How to Propagate an Octopus Agave

Cutting Propagation

1). Select a healthy leaf from a well-established octopus agave to cut. Choose a leaf with no scarring, soft spots or seeping wounds.
2). Cut a 6-inch portion from the tip of the leaf using bypass pruners or a utility knife sanitized with hydrogen peroxide. Make the cut at a 45-degree angle.
3). Lay the cutting on a flat surface and trim the end so it is square. Coat the end of the cutting with elemental sulfur and place it in a dry place with bright, indirect light until the end becomes hard and appears calloused. Callousing may take up to five weeks for octopus agave but it is necessary to prompt proper rooting.
4). Fill a 1-gallon plastic nursery pot with succulent potting mix, or make your own by combing equal parts compost and perlite. Moisten the potting mix to 6 inches and allow it to drain for 30 minutes before inserting the cutting.
5). Create a hole in the center of the mix corresponding to one-third the length of the cutting; for instance, a 6-inch cutting requires a 2-inch hole. Insert the calloused end of the cutting into the hole and press the soil around it until it is sturdy.
6). Place the potted cutting in a bright location protected from direct sunlight, such as on a southeast-facing porch or under a tree providing high, light shade. Apply 1 inch of water to the cutting every other day.
7). Check the cutting for new growth after 45 days by looking for increased girth and height. Plant the octopus agave outdoors in a sunny, well-draining bed the following year.

1). Fill a 1-gallon nursery pot with succulent soil mix or equal parts compost and perlite. Moisten it to a depth of 6 inches and allow the mix to drain for at least 30 minutes so it is damp but not soggy.
2). Locate viable pups on a mature octopus agave by looking around the base of the plant. Choose well-developed pups with good color and plump leaves.
3). Gently scrape away the soil between the pup to the parent plant using the dull edge of a utility knife to reveal the connecting stem. Slice the stem approximately 1/2-inch from the base of the pup and trim the filament roots until 1/8-inch remains.
4). Insert the end of the pup into the potting mix up to the bottom of the leaves. Lightly tamp the soil around the base of the pup.
5). Place the pups in a protected spot with bright, indirect light and where nighttime temperatures do not drop below 65 degrees F. Apply 1 inch of water every other day.