with the individual rosettes measuring between around 0.5 and up to 22 centimeters in diameter, depending on the species. Each new rosette is basically nothing more than an offshoot of the mother rosette, which dies after flowering.
How do you propagate houseleeks through cuttings?
To propagate houseleek offshoots, carefully separate daughter rosettes from the mother clump and plant them in a well-draining substrate. Water little and they will grow quickly. The best time for this method is spring or early summer.
Houseleek forms daughter rosettes
If you purchase a single rosette, after planting it will fairly quickly form additional rosettes, the so-called daughter rosettes, thus developing a dense Sempervivum cushion. Sempervivum will only bloom when it is at least two to three years old, with a shoot axis developing from the flower-forming rosette, which can grow between three and 60 centimeters high, depending on the species. This rosette dies after flowering and can then be removed if you do not want to collect seeds. The daughter rosettes, however, either remain in the clump or can be separated and planted independently.
Planting daughter rosettes
The propagation of Sempervivum via the offshoots called daughter rosettes is very simple:
- Separate the desired offshoots from the nest,
- by gently pulling them apart with your fingers.
- Houseleeks only have very shallow roots,
- which is why any existing roots can simply be pulled out.
- Now prepare the new location,
- by using the appropriate cactus or succulent soil or
- your own substrate mixture
- place in the designated planters or in the bed.
- Make sure there is good drainage,
- because succulents like houseleeks cannot tolerate moisture.
- Plant the cuttings straight away in their new location
- and water them a little.
Further care measures are usually not necessary, because the houseleeks, which are very easy to care for, will grow quickly and put down new roots. The best time to separate and plant the cuttings is spring or early summer. By the way, the young plants are absolutely winter hardy.
Tip
While propagation via cuttings is always true to the variety - this means that the daughter plants look exactly like the mother plant and have the same properties - seed propagation is significantly more exciting. With seedlings, you never know what to expect - and what you'll actually get in the end. This promises to be very interesting, especially with the varied houseleeks!