propagating from chicks

There really isn’t much to propagating from chicks (also called pups, offsets, or babies). The succulent has already done the work! Sempervivums propagate from chicks. The mother “hen” will put off several new chicks on stolons, or long horizontal stems. These chicks grow roots of their own. Aloes and Haworthias also “pup” or offset easily. Instead of sending off chicks on a stolon, the Aloe pups clump around the mother plant.

Cut the stolon to remove chicks from the mother plant.

Removing Chicks

Once a chick has roots of its own, the stolon can be cut and the chick planted elsewhere. The chicks may need a little more water and protection from sun until they get used to surviving on their own.

Gently pull the pups away from the mother plant.

Removing Pups

Pups can be removed from the mother plant by gently tugging or pulling them apart. As you pull them off, make sure some roots are attached to the pup. While it can survive without the roots, it will grow more quickly and easily with roots already attached. You can water these as you would an established plant because their root system is already established.

Mother Plants

The mother plants of these pupping succulents will die eventually, but not as a result of the chick being removed. Generally, the mother plant is unaffected by removing offsets. It will continue to produce more until the end of its life cycle.