How to Prune Succulents in 3 Easy Steps
Pruning is an annual task that can keep your plants healthy. This short guide by succulent expert Rachel Garcia tells you when and how to prune succulents!
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Fresh from the store, succulents are neat and compact. But over time, leaves die, stems grow, and things can start to look a little unruly. That’s where maintenance comes in. With proper pruning, succulents can stay just as tidy as the day you bought them.
Since they are slow-growing, succulents don’t need frequent trimming—once a year at most, plus the occasional emergency trim. The process is simple but makes a huge difference!
Why is Pruning Necessary?
Pruning succulents isn’t absolutely necessary, but it’s always a good idea because of its many benefits. Succulents that are pruned every year or two tend to grow stronger, healthier, and faster. Visually, trimming helps declutter and refresh their appearance.
Each time you prune, look for the following to trim:
- Dead or dying leaves/pads
- Abnormal growth
- Stems outgrowing the pot
- Etiolated (stretched) stems
- Dead flower stalks
If part of your succulent is dying from rot or disease, it should be pruned immediately. The rest can be trimmed as part of regular maintenance once a year.
Necessary Materials
To prune succulents, you’ll need the following:
- Pruning shears
- Tweezers
- A tray for clippings
- Rubbing alcohol or soap
Trimming cactus like Euphorbia can be dangerous due to toxic sap. We strongly recommend wearing gloves for these species.
How to Prune Succulents
Pruning is simple once you know what you’re doing. We’ve broken it down into three steps for you:
Step 1: Plan
The first step is to plan your pruning session. The best time to prune depends on the type of succulent you have.
Flowering succulents should be pruned while dormant, after their blooms have faded. This allows them to recover before the growing season so they can put all their energy into flowering again.
Non-flowering succulents should be pruned right before the growing season. This ensures that stored energy goes directly into new growth.
Step 2: Trim
Before you start pruning, clean your shears with rubbing alcohol or a bleach solution. If using bleach, use one part bleach to nine parts water. Choose a plant to start with and determine what type of pruning you’ll be doing.
Stem Pruning
Focus on the stems if you’re pruning due to oversized growth, flower stalks, or etiolation (stretched-out stems). Choose a cutting spot just above a leaf or stem node, as this is where new growth will emerge and keep your plant healthy.
Cut the stem at a 45° angle, making a clean cut without crushing it. Over time, the remaining stem will develop new shoots or rosettes from the cut.
Dead or Dying Leaves
It’s completely normal for the lower leaves of succulents to die as they age. You can wait for them to fall off by themselves or remove them once you notice they’re dying. Leaves that are dying due to rot or another disease must be removed immediately. If left alone, the disease can quickly spread to the rest of the plant.
To remove leaves, simply pluck them off by hand. Cactus pads can be broken off as well. However, never remove just one section of a leaf or pad. If a single part is damaged, the whole thing will have to go.
If dead leaves or debris are wedged between the branches, retrieve them with tweezers. This is especially helpful when trimming an aloe plant.
Abnormal or Excessive Growth
Whether your succulent is getting too big or has that one weird branch, it’s an easy fix. You can shape your plant and train it to grow the way you want. This works best with bushy succulents that have multiple stems.
If part of your succulent is more sparse than the rest, clip back the stems there. It seems counterproductive at first, but it pays off. The plant will direct its energy to new growth in that area, eventually filling it out.
New growth will shoot out in the direction of the cut stem. Make your cut with this in mind, especially if the stem is wavy. Also, don’t get carried away with the pruning! Don’t remove more than ⅓ of the plant at a time.
Step 3: Preserve
Once your succulent is all fixed up, the wounds need to heal. Don’t water the plant until the cuts dry and ‘scab’ over. If you don’t allow them to dry, they can easily start to rot. Clean up any plant material that’s lying on the soil. Not only does debris look messy, it will also attract pests.
Instead of throwing away the castoff cuttings, use them for propagation if they’re healthy. Just trim them to the right length, let them dry, and stick them in the soil. Mist the cuttings with a spray bottle until they’ve established roots.
Now that you know the best way to go about pruning succulents, you should do so every year or two. Keep plants looking fresh in between trims by cleaning up debris and removing dead leaves. You can even top the soil with pretty pebbles for a cleaner look.
