If you want to increase your "we alth", you can easily multiply your money tree. We show how to propagate by cuttings.
If you don't want to be satisfied with just one money tree (Crassula ovata), you can be happy now. Because it is very easy to make several from one of the decorative and easy-care plants. There are two simple and promising methods to propagate the tree. In our article you will learn what to look out for when propagating the money tree and how to proceed when propagating with leaf cuttings or shoot cuttings.
Oh, if only real money could be propagated as easily as the money tree. This is extremely simple and easy to do. The money tree is a symbol of prosperity and luck, so you can at least increase it if it is not that easy with the right money. The money tree can be propagated by two different types of cuttings: by leaf cuttings or by shoot cuttings. Both methods are straightforward. Propagation via shoot cuttings is easier and more promising. It is also the faster variant.
Propagating the money tree: timing and requirements
Most important for successful propagation is the timing. The young plants need a lot of light and warmth to thrive. Therefore we recommend a propagation in spring. Then the growth conditions are optimal for the development of the young plants. But the right substrate also has a major influence on the success of propagation. Here you should mix special cultivation substrate. To do this, take cactus soil and mix in around 10% mineral content, for example fine gravel or expanded clay that is as fine as possible. In this way, the substrate is nicely permeable and offers the best conditions for the cuttings to develop strong roots.
Another important prerequisite for successful propagation is the right tool. In any case, it should always be clean and sharp. If the knife is as sterile as possible, you can prevent germs from penetrating the cutand can infect the young cutting. A sharp knife that has previously been disinfected with high-percentage alcohol, for example, is best suited here.
Summary of timing and requirements for propagating the money tree:
- Ideal time: spring
- Create warm and bright conditions
- Mix substrate: cactus soil with 10% organic matter
- Use sharp and clean tools
Propagate money tree by leaf cuttings
The idea behind propagation via leaf cuttings is very simple: a leaf is cut off the plant and grows again in the substrate. As with many succulents, the money tree is also ideal for this propagation technique. For propagation, look for leaves on your money tree that are as vital and strong as possible. These are now cut directly from the plant on the shoot. After cutting, allow the cutting edges to dry on the leaves for a few days. Then put the individual leaves in pots with the previously mixed substrate.
Now the pots are set up bright and warm, at an optimal 20 °C, and regularly moistened. The substrate in the pots should always be moist, but not wet. After a few weeks, new roots will form on the leaf cuttings in this way. However, the rooted leaf is not yet an independent young plant. Only when new shoots have formed on the leaf has the propagation been successful. It only takes a few weeks for the first roots to form on the leaf, but it can take much longer for the young plant to produce new shoots.
Summary of money tree propagation via leaf cuttings:
- Select strong leaves on the money tree
- Cut off the leaves with a sharp, clean knife
- Let the cutting edges dry for a few days
- Put leaves in pots with substrate and moisten
- Grow cuttings light and at 20 °C
- Moisturize regularly
Propagate money tree by cuttings
The second way to multiply the money tree is to use shoot cuttings - both top cuttings and partial cuttings can be cut from the money tree. Here, not individual leaves, but whole shoots are cut. If your money tree needs pruning anyway, for exampleFor example, to get the tree in shape, you can simply use the clippings for propagation.
Select strong and not yet woody shoots. These should be about seven to ten centimeters long. Now remove the lower leaves of the shoot, only the top two pairs of leaves remain. Also leave these cuttings to dry for two to three days.
Then place the cuttings in pots with the prepared substrate and moisten them.
Tip: Don't put just one cutting alone in the pot, but put several - for example three - cuttings together. This will give you a bushy and full plant.
The young plants will now thrive in a bright and warm place. Make sure you have enough moisture on a regular basis. With a spray bottle you can keep the substrate moist and also ensure higher humidity. If you want to do something really good for the cuttings, put them in a self-made mini greenhouse. The perfect growth conditions for the young plants prevail here. It is only important to ventilate regularly so that no mold develops. Within a few weeks, the cuttings form new roots and can be repotted into a larger container as soon as the small pots are well rooted.
Summary of money tree propagation via shoot cuttings:
- Select he althy drive
- Cut cuttings with a length of 7 - 10 cm
- Leave only the top two pairs of leaves
- 2 - Let dry for 3 days
- Place cuttings in pots with substrate and moisten well
- Set bright and warm
- The growing conditions in a mini greenhouse are ideal
In order to optimally supply the plant with nutrients throughout the year, either a special succulent and cacti fertilizer or a fertilizer with an organic long-term effect such as our Plantura organic universal fertilizer is suitable. Slow-release fertilizers are ideal for caring for the money tree and only need to be applied once in spring because of the longer effect.
If you love your money tree, you take care of it with devotion. In our special article on caring for the money tree, you will learn everything you need to know about the correct watering, pruning and fertilizing of your plant.