4 Main Reasons Succulents "Wear Skirts", "Spread Like Pancakes" and Turn Into "Aunties"

Some beginners, while caring for succulents, notice that as time goes by, the originally tightly packed leaves slowly spread out flat in all directions, and some even droop downward, looking listless and very unattractive. We generally call the flat-spreading phenomenon "spreading like a pancake", and the downward-drooping state "wearing a skirt". In fact, both "spreading like a pancake" and "wearing a skirt" are signs of succulents becoming leggy. Below, Xiaojingzhi Life will learn together with you about the causes and solutions for succulents "spreading like a pancake" and "wearing a skirt".

1. The recovery period

Some succulents bought online have their leaves wrapped up when you receive the package, but a few days after potting, you will find the leaves have spread open. This is because after being bare-rooted, the succulent enters a semi-dormant state to protect itself, and its leaves wrap tightly around themselves; after potting, it enters the recovery period and begins to wake up and grow, so the leaves spread open, and after the recovery period the situation will improve.

2. Normal growing season

During the normal growing season of succulents, if the care conditions are very suitable for rapid growth, then the succulent will show a slight spreading-open phenomenon while growing quickly. If you want the succulent to grow quickly, then this spreading like a pancake is harmless; if you have high requirements for a compact form, then you can control water and give it plenty of sun and be strict with it.

3. Too much water and too little light

Overwatering or insufficient light is a small mistake beginners often make, and the usual result is that the leaves begin to spread open, the leaf centers turn white, the leaf color becomes lighter, and the upper and lower leaves feel sparse and uncoordinated. At this point it is spreading like a pancake; if left unattended for a long time, the succulent's stem may become thin, tender and long, which is becoming leggy. The way to avoid this situation is also water control + plenty of light.

4. Sudden exposure to strong sun

But if you discover the third situation and then want to improve it in a hurry, so you take the succulent out of the low-light environment and suddenly expose it to strong sun, then the leaves will get sunburned and turn downward, "wearing a skirt". This is because a succulent that has always been in a shady place cannot suddenly accept strong sun exposure, and can only gradually increase light step by step. Once this situation occurs, it is basically irreversible, and you can only give normal water control and sufficient light, wait for the sunburned old leaves to slowly be used up, and the new leaves at the top to grow out, and then it will be fine. The process is relatively long and requires patience.

Actually, generally speaking, the way to prevent and recover from succulents "wearing skirts" and "spreading like pancakes" is water control and sufficient light, but note one point: a leggy succulent is irreversible, and you can only wait until the leggy leaves are used up on their own and new leaves grow out, and only under suitable conditions will the plant regain a compact shape.

The above was compiled and published by Xiaojingzhi Life, and we hope it is helpful to you.