You can conduct Eve’s needle propagation by cuttings, divisions, offsets and seeds . If you have just one beautiful Eve’s needle plant and wish to make multiple plants of them, propagating them would be one fine way of doing that.
What is Eve’s needle ?
Eve’s pin or Eve’s needle is a spectacular plant which would catch anybody’s attention. Austrocylindropuntia subulate is the scientific name of these plants.
They are native plants to South America and you can commonly find them in Bolivia and in Argentina as well.
These plants would be great picks for a home garden. Eve’s needle plants are perennial plants, and they usually would form in shrubs.
They would rise to a maximum height of 13 feet when they fully grow in the natural wild. However, when you cultivate them, they would only reach a maximum height of 24-30 inches only.
Eve’s needle plant develops leaves which would tend to look like awls. Those leaves would be pointed in shape and rudimentary.
They would be about 5 inches ( 12 cm) long. Chances are that they may carry one or two spines as well. Those spines would be slender, strong.
Besides they may carry hues in yellow and in gray, white. They would produce flowers during summer in red, orange or in pink colors. Further those flowers will form into fruit types as well. Those fruits would be thorny and tend to look like club-like capsules.
Eve’s needle propagation by cutting
Many people tend to propagate the Eve’s needle by using the stem cuttings rather than using the other methods.
It is in fact an easy process. Having said that , you need to ensure that you do it correctly as chances are that it may go wrong sometimes.
However, if you wish to use the cutting method to propagate the Eve’s needle plants, best is to take multiple cuttings and then do it so that you will have a better chance of succeeding with that.
Further you need to propagate them only if they are vigorous and the best season to start these proceedings would be spring.
- To start off, you need to first arrange a sharp clean knife and take some cuttings from Eve’s needle cactus base.
- When you take multiple cuttings, you can place them on a paper towel for a couple of days and then allow them to wither a bit.
- After that you can place them in a soil mix which is fast draining.
- Next, arrange a larger container in which you have filled it with a fresh cactus soil mix.
- Next you can place the cuttings in it.
- After that place the specimen in a warm dry shady brightly lit place.
- You may consider watering them lightly until they start developing small roots.
- Refrain from over watering them here.
Eve’s needle propagation by division
You can consider propagating Eve’s needle through stem division as well.
It is also an easy way of propagating the Eve’s needle cactus. Eve’s needle plant pads will start developing roots faster once they are placed in a well-draining soil mix.
Do they produce seeds?
Eve’s needle does produce seeds. Further you can use them for propagation as well.
This is also another common way of propagating the Eve’s needle cactus. You can conduct the seeds propagation during the end of spring.
You can simply sow them in a well-draining soil layer and expose them to a temperature of 21 degrees Celsius.
Ensure the soil layer you are using is a mixture of peat, sand . Those conditions would be optimal for the germination process. They would complete the germination within three months.
Do they produce offsets?
Yes. They produce offsets. You can use those offsets to make a new plant.
First you have to let the offset grow to 1 – 2 inches. Then carefully loose the soil around the offset. Next carefully remove the offset from the soil.
After that you can plant the offset in a new pot and let them grow.
How to treat after propagation
How to water the Eve’s needle cactus well
Eve’s needle has water conserved in their trunk as well as in their branches. As such they can stand drought conditions for prolonged periods.
Furthermore, you need to supply them water depending on the area where you have grown them , and on the season.
Literally, if there is a lower temperature, you can water them less. If there are lapses in the way you water them, these plants may tend to notify you from different signs.
For example, if you had over-watered the plants, you would see how they develop brown or back spots on the plants.
On the other hand, if your precious Eve’s needle cactus is running out of sufficient water, they would tend to shrivel up and lose the firmness they usually have.
You should keep in mind to check the soil moisture before every watering. If you think their substrate is dry, you can consider giving them a proper drink of water.
Furthermore, ensure that you grow them in a pot which has ample draining as it goes hand in hand with proper watering.
You cannot reap the best results of proper watering if you grow them in a poor draining pot. Once you complete watering the plants, you need to allow the excess water to move through.
Next , remove the excess water from the tray so that it would avoid enhancing the humidity level around the plants.
Sunlight and the temperature requirement of the Eve’s needle
Eve’s needle also has a stronger demand in terms of sunlight when you compare them with the rest of other cacti and succulents.
As such, you need to expose them to plenty of sunlight especially during summer once they are actively growing.
The growth hormone would be potent during this period. Although they are categorized as slow growing plants, if you expose them to proper sunlight levels, it will allow the plants to grow vigorously.
However, if you have kept them indoors for some time and want to bring them outdoors, ensure that you do it at a gradual pace.
Start exposing them to partial shade first and slowly expose them to full sunlight. It would be beneficial for the Eve’s needle cactus’ vigorous growth as well as for the enchanting looks of them.
The less exposure for sunlight would result in the stunt growth of the Eve’s needle cactus. Although these are adapted to grow in drought conditions, they can bear the frosting conditions also.
As such best would be to grow them in containers and bring them indoors once the temperature drops. They can survive in the room temperatures during winter.
In other words, Eve’s needle cannot withstand temperatures below 25 degrees Fahrenheit.
When you grow them indoors, they can survive with the regular room temperature. However, ensure that you place them near a bright sunny windowsill.
If you find it difficult to supply the required sunlight for the Eve’s needle cactus , best is to shift them outdoors and expose them to direct sunlight for 2-6 hours on a daily basis.
Having said that, do not expose them to intense sunlight especially during a heat wave, as it could result in scorches in the plants. It would make the plants less attractive to you.
Further those spots would remain in the plant forever.
Feeding requirements of the Eve’s needle cactus
Eve’s needle does not depend a lot on fertilizers. Having said that, you should not neglect it either.
Ideally you need to consider feeding the plants during their active growing season as it would be helpful to stimulate the growth. I recommend using a mature teat and diluted fish emulsion to feed them lightly.
Besides, you may also use a balanced liquid fertilizer which would also supply the necessary nutrients for Eve’s needle cactus.
That will allow them to maintain their green foliage during the tough months. Moreover, the fertilizer you chose for them should contain a ratio of 15-15-15. If you end up over feeding the plants, chances are that it would result in feed burns in the plants.
Soil requirement of the Eve’s needle cactus
Eve’s needle would perform well in a soil mix which has an excellent drainage just like the other cactus/ succulents.
Moreover, you may consider adding 30 % of pumice into your potting mix as they are effective in absorbing the excess moisture.
Consequently, it would avoid any potential root rot which could take place.
Moreover, you may also top dress their soil with organic material so that it will provide extra nutrients in addition to enhancing the draining of the soil mix.
If you do not wish to make a fast-draining soil mix on your own, you may consider proceeding with a commercially available succulent soil mix or with a cactus soil mix.
If not, you can make a soil mix on your own by mixing 2 parts of sand, and one part of peat moss into a regular potting mix.
Right pot to grow the Eve’s needle cactus
Ensure that you are choosing a pot which has ample drainage to grow the Eve’s needle so that excess moisture will not retain in the pot.
Furthermore, I recommend using a porous pot for them as they would help the excess moisture to evaporate faster.
Conclusion
If you look after the precious Eve’s needle cactus well, you will be amazed by the enchanting looks they would come up with.
They have a low demand in terms of the care treatments, and anybody would want to own these little cuties in their outdoor garden collection. They would be great additions for your indoor garden collection as well.
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