Propagating Jovibarba heuffelii

A Unique and Different Type of Succulent

The 'Huffies' as they're called, or Jovibarba heuffelii, are so different in the way they grow that it's worth finding out more about propagating them.

Sign up for the FREE monthly newsletter;

Click here to sign up for Xeria E-Zine!

Unlike some of the other Jovibarba species, huffies grow in a cluster of crowns, sometimes getting quite large. 

The fact that the roots are very fleshy and thick makes the clump rise up off the ground, and because of the size of the roots (and the fact that they grow much like a carrot) they need deeper soil than most other types of succulents which have fine fibrous root systems.

The colors of Jovibarba heuffelii are rich and intense; reds, maroons, purple, aquamarine blue and some even come in a golden yellow. 

They are unique in the hardy succulent world - I've been amazed at how tough they are, withstanding very cold and snowy winters with ease.  Even getting completely immersed in water and then frozen, something that will kill off many other types of even supposedly hardy succulents doesn't faze them.

Here's the way to propagate them.  It's a different method than any other of the similar kinds of plants, because they don't produce chicks or pups like their cousins, Sempervivum or other Jovibarba species.

The roots are soft like a carrot that's been in storage too long; kind of rubbery.  Start making the cut between two of the crowns with a sharp pointed knife, then tear it the rest of the way by hand.

Each of these sections will make a whole new plant.  In time, say two to three years from this surgical procedure, they too will start to split.

This lovely specimen of Jovibarba heuffelii is in need of separating - when they overflow the edges of their pot and fill the soil with roots, it's time.

Bronze and chartreuse foliage make Jovibarba heuffelii 'Sundancer' stand out

The varieties of Jovibarba heuffelii, to maintain their characteristics, have to be propagated this way - by seed, they lose their traits, and you get a whole different hybrid.

Jovibarba heuffelii 'Sundancer' in need of propagating

Once the big tap root fills the pot and reaches the bottom of it, that's when the crowns start to separate. 

You can leave them to form a colony if you like, but if you want more of this variety, you have to split the crown.

The crown of Jovibarba heuffelii 'Sundancer' splitting

Use a sharp knife or razor to get the cut started, then pull them apart the rest of the way.  This allows the cut to follow the cells and not cut through them, minimizing damage where rot can form.

The separated crowns of Jovibarba heuffelii 'Sundancer' - four plants from one!

Each new plant should be potted into DRY soil (don't water them) and left to callous. In a week or so, water thoroughly when bone dry.  These plants are hardy and should be left outdoors all winter.

Jovibarba heuffelii

Hardy Succulents

Winter Hardy Succulents

Propagation by Division

Succulent Plant Propagation

Propagation Tools

My Sedum and Succulent Nursery

Succulent Soil

Plant Collecting Tools

Want your succulents to survive the winter?  Learn how to bring them indoors and be happy and healthy with this free e-course;  Fill in your name and email address on the form below to enroll!

Winterizing Succulents E-Course

This Form cannot be submitted until the missing fields (labelled below in red) have been filled in
How can I keep my Succulents happy for the winter? Find out here!
Please note that all fields followed by an asterisk must be filled in.
First Name*
Country*	CountryUnited StatesCanada----------------AfghanistanAlbaniaAlgeriaAmerican SamoaAndorraAngolaAnguillaAntarcticaAntiguaArgentinaArmeniaArubaAustraliaAustriaAzerbaijanBahamasBahrainBangladeshBarbadosBelarusBelgiumBelizeBeninBermudaBhutanBoliviaBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswanaBouvet IslandBrazilBritish Indian Ocean TerritoryBritish Virgin IslandsBruneiBulgariaBurkina FasoBurundiCambodiaCameroonCape VerdeCayman IslandsCentral African RepublicChadChileChinaChristmas IslandCocos IslandsColombiaComorosCongoCook IslandsCosta RicaCroatiaCubaCyprusCzech RepublicDenmarkDjiboutiDominicaDominican RepublicEast TimorEcuadorEgyptEl SalvadorEquatorial GuineaEritreaEstoniaEthiopiaFalkland IslandsFaroe IslandsFijiFinlandFranceFrench GuianaFrench PolynesiaFrench Southern TerritoriesGabonGambiaGeorgiaGermanyGhanaGibraltarGreeceGreenlandGrenadaGrenadaGuamGuatemalaGuineaGuinea-BissauGuyanaHaitiHeard and McDonald IslandsHondurasHong KongHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIranIraqIrelandIsraelItalyIvory CoastJamaicaJapanJordanKazakhstanKenyaKiribadiNorth KoreaSouth KoreaKuwaitKyrgyzstanLaosLatviaLebanonLesothoLiberiaLibyaLiechtensteinLithuaniaLuxembourgMacaoMacedoniaMadagascarMalawiMalaysiaMaldivesMaliMaltaMarshall IslandsMartiniqueMauritaniaMauritiusMayotteMexicoFederated States of MicronesiaMoldovaMonacoMongoliaMontserratMoroccoMontenegroMozambiqueMyanmarNamibiaNauruNepalNetherlandsNetherlands AntillesNew CaledoniaNew ZealandNicaraguaNigerNigeriaNiueNorfolk IslandNorthern Mariana IslandsNorwayOmanPakistanPalauPanamaPapua New GuineaParaguayPeruPhilippinesPitcairn IslandPolandPortugalPuerto RicoQatarReunionRomaniaRussiaRwandaS. Georgia and S. Sandwich Isls.Saint Kitts and NevisSaint LuciaSaint Vincent and the GrenadinesSamoaSan MarinoSao Tome and PrincipeSaudi ArabiaSenegalSerbiaSeychellesSierra LeoneSingaporeSlovakiaSloveniaSolomon IslandsSomaliaSouth AfricaSpainSri LankaSt. HelenaSt. Pierre and MiquelonSudanSurinameSvalbardSwazilandSwedenSwitzerlandSyriaTaiwanTajikistanTanzaniaThailandTogoTokelauTongaTrinidad and TobagoTunisiaTurkeyTurkmenistanTurks and Caicos IslandsTuvaluU.S. Minor Outlying IslandsUgandaUkraineUnited Arab EmiratesUnited KingdomUruguayUzbekistanVanuatuVatican CityVenezuelaVietnamUS Virgin IslandsWallis and Futuna IslandsWestern SaharaYemenYugoslavia (former)ZaireZambiaZimbabwe
E-Mail Address*
Please put your email address again: (make sure it's right!)
	Subscribe to Newsletter
GDPR*	I am at least 16 years of age. I have read and accept the privacy policy. I understand that you will use my information to contact me or send me the information I requested.
Please enter the word that you see below.

---

---

---

---