The non-poisonous Wollziest is very well protected from summer drying out with its finely hairy, woolly-soft leaves. The plant can therefore also be propagated well in exposed locations with rather dry and poor soil.
How can you propagate Wollziest?
The Wollziest can be propagated in three different ways: by dividing rooted leaf rosettes, growing from seeds or rooting cuttings. Depending on the variety, some methods are better than others for the successful propagation of Wollziests.
Reproduction by division
Since the Wollziest spreads on its own in a well-suited location, it is possible to obtain offshoots by cutting off rooted leaf rosettes. These can generally be transplanted in spring and autumn, but division is usually easier in spring shortly before fresh shoots appear. Since some bred varieties of Wollziest, such as the “Silver Carpet” variety, rarely flower, divisional propagation is naturally even more important than breeding from seeds. When transplanting the offshoots obtained, as is generally the case when planting Wollziest, it is important to ensure that locations at risk of waterlogging are first “drained” a little with a little sand or a loose substrate layer of seasoned compost.
Growing from seeds
The seeds of the hardy Wollziests can be sown in bowls or directly outdoors from April onwards. During the germination phase the seeds should:
- never dry out completely
- do not be exposed to direct sunlight for more than 2 or 3 hours a day
- don't be covered too deeply with soil
During the germination phase, the growing substrate with the seeds covered with soil only a few millimeters deep should be kept evenly moist; the young plants can then tolerate a bit of dryness like older specimens. After a few weeks, these should be separated to a distance of around 25 to 30 centimeters between the plants. Many garden owners remove the Wollziest inflorescences with a general pruning immediately after flowering. However, if you hope to sow the plants yourself in the garden bed, you will have to allow the seeds to mature for a long time and accept visual losses.
Let cuttings root
The Wollziest forms rooted offshoots relatively easily when its longer shoots touch the surrounding garden soil. You can take advantage of this by weighing down individual shoots with a branch or a similar weight and thus encouraging the wooly tree to form so-called sinkers. But it is also relatively easier to grow offshoots from cuttings of the Wollziest. To do this, simply cut off shoots that are around 10 to 15 centimeters long and place them in an evenly moist cultivation tray in the shade. The cuttings usually root within a few weeks in spring and autumn.
Tip
The best time for comprehensive care measures for Wollziest is spring: Use the time before the fresh shoots to cut off wilted leaves, obtain offshoots by dividing them and replant seedlings that have sprouted on their own.
