Can You Grow Aloe Vera From Cuttings | Rooting Aloe Vera Cuttings In Water and Soil

You can grow an aloe Vera plant from cuttings. Aloe Vera can be grown from a cutting or a broken stem without roots, if you follow the right procedure. It is pointed out that the following step by step instructions are for growing aloe Vera from stem cuttings without roots, and not from leaf cuttings. 

Aloe Vera Plant

How To Root Aloe Vera Cuttings Without Roots

Can you grow aloe Vera without roots from a stem cutting? Yes, you can cut a stem of aloe Vera and replant it to grow new aloe plant.

A Broken Aloe Vera Stem

The above picture shows a broken aloe Vera stem which is rootless, broken by intense wind. What to do if your aloe Vera breaks? Can you fix a broken aloe Vera?  You can regrow a broken aloe Vera by the steps as given below.

You can cut an aloe stem which has a few leaf nodes to regrow its a a new aloe plant. The nodes are the places where was leaves earlier or where new leaves may emerge.


The steps for rooting aloe Vera stem are given below:

Clean and Disinfect the Tools

1. The most important point is to select sharp and clean pruning shears or knife. The aloe cuttings you take should have a sharp and clean edges on the cut, so you need sharp tools.
2. The tools should be disinfected before you take cuttings, because unclean tools can transmission of infections to the cuttings.
3. Disinfect your tools with isopropyl alcohol or bleach solution.

Taking Aloe Vera Cuttings

Look for a stem that has some nodes, cut the stem below a node. The cutting may not have any roots, but you can propagate it, the roots will grow at the nodes.

Forming a Callus on the Cut

1. When you cut the aloe Vera stem, its cut end is very moist, which will rot if you simply put it in soil to root. So the next important step is to allow the cut end to cure or dry out for 4-5 days so that it forms a callus (dried cut end).
2. Place the cutting on a clean paper and keep it in a dry spot in shade, away from direct sunlight. The dried cut end will prevent fungal infections, ensuring successful rooting.

Can you propagate aloe Vera from cuttings in water?

The question comes to mind, can you just put the prepared aloe Vera cutting in water to regrow and propagate it. It should be possible to propagate aloe Vera in water, but it is most likely that the cutting will rot in water, if care is taken.

Rooting Medium For Aloe Vera Cutting Propagation

You can use a cactus or succulent potting mix, Or you can make your own potting mix by mixing potting soil with river sand or perlite or pumice in equal amount.

Container for Aloe Cutting Propagation

Select a container that has many drainage holes to drain extra water. Fill the pot with the rooting medium. Lightly moisten the soil.

Rooting Hormone: Some recommend to apply rooting hormone on the nodes of aloe Vera cutting for the best results. But that is not necessary, aloe Vera itself is a good natural rooting hormone (aloe Vera gel rooting hormone).

1. Now plant the cutting. Make a hole in the soil large enough to hold the the entire stem. Gently press the soil around the cutting to hold it in place.
2. Do not water again.
3. You can enclose the pot in a polythene bag and seal it to create a mini-greenhouse.
4. Place the pot at a warm and bright place away from direct sunlight. You can place the pot indoors in a bright location if the outdoor temperature is low.
5. Keep the soil on the dry side, spray some water only if the top 1 inch soil is dry. If you have enclosed the pot in a bag, then watering may not needed for 4-5 weeks.
6. When the aloe Vera cutting be rooted? The aloe cuttings should take roots in 4 to 8 weeks after planting and you will see new leaves emerging from the soil.
7. You can open the bag, once you see new leaves growing.

Aloe Vera cutting propagated without roots. A: Cuttings without roots, B: Roots grown on the cutting

Video of how make Aloe Vera Gel Rooting Hormone