Rooting aloe cuttings?

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 12:13 pm

Hi,
I have an Aloe capitata which developed rot. I cut off two "arms" which the rot hadn't reached, but is it possible to root them? I haven't read anything encouraging about rooting aloe cuttings, unless it's an actual "pup" offshoot, which these aren't...

Thanks,
Rob

iann · Post by **iann** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 1:46 pm

What you are describing would be leaf cuttings, because each arm is actually a single leaf. Aloes generally don't root from leaf cuttings. I've seen people claim to have done it, but I've never seen a case where just a leaf without any stem has rooted.

--ian

Tony · Post by **Tony** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 1:51 pm

I've never tried Aloe capitata but I have rooted quite a few different species that I just chopped the heads off.
I dont think its possable to root just a leaf however.
Aloe plicatilis took over a year to grow roots for me, but all the others I have tried rooted quickly.

Rob · Post by **Rob** » Sun Dec 07, 2008 4:42 pm

"Leaf", yes! For some reason I had a mental block and could only think of the term "arm"...

It's too late to chop the head off the plant - the rot seemed like it had gotten pretty far down, so I threw the plant away. Oh well, maybe I'll try growing some a. capitata from seed - they really are one of the nicest aloes and mine would turn a nice purple color when outside in the sun in summer.