How Long to Root Succulents?

Rooting Time

• Provided with optimal growth conditions, the cuttings of succulents can take anywhere between six to eight weeks to produce roots, cites Don Burke in "The Complete Burke's Backyard." Many succulents are easily propagated with single leaves broken off from the parent plant. Examples include crassulas echeveria, andromischus, sanseveria and a wide range of kalanchoes.

Suggested Propagation Time

• The best time to propagate succulents with cuttings is between late spring and early summer, suggest Pleasant and Kautzky. Cuttings taken at this time produce roots rapidly, as plants are in their active period of growth. The optimal temperature for rooting is about 70 degrees F. Use care when handling the stems or leaves of succulents at propagation time, as they are easily damaged or bruised.

Rooting Medium

• Various types of rooting media may be used for the cuttings of succulents. These include a half-and-half mixture of potting soil and sand. The cuttings can also be rooted in a good-quality potting soil with a gritty texture, pure sharp sand, vermiculite or fine grit. Stem-forming yuccas easily root in water mixed with some charcoal. The Arizona State University Extension also suggests the use of pumice, an aerated volcanic rock, as a possible rooting medium.

Cutting Method

• Use a sharp knife or cutting tool sterilized with methylated spirit to take cuttings. Make the cut below a stem joint or where the leaf is connected to the stem. Let the cutting dry for a couple of days. When damaged tissues are healed, it reduces the chance of fungal infection. Dip the cutting into a rooting hormone for faster root production, and plant immediately in a prepared pot. Place the entire pot in a sealed plastic bag, and set the bag in a warm spot out of direct sun. Open the bag every two or three days, and water only enough to keep the rooting medium moist. Remove the bag once the cutting starts to show new growth.