Cuttings: Stem cuttings are the quickest way for mature plant production, but this is often not possible with the squat, tuberous species in sections 2 & 5.

Leaves: Fortunately propagation from leaves is generally easy. There is no need to cut any stem tissue off with the leaf. Just pull a leaf off sideways. Adro's often propagate this way in nature. Some are frighteningly fragile and disintegrate at the slightest knock. Leave the leaf to dry for a few days and then it push into potting mix. As the first roots emerge from the tiny callous, it is important to keep the leaf stable and provide anchorage so that the tiny root can penetrate downwards. After the shrivelled leaf has filled out again, shoots should form from the tiny callous and grow up into new plants. If warmth can be provided within a propagator, the process can be speeded up. Very rarely, you just get a bloated leaf with no shoots!

Difficult species to propagate from leaves are A. maximus (they curl up!) and A. fallax/ humilis/ phillipsiae (too soft and quick shrivelling). Bryan Makin did say that A. subviridis takes over a year to shoot from a rooted leaf.

Adromischus marianiae "herrei".

Adromischus leaves shooting.
Plants & photos: Harry Mak.

A. marianiae fresh seedlings. Photo: Andy Young.

Older volunteer seedlings.
Photos: Bryan Makin.