Aloe vera,Aloe barbadensis, is one of the easiest plants to propagate. The kitchen garden favorite has spiked leaves that contain a gel that is often used to help relieve pain and inflammation due to minor burns.
One leaf or a single offshoot can become a new plant in a matter of days, and this is a simple and inexpensive way to obtain new houseplants to share or keep.
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Even though it’s a straightforward process, you can improve your odds of success by following the instructions for either of the two propagation methods I’ll share here – or both!
Here’s what to expect:
How to Root Aloe Vera Cuttings
Before we start, I have one clarification. The easy-to-root aloe I’m talking about is A. barbadensis, the most popular and widely grown variety, also commonly and botanically referred to by the synonymous name A. vera.
This is the fleshy, fast-growing type you’ve probably seen on many a kitchen windowsill. When crushed, the leaves release a gel that can soothe minor burns or sunburn.
Other aloe species are a bit pickier about propagation, and it’s quite tricky to root the leaves. Some of them do produce offshoots that you can divide and pot, while others do not.
Even with robust, quick-growing aloe vera, starting new plants from leaves is a second choice, because the leaves will not root reliably one hundred percent of the time.
But cutting some leaves doesn’t hurt the plant, and this will in fact encourage new growth. Just don’t remove more than about a third of the plant at a time.
When you don’t want to wait for the full-fledged pups to develop, root cut leaves instead. To
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