How do I make my leggy Aeonium bushier?
Do you dream of bushy tree-like Aeoniums like the pictures above? Aeonium succulents are a popular choice for gardeners because of their colourful leaves and drought-tolerant nature. However, certain varieties can also become leggy and unkept over time.
One of the most common questions we get asked is “How do I make a single headed Aeonium plant bushier?” Whilst lots of Aeonium varieties offshoot very readily like the A.Torchbearer pictured below, many of them tend to grow upwards on a single stem. This is common for the popular Aeonium ‘Zwartkop’ and other Arboreum varieties.
Firstly, this is their natural habit. If your plant has grown in this way you are not doing anything wrong. In time, most mature plants will offshoot other branches. However, growers are often keen to get them to develop into more architecturally interesting plants earlier on.
Our favourite way to do this is a method known in the succulent community as the “Chop and Drop” method or “beheading”. It involves cutting off the single head and dropping that into a new pot of soil. I know it sounds scary! Your precious plant will become just a single stump with no leaves but I promise you this works! The cutting that you take will grow into a new plant, but something amazing happens to the ‘stump’ that you leave behind! Take a look at some of these pictures…
Frequently Asked Questions...
When is the best time to ‘Chop and Drop’? Whilst we take
cuttings all year around, between May and October tend to be the best. This is
due to the milder temperatures and stronger/longer light. You will see the
re-growth happen a lot quicker during this time.
How long will it take the re-growth to appear? You should start seeing the new growth within 4-6 weeks. The next two photos were taken just 1 month apart! Once the new growth appears you will see fast growth. Each of those little heads that appear will grow to become branches of their own.
Where do I chop!? You can chop anywhere on the stem. It really depends on how you want the plant to look. If you have a tall leggy plant you want to become ‘bushy’ it’s best to chop low down on the stem.
How do I chop? Use a sharp, clean pair of scissors or scateurs. Cut to your desired length.. As simple as that! We like to cut at an angle as we find it works well but we have no science to back this up.
What do I do with the head I chopped off? This is a fresh cutting that you can put straight into soil and develop a second plant from. If there are small browning leaves around the base of the rosette you can remove these to tidy the plant up before planting. If the head is particularly large, we also recommend removing some leaves to help the plant propagate without having to sustain such a big head.
Should I leave it callous over before planting? We have never felt the need to.
Do I need to feed the plants? We have never used feed on our succulents.
When do I water? We recommend staying away from watering until you see those first signs of growth. Once you see the new shoots, water as normal. (Drench, drain, drought)
Where to leave the stem/cutting? Succulents enjoy warmth and good light levels. When in a period of propagation it’s best to stick to indirect, but bright light.
Added benefits of pruning an Aeonium
- Keeping the plant ‘bushy’ and ‘full’
- Removing dead or diseased leaves
- Stimulating new growth
- Improving air circulation and light penetration
- Reducing the risk of pests and diseases
Feeling inspired for more babies!?
Still have questions?
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You can email us using the contact hello@corsesidenursery,com
Also available on the phone: 07817399872
This is a great guide fir the anxious amongst us. Have have done it and failed and I don’t know what i did wrong. I still have the small offshoot which doesvseem to want to grow inspite of my best efforts. Do it does take bravery and the guide does givevsome reassurance.
Thanks for your feedback! I’m glad the article provided some reassurance for you 🙂