Propagation

Haworthia pallens (gracilis) Glen Craig, near Grahamstown

Haworthia & Gasteria

How to propagate them?

Offsets

Lot of plants create offsets – some species faster, others much slower. Most offsetting plants are e.g. H. cymbiformis, H. turgida or H. reticulata. All you need to do is just carefully cut the offset from mature plant, let it dry for a couple days and then simply pot it again. It is said that sooner or latterer every plant makes offset, but there are exceptions like e.g. H. bruynsii or H. sordida.

Seeds

If you want to make seeds, you must have two genetically different plants. Otherwise you won´t be able to pollinate Haworthias or Gasterias. There are many methods how to do it. I prefer to use a very soft and thin brush. Another tool can be coco fiber. Then we transfer pollen from one flower to another one. If pollination is successful, after a couple days green fruits will develop on the flower stem. After a few weeks fruits will ripen. Seeds are best sown within one year.

About six months old seedlings
Photo by Michal Susser

Fresh repotted seedlings between one and two years old

Two years old seedlings ready to be potted in pots

Leaves

In Gasterias it is one of the simplest method of propagation. In Haworthias it works too, but it is more difficult. You need to rip off a healthy leaf from a fully grown plant. This leaf you need to leave dry in a shady place. Lay it up on substrate and wait. Wait till it will produces small roots, now is the right time to pot it carefully and water slightly.

In Gasterias you can propagate all species (except of G. rawlingsonii). In Haworthias are quite easy “retuse” type of plants (e.g. H. retusa, H. pygmaea, H. bayeri or H. koelmaniorum), advanced growers are able to propagate from leaves such a difficult plants like H. arachnoidea or H. semiviva.

Gasteria batesiana, Barberton

Cutting off the top of the plant rosette

In my opinion it is a “brutal” method, but in some cases very functional. With a sharp knife you need to carefully cut off the “head” of plant, but leave a few leaves on the stem with roots – plants will produce new rosettes more easily. Leave the top of the plant to dry for a week or two and then simply pot it again. The original part of plant will start producing new “heads” after a couple weeks, if you cut them off carefully after they grow large enough, you can virtually produce hundreds of new plants (but still only the same clone).

Root propagation

It is quite an easy method to propagate species with succulent roots (e.g. H. truncata). You need to uncover the thick succulent root a little, cut it, leave the root as it is, do not take it out of the soil – and that´s it. Now wait and be patient...

Flower stem

Cut the flower stem cca.15 cm from rosette and in some cases a new plant will grow on the cut flower stem. It is not guaranteed, but sometimes it is works...