Cutting the top off a succulent and replanting it is a widely used technique among enthusiasts. This method, often termed “beheading,” is effective for propagating new plants and correcting common growth issues. Beheading is typically motivated by etiolation, where the plant stretches and becomes “leggy” searching for light. It is also used to salvage the healthy top portion of a plant suffering from stem or root rot.
The Beheading Process and Callousing
The process begins by selecting the cut location on the healthy stem, a short distance below the rosette of leaves. Sterilize your tool, such as sharp shears or a clean knife, using rubbing alcohol to prevent the introduction of pathogens. Make a clean, swift cut across the stem to minimize damage.
The severed top, now a cutting, must form a protective layer, known as a callous, over the raw wound before planting. This callousing seals the cut, preventing moisture loss and blocking the entry of microbes. Remove some lower leaves from the cutting to expose about an inch or two of stem that will sit in the soil.
Place the cutting on a clean, dry surface in bright, indirect light with good air circulation. Drying time varies based on size and humidity, but generally takes between three and seven days. The cutting is ready for planting when the cut end feels dry and firm, resembling a scab.
Establishing the New Plant
Once the calloused end is ready, plant the cutting in a container with a suitable growing medium. Succulents require a substrate that drains quickly, such as a commercially available succulent or cactus mix, often amended with perlite or pumice for aeration. Plant the cutting shallowly, ensuring the calloused stem rests just within the soil surface.
The new cutting should be placed in bright, indirect light, as direct sun can scorch the unrooted tissue. During this rooting period, withhold water until roots have formed. The cutting is sustained by water stored in its leaves and stem, and watering a stem without roots will lead to rot.
Root formation can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months, depending on the species and environmental conditions. To encourage the plant to seek moisture and develop roots, begin lightly misting the soil surface every few days after about two weeks, or when aerial roots appear. Once new, fine roots have developed, you can transition to a regular, deep watering schedule appropriate for an established succulent.
Propagating the Remaining Stem
The original, rooted stem that remains in the pot after beheading offers an additional opportunity for propagation. Although it now appears headless, the stem still contains dormant meristematic tissue, or growth points, where the old leaves were attached. Removing the apical dominance signals the plant to activate these side nodes.
Continue to care for the remaining stem by providing bright light, but reduce watering frequency compared to a fully leafed plant. The stem requires less moisture while focusing on developing new offsets, sometimes called “pups.” These new growths typically emerge along the sides of the stem or from the top cut surface within a few weeks to a couple of months.
Once these offsets have reached a manageable size, usually about an inch across, gently remove them with a clean cut. Treat them as individual cuttings: allow them to callous over for a few days before planting them in their own pots.