Hey plant besties! So I may have a slight obsession with propagating my Aeoniums (you know, those moody goth “Black Rose” ones), and today I’m spilling all the tea on my mostly failed attempts at leaf propagation—plus that one magical time it actually worked. Buckle up!
Aeonium
The Hard Truth About Aeonium Leaves
Everyone says “just pluck a leaf and wait!” for succulents, but honey—Aeoniums play by their own rules. These drama queens hate making babies from leaves. I learned the hard way after sacrificing like 20 perfectly good leaves to the propagation gods. Most turned into crispy little ghosts within weeks. RIP.
The Failures (Yes, Plural)
Picture this: me, every weekend, gently twisting off thicc, juicy leaves from my favorite ‘Zwartkop’, laying them on soil like they’re precious artifacts… only to watch them shrivel, rot, or just sit there doing NOTHING for months.
Rot City: Mistook “lightly damp” soil for “tropical swamp”—byebye, leaves.
Crispy Chronicles: Forgot they need indirect light, not a tanning bed. Poof. Dust.
The Zombie Leaf: One grew roots (!) but never made a plant. Just… weird alien tentacles. Why.
The ONE Time It Worked (!!!)
After a year of heartbreak, one stubborn leaf from my ‘Sunburst’ variety decided to be a legend. Here’s what maybe helped:
The Leaf: Super plump, perfectly twisted off (no tears!).
The Setup: Bonedry succulent mix, zero water until week 3 (tiny roots appeared!).
The Vibe: Bright shade (no direct sun), and ignoring it HARD. No pep talks, no poking.
And then… a microscopic rosette appeared after 2 months!!! Cue me screaming and waking up my cat.
What I Learned
Aeoniums are divas: Stem cuttings? Easy. Leaves? Painful.
No water = no rot: Treat them like that toxic ex—don’t give them attention.
Light matters: Think “cloudy day in London,” not “Beach vacation.”
Final Confession
I still try leaf props sometimes (hope springs eternal!), but now I stick to chopping stems for guaranteed babies. Still… that one success? Chef’s kiss. Worth the heartache.
Ever had a leaf prop miracle? Or just a graveyard of sad leaves? Tell me I’m not alone! 🌱💀
——Zoe
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