Why Do Succulents Die So Easily in Summer? A Roundup of Varieties Prone to Dying

Growing succulents in summer is like a trial by ordeal, with high temperatures, heavy rain and muggy heat bombarding them in turn. One careless moment and they turn to mush or rot. Below, let us introduce a few succulents that easily die in summer.

1.Mountain Rose (Greenovia aurea)

Mountain Roseenters dormancy in the summer heat, and its leaves wrap tightly together in a rose shape; it looks withered but is actually dormant.

Cause of death: watering during dormancy easily rots the core; every watering kills it once.

Solution: cut off water and fertilizer, place it in a cool, ventilated spot to "play dead," and wait until autumn to wake it up.

2.Bear's Paw (Cotyledon tomentosa)

Bear's Paw has thick, fleshy leaves densely covered in fine fuzz, shaped like little bear paws; when the temperature difference is large, the leaf tips turn red, making it adorable and eye-catching.

Cause of death: the fuzzy leaves turn to mush and drop off when they get wet, leaving a completely bare stem.

Solution: strictlyshade it andcontrol water, giving a small amount of water along the edge of the pot with a narrow-spout watering can.

3. Haworthia cooperi

Haworthia cooperi leaves are transparent or semi-transparent, forming plump window-like structures; when light passes through, they are crystal clear and highly ornamental.

Cause of death: scorching sun turns it gray and shriveled, and a muggy, wet environment directly rots the roots and turns it to mush.

Solution: grow it in diffused light, and at night cover it with a plastic cup fortime-limited humid growing30minutesto retain moisture.

4.Living Stones (Lithops)

Living Stones look strikingly like pebbles and are called "flowering stones"; they renew their growth by shedding their skin.

Cause of death: watering in summer easily causes internal rot, and watering during the skin-shedding period makes the new plant grow leggy or die.

Solution: cut off water completely and keep the potting soil dry.

5.Baby's Fingers (Pachyphytum 'Baby Fingers')

Baby's Fingers has thick, fleshy leaves shaped like a baby's fingers, with leaf color ranging from pale green to pink.

Cause of death: high temperature and high humidity in summer easily cause black rot, and its resistance is relatively weak.

Solution: use a gritty soil mix with good air permeability, and place it in a cool, ventilated spot.

6.White Peony (Graptoveria 'Titubans')

White Peony is a hybrid of Graptopetalum paraguayense and Echeveria derenbergii; its leaves are spoon-shaped, covered with a white powder, and grayish-white in color.

Cause of death: in summer it is prone to powdery mildew and black spot disease, and overwatering easily causes leggy growth and root rot.

Solution: regularly spray with a fungicide as a preventive measure, strictly control water, and increase light exposure.

Emergency Guide for Black Rot and Turning to Mush:

1.Emergency treatment: if you find leaves with black rot or turning to mush,behead it immediately. Use sharp scissors to cut away the diseased part, keeping the healthy stem and leaves.

2.Wound care: applycarbendazim powder to the cut, and place it in a cool, ventilated spot to dry for1-2days, until the wound is completely dry.

3.Replanting: use a brand-newsmall-diameter pot+gritty soil; the old soil and pot must be thoroughly disinfected or discarded to avoid a second infection.

4.Follow-up care: after potting,do not water and leave it to rest in diffused light; after1-2weeks, give a small amount of water along the edge of the pot and observe whether new roots have grown.