Sedum is a large genus of easy-to-grow succulents commonly known as Stonecrops that look great in the garden. They are simple to propagate, and once in the ground, they spread on their own, gradually covering rock walls and creeping over rock gardens—the plants self-propagate from seeds and by producing new clones at the base of mature plants. There are three ways to propagate Sedums: by seeds, leaf cuttings, and stem cuttings.
Tip Cuttings
One of the simplest ways to propagate Sedums is to take a cutting from the tip of a plant and stick it in the soil. Take a 6-inch (15 cm) tip cutting from a healthy plant and remove the lower leaves. Fill a pot with damp sand and stick the bottom half of the cutting in the soil. After about 2 to 3 weeks, a gentle tug will tell you if the cutting was successful. If it feels snug in the soil, the cutting is already putting out roots.
Stem Cuttings
Propagate Sedums by stem cutting is another quick way to create new plants. Dig around the base of an existing plant and sever a few new stems from each plant. You can replant the stem cuttings directly into the garden or a seed tray containing damp sand. Take stem cuttings in spring when the plants are putting out new growth.
Leaf Cuttings
Using this propagation method, you have the potential for hundreds of new Sedum plants, as each leaf on your existing plant could become a new plant. To propagate your Sedum using leaf cuttings, snip off only healthy leaves, then stick the stalk into potting soil. The leaves should be well rooted after 2 to 3 weeks, with new plantlets forming at the base.
Seed Propagation
Given the ease and speed of propagating Sedums from cuttings, waiting for the seeds to germinate makes seed propagation a labor of love. Another drawback to seed propagation is that some hybrid varieties do not grow true to seed. A tip, stem, or leaf cutting is an identical clone of the parent plant, but the seed contains the genetic material of 2 plants, leading to unpredictable outcomes. To propagate Sedums from seed, place the seeds in damp sand and gently press them down. Keep the seeds between 80 and 95 °F (27 and 35 °C).
Source: sfgate.com
Links
- Back to genus Sedum
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus