You can propagate a leaf cactus yourself. All you need is a he althy plant that you can take cuttings from, or seeds that you can get from a specialist retailer. How to propagate leaf cacti.
How can I propagate a leaf cactus?
To propagate a leaf cactus, you can either cut cuttings from he althy shoots and let them grow in suitable soil or sow seeds from specialist retailers in an indoor greenhouse and raise them in the right conditions.
It's so easy to propagate a leaf cactus
You can propagate a leaf cactus in two ways. Either cut cuttings or sow seeds. Propagation from cuttings is much easier and is therefore usually preferred.
In addition, the cuttings produce completely identical young plants, while when propagating from seeds it is not certain what the later leaf cactus will look like and what color flowers it will have.
Growing leaf cactus from cuttings
- Cut cuttings in spring or summer
- Allow interfaces to dry
- put into prepared pots
- set up bright and warm
- keep moist
Shoots approximately 15 centimeters long are suitable as cuttings. Cut these off with a sharp knife. Allow the interfaces to dry for at least a day to prevent mold from forming later.
Prepare pots with soil for leafy cacti. Ideally, the substrate consists of a mixture of two-thirds garden soil and one-third quartz sand. It must definitely be well permeable to water.
Place the cuttings approximately three to four centimeters deep into the soil. To ensure they grow straight, stabilize them with small wooden sticks. As soon as new leaves form, continue to care for the cuttings like adult plants.
Propagation via seeds is lengthy
A small indoor greenhouse is best suited for propagating leaf cacti from seeds (€12.00 at Amazon). Spread the seeds thinly on coconut soil. The leaf cactus is a light germinator, so the seeds must not be covered with soil.
Keep the surface moist but not wet. Place the closed greenhouse in a bright and warm place. Avoid direct sunlight.
After emergence, the young plants are carefully pricked out and later transplanted into suitable pots.
Tip
Leaf cacti are also called epiphyllum. This means that in nature they grow almost exclusively on the leaves of other plants. Depending on the species, they have flowers in a variety of colors and sizes, some of which have a strong scent.
