Propagate florist kalanchoe from a vegetative stem after the cut calluses. Mother of thousands is the other job: plantlets on the leaf, laid on the mix surface.
Florist stem, callus, and mix
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Piece | 2–3 inch vegetative tip, two leaf pairs | A shoot still in full flower |
| Callus | Several days dry before it goes in mix | A wet fresh cut the same hour |
| Mix | Half peat, half perlite | A swamp of houseplant peat |
Take the tip in spring or early summer. Strip the lowest leaves. No hormone is required. [1] Insert the callused stem, set the pot in bright indirect light, and use a closed plastic bag for humidity while it roots — about fourteen to twenty-one days. [2] Open the bag if water pools on the leaves. A whole leaf can also root after a callus; the stem makes the faster plant. [3]
- Cut a vegetative 2–3 inch tip. Remove flowers if any remain.
- Let the wound dry several days.
- Pot in peat–perlite. Bright indirect light. Bag on until roots hold, then harden off.
How do I propagate kalanchoe?
Florist: a 2–3 inch vegetative tip, callus, peat–perlite. Mother of thousands: plantlets from the leaf edge, on the mix surface.
Mother-of-thousands plantlets
mother of thousands clones itself. Twist a plantlet when it lets go easily. If it has rootlets, set it in a small hole in succulent mix. If not, lay it on barely moist mix — do not bury it. [4] Gloves; sap can irritate. Sweep extras. Do not dump them in warm ground. Do not bag MOT plantlets in a wet dome; they rot.
Do I plant the babies on mother of thousands?
Yes if you want more plants — rooted plantlets in drain mix, or unrooted ones on the surface. Sweep extras. Keep them indoors.
Panda, paddle, and felted cousins use the florist-style stem after a callus, not MOT plantlets, unless that leaf actually makes babies. Finish ID on Types of Kalanchoe if the tag is muddy.
What fails a cutting
- A flowering shoot left in bloom as the cutting.
- A wet florist stem with no callus.
- Burying MOT plantlets in soggy peat.
- Dumping MOT babies outdoors in a warm climate.
- Noon sun on an uncallused wound.
After roots hold, bright light and dry-between water return to How to Grow Kalanchoe. A packed mother is a different job on How to Repot Kalanchoe.
Florist: callus, then peat–perlite. MOT: plantlets on the surface. Grow light on How to Grow Kalanchoe.
FAQ
When is the best time to take florist cuttings?
Spring or early summer, from vegetative shoots, not flowering ones.
Do I need rooting hormone?
No for florist tips. Callus and peat–perlite matter more.
How long until a florist cutting roots?
About fourteen to twenty-one days, then move it on.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
This note is part of Kalanchoe Guides.
More notes on making another plant live in Propagating Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors