Pretty succulent plant advice needed.
March 7, 2012 7:22 AM Subscribe
What type of succulent flowering plant is this, why are the leaves drying up at the ends and how do I keep it alive?
It has little red flowers, which are turning dull and drooping, and the ends of the leaves are drying up and wrinkling. My dorm room is very, very warm - might that be the problem?
I've been instructed not to over-water it, but to make sure that the soil feels moist, which it does. What do I do?
It has little red flowers, which are turning dull and drooping, and the ends of the leaves are drying up and wrinkling. My dorm room is very, very warm - might that be the problem?
I've been instructed not to over-water it, but to make sure that the soil feels moist, which it does. What do I do?
Kalanchoe!
I have one that I rescued a few years ago from some friends who were moving away. It had lots of brown, crumbly leaves. I gave it a bigger pot and water once a week; so far the leaves have more or less stopped turning brown. Maybe someone else can chime in with more helpful advice re: room temperature.
posted by janepanic at 7:32 AM on March 7, 2012
I have one that I rescued a few years ago from some friends who were moving away. It had lots of brown, crumbly leaves. I gave it a bigger pot and water once a week; so far the leaves have more or less stopped turning brown. Maybe someone else can chime in with more helpful advice re: room temperature.
posted by janepanic at 7:32 AM on March 7, 2012
Best answer: More specifically, it's a Kalanchoe blossfeldiana and my instinct is that you're overwatering it in frequency, not in quantity. Let the soil dry out between waterings, this is not a plant that likes damp roots.
posted by lydhre at 7:32 AM on March 7, 2012
posted by lydhre at 7:32 AM on March 7, 2012
That, I believe is a Kalanchoe (upon preview, along with everyone else). I have a few of these on my south-facing windowsill that are doing well. The greenhouse tag says they like bright light, moderately dry soil, moderate home temperature of 18-21 degrees Celsius (66F - so yes, it's a little warm for them, but it's likely a combination of things).
You can prune your stems that have already flowered back now, just above the bottom blossoms. Only water it once a week, make sure it's well drained, and give it a rest in a darker area to stimulate it to bloom again. Mine get rather ignored. They're pretty tough - you may be loving it too much. When they look raggedy, I cut them way down, pull off the larger crappy-looking leaves and they're fine in a few weeks. As soon as we get better weather in Toronto, they're some of the first to go out on the porch.
posted by peagood at 7:35 AM on March 7, 2012 [2 favorites]
You can prune your stems that have already flowered back now, just above the bottom blossoms. Only water it once a week, make sure it's well drained, and give it a rest in a darker area to stimulate it to bloom again. Mine get rather ignored. They're pretty tough - you may be loving it too much. When they look raggedy, I cut them way down, pull off the larger crappy-looking leaves and they're fine in a few weeks. As soon as we get better weather in Toronto, they're some of the first to go out on the porch.
posted by peagood at 7:35 AM on March 7, 2012 [2 favorites]
If you have a water softener for your tap water, don't use that. A lot of plants can cope with it, but some simply cannot... in my experience, succulents tend to be more sensitive than other plants.
Try switching to rain water or bottled water and see if that helps.
posted by ErikaB at 1:27 PM on March 7, 2012
Try switching to rain water or bottled water and see if that helps.
posted by ErikaB at 1:27 PM on March 7, 2012
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posted by lydhre at 7:27 AM on March 7, 2012