Alien

One of the intriguing things about succulents is the multiple ways they can reproduce, including by making clones of themselves. I've only been collecting succulents for a short time, but it started with a Jade plant that had three stems. One of the stems was damaged, so I lopped that part off and stuck the top into soil. It took more than a month, but eventually it developed roots and seems to be sending out top growth.

But with many succulents, you don't need a stem, just a leaf. I have tried to sprout Jade leaves, but have had no success yet. The Pachyphytum Little Jewel plant lost a lot of leaves inside the box during shipping. About 10 of them are sending out roots, but no new leaves yet. The leaf that has developed both roots and little leaves is this one. I don't know what it is, but maybe will be able to tell when it grows up. This is just 1/4 inch across, but it has grown noticeably in the past few days.

The recent plant order was disappointing with the damaged Echeveria Rainbow and the death's door Pachyphytum Apricot Beauty. What is it about Pachyphytums? They don't seem to ship well. But I have no complaints about the two Echeveria Purpusorums from that order. They are progressing from nice to spectacular. Succulents send out stalks, sometimes new rosettes and sometimes flowers. If it is a new rosette, it can be chopped off, stuck in soil, and grow as a clone of the old plant. I'm not sure whether this Purpusorum is sending up a rosette or a flower stalk, but it reminds me of the movie "Alien." You know the scene.

This Purpusorum is the centerpiece of the Bonsai Bowl. It is the only one of the six plants in the bowl that has an ID. Two of the unknowns also are sending out stalks. On the right, the one I am calling Gratosomething has a new rosette growing from one side. At upper left, the one of the presumed Echeverias is sending out what might be a flower stalk.

Later that evening: I was doing one last sweep through the garage before lights out and noted that the other Purpusorum (which has its own pot) also is sending up a stalk, and the mate to the green Echeveria (located in the Home Depot Bowl) has not one but two stalks. I also I noticed this green leaf in the Montage Bowl between the Cocoon Plants, which are very white. So I dug it out, and found little leaves and roots attached to the big leaf. It is a loose leaf that sprouted. Because of the color I'm not sure it is a Cocoon Plant, but it is in its own 4-inch pot in my office now to await further developments. Internet research indicates Cocoon Plants always have a fuzzy white/gray covering, so this might be something else that fell in there.