A cute companion to its' cousin, L. socialis, and multiplies much more quickly.

Yesterday I was thinking these looked a little tight.


I started pulling out L. kirkii bulbs that were nowhere near touching the soil, and after about 10 minutes, I had at least 100 little bulbs. The socialis side is hardly multiplying at all by comparison. For those who have or have had both, does this match your experience?

Yes, it clearly does. I will try to remember to get a photo of my pot. I often wonder how moisture can get to the soil as the surface is so packed with bulbs.

purpleinopp said:A cute companion to its' cousin, L. socialis, and multiplies much more quickly.

Yesterday I was thinking these looked a little tight.


I started pulling out L. kirkii bulbs that were nowhere near touching the soil, and after about 10 minutes, I had at least 100 little bulbs. The socialis side is hardly multiplying at all by comparison. For those who have or have had both, does this match your experience?

Yes, same here.
I have them in a community pot, they do root and multiply quite easily. I haven't had this problem yet, my plant is 1.5 years old.

It arrived in late novemeber and was wilty from the cold, but after a few hours in a warm water spa-- I mean, bath, they recovered very quickly.

They do seem tough! : )

I've decided I can't devote indoor space to these bulbs anymore and put them in the ground a couple months ago. I think I sent some of them to somebody, but the rest have been grounded. LOL! Not as punishment but because they seem to be able to handle it. I tried this before but I chose a spot where too many leaves fall. This time I put them where they should remain bare.

In my experience socialis is more prolific. The degree of proliferation is definitely limited by pot size, so a bigger (wider) pot will allow more of it. Maybe my observations are colored by that, I haven't tried all possible permutations. Another difference is that the bulb of socialis is above the soil, while the bulb of kirkii is in the soil, at least on the plants that I have.

To be honest the proliferation of socialis is a little excessive for me. I wouldn't mind if it were a quarter as fast. I end up breaking clumps on a yearly basis (starting from a single bulb each time, ending up with a congested 6 inch pot) in order to continue using a smaller size of pot. Fortunately there are always takers for the bulbs because the foliage is pretty and the plant is super easy for succulent growers.

My kirkii bulbs are planted slightly above the soil.

I always put mine in soil, but they push themselves out. They're welcome to spread as much as they want in the ground. If I want to put something else where they are, it would be so easy to scoop a bunch of them out.

Leaf comparison of the plants that I have ...

My kirkii looks like purpleinopp's, the dots on the leaf are smaller and not as pronounced

I just leave my socialis congested. For years. It's very crowded, but shortly after it goes back outdoors in the spring begins to look good again. I think after so much crowding for so long, the increasing slows down. I've found it nearly impossible to give away. Don't know why.