Hi Beth,

Aerial vivipary, anyone?

This is seen more often in a few Aloe and Gasteria species, but also happens in Crassula and Kalanchoe species, too. You'll be able to pot the pup up when it's older. I too like it when plants do something unexpected.

Jeff,
Interesting, I didn't know this was normal for that many succulents. Will it produce roots over time (I'm suspecting if so, they will be aerial roots) or will I have to pot it eventually with no roots? Is the flower stem going to die back at all? I suppose I should have asked these questions in my original post. Thanks again.

Planto

My "Green Ice" does it almost every year.

Mara,
Out of curiosity, you wouldn't happen to have a picture of your 'Green Ice' would you? :)

Planto

My gasteraloe "Green Ice" with stem baby .

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I've had this happen to my "Twilight Zone a few times. Both times they shriveled up into nothing after quite a few months. I would wait till the flower stem starts to die before you remove it. Ill try to to dig up some pictures when I get home from school.

Mara,
Let me print a picture of your Gasteraloe to give mine something to "look up to." How long until your "pup" reached its size in the picture? Did your "pups" ever create roots while still "attached" or did you have to pot them without roots?

caligrown,
:\ I hope this one doesn't shrivel up to nothing. I spose if it does, at least Mama should pup the "normal" way eventually and I'll be able to get some pups that way.

Planto

Beth,

I imagine they'd grow roots after they fell to the ground / came in contact with it following the stem drying and detaching from the plant, but since they're perfectly-formed albeit generally rootless, I detached them in advance of the stem drying up and rooted them on their own.

Jeff,
Thanks, that's very helpful. :) Since yours didn't develop any roots until after you potted, how did you go about watering it? I'm not too familiar with how to make rootless succulents form roots once placed in soil. I do know that the soil can't be too moist, as it could rot it, but I also understand that it probably needs enough moisture to create roots.

Planto

Mist the cutting / rootless plant every day (or three) - it will eventually develop roots, whereupon you can water the soil.

Jeff,
Okay, I will do just that when the time comes. Thanks again. :)

Planto

I love when this happens. I have one on my Aloe 'Twilight Zone' too. Thanks, Laura! It's still very small like Planto's.

Speaking of crassulacea, I also have a nice leaf growing from the flower stem of an Adromischus marianae v. herrei. That's a nice bonus.

I think the flower stalk becomes the supply for these babies and remains operative for a long time. You can clip the stalk right above the pup. If you don't, you'll see that it will dry up only to that point. I have a nice one on what I think is a Gasterworthia, maybe 'Royal Highness'. It's been growing for about 6 months, I have no plans to remove it. I probably could but I want to see how big it will get.

Mara, I like seeing those plants very much. Your pups are all doing great!

Ryan, This picture is a couple of years old, so the pups you got are one of the little guys at the base of this plant.

So cool, Ryan!

I have some pups develop on flower stems on my Echieveria Chroma last summer.

The only picture I could find was one when I first bought the plant.

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Since then it has grown two more. Here is a picture of the current one I am messing around with.

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I was giving my plants a once over this morning when I noticed two plantlets growing on one of my Sempervivums flower stem.

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Regards, Patrick

Ryan,
I love the color of your "Gasterworthia!" Thanks for the information. I'll do my best (I'm not knwon for my patience) to leave my pup attached for as long as I can in the hopes it'll develop a number of leaves and a "decent" size before I detach it. It has a good ways to go, seeing as it only has two leaves and yours took 6 months to develop to the size in your photo.

Patrick,
Thanks for sharing your pictures. I hope the current pup you have doesn't die this time. As many Semps I've seen in bloom in town, I've never seen one with pups on the flower stem, cool!

Planto

@plantomaniac08- Although I grow relatively few Semps., I also have never seen them do that. I chalked it up to the cold weather causing the plant to do funny things.

As far as the "Twilight Zone" plantlet goes, in a last ditch effort I am going to remove all but two or three leaves to gain as much surface area for rooting as I can. I'm not holding my breath though. Ill keep you all updated on my progress.

Regards, Patrick

Patrick,
I'm sure abnormally cold weather would illicit such a response too. I look forward to any updates on your 'Twilight Zone' pup. Hopefully this one makes it. *crosses fingers*

Planto

I have an aloe that is doing the exact same thing.
Grantgarden2

Neat-O, Plant-O!

I like seeing all these abnormalities on everyone's plants! =) I've had plantlets grow on several different plants. Never had one on a hybrid Aloe, though. I recall Gasteria, Haworthia & another Aloe (A. bulbilifera- which is supposed to have them-hence, the species name).

Could only find one pic of my Gasteria plantlet, but not the best pic to show it. :P Look where I have put a long arrow in the pic (for the baby) & a small arrow pointing to the mom. It even had an inflorescence growing from it! That baby was removed, potted with a piece of its stem & is growing successfully. (I'm sure I have a pic of the bigger baby somewhere-just can't find right now.)

Click for larger view:

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Grant,
That's a nice size pup. Have you potted it yet? Are you planning on potting it anytime soon?

Rosemarie,
Wowzers, that's a big pup! What Gasteria is that by the way?

Planto

Keiki.... Same as an orchid as they can produce an exact plant as the host

Not sure of the name, Beth. I thought I had a correct ID several times, but didn't tag & can't recall now. Sorry! Yes, l big pup. I let it live on the stem a long while.

Rosemarie,
That's okay, hehe!

Planto

Planto, I am going to try to wait until summer to improves its chances of rooting. But if something happens then I will snip it of. As far as I can tell there is one small root nubin.
Grantgarden2

@ rosemariero- That's quite impressive. How long did it take to grow to that size?

Also may I have your e-mail address? I have a few questions regarding the Gastria liliputiana(?) that's flowering in that picture, as well as a coulple other succulent related questions.

Regards, Patrick

Now this is off the top of my head..............would it work if you wrapped sphagnum moss around the kiki and mist it now then to encourage roots?

OK, its probably pretty far off base, but...................

Neysa in California

Grant,
Oh okay. Now that you mentiomed a root nubin, I think I do see it. You should update us once you pot it and the again once you notice it's "taken." One day it'll be making pups of it's own!

Planto

Patrick, I'd have to go find pix & compare dates to tell you how long I left the baby attached.
I looked at your profile/page & there is no email link to send one to you, but you're welcome to check my page & send one to me. Happy to answer questions!

Would anyone know by chance what kind of aloe it was?
Thanks!
Grantgarden2

Interesting. In the future I'm going to pay more attention to succulent blooms.
I've never seen a pup grow off a flower. Toni

Grant, your Aloe is possibly 'Pink Blush'. Has it gotten any real sunshine lately? Should color up, if so.

This happened after I broke the leaf struggling with a trash can full of Crassula ovata cuttings. I say 'Neato!' to this and all the other plants pictured here.

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Jeff,
Haha, that's awesome!

Planto

Grant, I would agree with Rosemarie. You plant looks just like my "pink blush".