When it comes to propagating succulents, most people think of the classic leaf cutting or the seed method, which is great for producing lots of plants at once. But personally, the method I use most often is called “stem cutting.” To be honest, I rarely use leaf propagation. Why is that, you ask…?
Actually, stem cutting is the easiest and most reliable way to multiply succulents, making it especially beginner-friendly. I’ll walk you through the technique with real examples and tips.
There are several ways to propagate plants—including succulents—and “stem cutting” is among the most popular. As the name suggests, you cut the midsection—or stem—of the plant and use that to grow a new one. With many non-succulent plants, cutting the stem encourages side shoots (a process called “pinching”), resulting in more branches. What’s special about succulents is that the top cutting (“ten”) can form new roots and become a fresh plant, while the lower part (“chi”) will often sprout new branches—so you can easily increase your plant count!
By the way, in English, this is called a “stem cutting” or simply to “take a cutting.”
So, how does stem cutting compare to other propagation methods?
The best part for me is the speed. New plants need energy to grow—seeds are tiny and contain little reserves, and a single leaf from a leaf cutting doesn’t offer much, either. In contrast, with stem cutting, both the top (“ten”) and base (“chi”) have their own full set of leaves, stems, and sometimes roots, so they root and grow much faster.
Having more plant tissue means there’s less chance your cutting will fail. Sometimes leaf cuttings never sprout, but in my experience, it’s rare for stem cuttings not to produce at least one new plant.
The only risk is that stem cutting usually just divides your plant into two main sections, so if one fails, you lose half… but unless something goes really wrong, both the top and bottom will survive. That’s actually why I recommend “stem cutting” as the perfect beginner’s initiation into propagation—give it a try, no matter your experience!
If you’re a hobbyist who grows succulents for fun, you probably only need a few “spare” backup plants. Two or three new plants per try is plenty! Leaf or seed propagation can produce huge numbers, but—honestly—most of us don’t need that many. Stem cutting gives you just two or three new plants, striking that perfect balance.
# You might think, “Just don’t propagate too many leaves or seeds at once!”—and that’s true. But both methods often have low germination rates, so you have to start a lot if you want a few to succeed. And if most of them sprout, well, it’s hard to throw away healthy seedlings! Controlling your numbers is tricky.
Even among Echeverias, some are fine for leaf cuttings, while others are a no-go. But with stem cutting, you can propagate almost any succulent, so I ended up relying almost entirely on this method at home.
# Of course, there are some plants like cacti and caudiciforms that don’t respond well to stem cuttings, so keep that in mind.
When you cut a succulent, the top (“ten”) goes into dormancy, so it’s a low-risk way to help your plant survive stressful summer and winter seasons. Once you’ve mastered stem cutting, you can simply “cut and wait it out” if you’re worried about a particular plant. The bonus? When the season ends, you’ll have even more plants than before!
What’s the best gear for making precise stem cuts? Here are some easy-to-find and highly recommended tools.
Sedums and stem-forming Echeverias with exposed stems can be cut easily with scissors or a craft knife—just snip and you’re done!
Rosette-forming succulents, where the leaves are packed tightly, need to be cut with thread instead. Any sewing or embroidery thread from a craft kit will work, but on large Echeverias (over 10cm wide), regular thread sometimes isn’t strong enough.
If you’re into oral care, you probably have dental floss—and it’s stronger and finer than sewing thread, making it easier to use. It’s cheap and easy to find at dollar stores, too.
For large Echeverias or tough Agaves, thread or floss just won’t cut it—you’ll need a metal wire. Out of all my experiments, the easiest and most handy tool was a looped stainless steel wire with a carabiner. There are specialist tools out there, but this is economical and perfect for beginners. It’ll slice right through big Agaves, too!
After cutting, plants go into near-dormancy and slow down, so make sure they’re well-watered and well-fed beforehand. If the plant is shriveled or soft, the risk of failure goes up. This also answers the common question: “When is the best time for stem cutting?”—when the plant is at its healthiest!
Books often say “let the cutting dry for a day,” but you’ll read online that you can plant them right away. For Sedums and Echeverias, either way usually works, but letting them dry is preferable. With Agaves, thorough drying is a must. This is probably because of differences in how they resist bacteria and where new roots form (Echeverias root from the cut surface, Agaves from the side of the stem). At my place, I find it easier to remember one rule: “Let every cutting dry for a day.”
Where to cut is always a dilemma. The more leaves you leave on the lower part (“chi”), the more likely it is to sprout and the more offshoots you’ll get—but the smaller the top (“ten”), the slower it recovers. I usually leave 1–2 rows of leaves on the lower half, but if you leave too little, sometimes no new shoots appear. From watching other growers, it seems most people cut about halfway, so that might be the sweet spot.
In young Agaves, the growth point sits deep in the plant, so you might end up just cutting off the leaves, leaving the growth point unharmed at the base. That’s why I don’t recommend cutting very small Agaves (learned this the hard way!).
Looking at the photos, you can see the growth point on this one is very deep. Stem cutting probably wasn’t the best idea for this plant after all.
Both books and websites will tell you to sterilize cut surfaces—but the most important thing is simply letting them dry and using clean tools. Sterilizing is an optional “just-in-case” step, and I rarely bother myself.
# Honestly, I’ve never bothered with sterilizing
When most people think of propagating succulents, they picture leaf cuttings. But for me, stem cutting is hands-down the best. I wrote this article especially for beginners—I hope you’ll give it a try! As for the question "Maybe you’re just bad at leaf cuttings?"—no comment!
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