How can you tell a succulent's health status from its appearance?

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Images and text: Curator

The growth state of succulents is the issue new growers care about most. When they feel their succulent is not growing well, they almost wish they could dig it out to take a look or ask the succulent, "What's wrong with you?" In fact, you can judge a succulent's health by the plumpness of its leaves, the growth condition of the leaf center, the color and the growth vigor. Learning some basic knowledge about succulents is helpful for getting started with succulent care.

1

Wrinkled leaves

Observing a succulent's leaves is very important. A lot of information can be observed from the leaves of a succulent. The cutting below is definitely short of water, but after watering, its condition still has not recovered after 2-3 days. This shows that the root system has not grown well yet. When there are not many roots, the succulent absorbs very poorly, and even if there is enough water in the soil, it cannot absorb it. At this point, you can further analyze your soil mix. If there is no problem with the soil mix either, then just wait!

By no means should you pull the succulent out to check just because you are suspicious. Succulents grow relatively slowly, so their recovery speed is also very slow. A cutting in poor condition like this will look different after about 3 months. Of course, the temperature must be above 15°C, otherwise the recovery time will be even longer.

2

Growth information

In the image below, the center leaves of the Black Prince turning green is growth information, indicating that the succulent has started growing and that water is relatively sufficient, so there is no need to water for a short time. Continue observing and decide what to do based on the succulents' latest condition.

3

Judging status by color

The situation below is very strange. In the same pot, the Fuzzy Needle succulents are in different states. Last autumn, the one on the left was still green, while the one on the right remained a very beautiful red.

Red is not a healthy color. After entering winter, the green succulent still maintained a plump state and grew slowly, while the red one entered a dormant recovery state. After the color faded, it became very unattractive. However, if you observe carefully (see the image), you will find that the center of the Fuzzy Needle's leaves still has some green, so there is no need to worry.

Just keep waiting! Once the weather warms up in spring, their condition will improve!

There are many reasons for this. Although they are planted in the same pot and their daily care is the same, the plants' own health conditions are different, causing a huge difference, just like a healthy child and a sick child living in the same room.

4

Etiolation - growth

There are also many different states of etiolation, but overall, etiolation shows that the plant is still growing normally. Compared with succulents that are not growing and have wrinkled leaves, it is much, much healthier. Etiolation should only count as sub-health!

The Afterglow and Fuji in the two images below are obvious cases of etiolation. The cause is too much water, but this is not a bad phenomenon. As long as there is sufficient sunlight at home, and you increase sunlight time and continue watering in later care, the succulents will become plump and thick.

By no means should you think this etiolation is bad and stop watering, because at this time the succulents are in their growing period. If you cut off water at this time, growth will slow down, and it will be relatively difficult to make the succulents plump and thick.

5

Etiolation - shaping

The etiolation of the Rainbow Jade in the image below is the most common. There are generally two ways to handle it: the blue X is removing leaves for leaf propagation, and the red is cutting off stems for cuttings.

Choosing to remove leaves for leaf propagation can keep the succulent growing in this state, and later it will become what is called an "old stump." The red cutting method is what everyone often does - after drying the wound of the cut part, it can be replanted as a new cutting. At the same time, multiple new shoots will sprout from the cut position, and later there will be more and more. When encountering this kind of etiolation, you can appropriately reduce the amount of watering, lengthen the watering interval, and increase sunlight time. If it is warm enough outdoors where conditions allow, move it outdoors to feel the breath of nature! It will recover very quickly.

6

Not etiolation

The situation with the White Peony in the image below does not count as etiolation. Everyone must not misunderstand etiolation as simply growing longer and longer. Plants, well, growing longer and longer is normal. Only plants that do not grow have problems!

Basically, this counts as having become an old stump. If you want to shape it separately, you can dig out a single plant, remove some of the lower leaves, and pair it with a pot you like. In this way, you can create a very perfect small potted succulent arrangement!

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