Streptocarpus is easy to propagate from leaf cuttings. Summer is the best time to do it, as plant cells divide quickly, promoting growth.
You don’t need a lot of kit – just a pot filled with sieved compost, a plastic bag, a piece of string and a good sharp knife.
You will need
- Plastic pots
- Seed/cuttings compost
- Knife
- Plant
- Scissors
Step 1
Select a young, healthy looking, medium-sized leaf. Remove it from the main crown of the plant using scissors or a sharp knife.
Step 2
Use a clean, sharp knife to cut the leaf into three or four sections. Fill a pot or seed tray with seed and cuttings compost, or mix multi-purpose compost with perlite to aid drainage.
Step 3
Insert the leaf cuttings into the compost. Make sure you keep the leaf sections the right way up or they won’t root.
Step 4
Water the cuttings well, then cover with a plastic bag, securing it with a piece of string or twine.
Step 5
Keep the cuttings in a light, warm place. Baby plants will develop from the base of each leaf after six to eight weeks. After 10 weeks, carefully remove each plantlet and pot it on individually.
Other plants that can be propagated by leaf cuttings
Only a few plants can be successfully propagated by leaf cuttings, but those which can include sansevieria, eucomis and begonia.
