You can only wait and see. It's a succulent, like a jade, and only needs water now every 6 wks til spring. It's called Portulacaria afra.

It's a Portulacaria afra. I bought a new pot today that's much smaller and allows me to water from below. It was definitely retaining too much water in the last pot. It was a few weeks ago I last watered it and it was STILL very damp in the bottom. The root "mass" I can't say it was much of a ball, was not very large so the pot is downsized. I didn't water it after I replanted. Hopefully it can dry a little and then I can water it minimally. So, every 6 weeks? I can handle that.

Here is what it looks like at the moment. It's it in the new pot in these photos. A lot of the branches were cut back yesterday. I left the ones that had any leaves long.

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It does look like a case of overwatering. I keep this species in an unglazed clay pot to help the soil dry out faster. Also, what soil mix did you use? I'd recommend you mix C&S soil with an equal part of perlite. Next, move it to the brightest location you can find! Mine is outside in sun (in a dry spot), and will come in before the first frost, where I'll leave it in a southern window until it goes out after the last frost. I barely water it in the winter, and always let it dry out completely, even when growing. HTH!
Ray

I've killed this plant more times than I can say, it can be incredibly sensitive abt water.

I'm partial to the variegated version (so handsome!), I only try that one & tiny ones until I get it right. I've got one now that's made it since last December. The vendor told me to water every ten days, no more, no less & that's seemed to work so far. Mine sits in a west window for best direct light I've got. I use C&S mix for Crassulas on this (w/ pumice), I don't think it's fussy abt mix except that like Crassulas, it needs to be very fast draining.

Not sure how I'm gonna water mine going into winter, I'll try made every 6 or 7 wks, thanks for the tip.

The mix in the photo looks kinda peaty, is that houseplant mix? If so, that might be adding to the problem.

Well, it's still dying back. I hope it doesn't die completely. I was forced to water it some when I repotted it or it wouldn't adjust to the repotting.

Oh, and the mix is a garden mix with a bit of sand mixed in. I tried to do my homework when I originally got the plant. The original pot had rocks at the bottom and some sticks to help drain, but...it didn't work. This one is mostly the black potting mix with some sand.

Do not water from below. It doesn't allow oxygen to come into the soil properly from above and does expose the roots to rot. Water only from above, slowly, and with a rose-head can (the kind with lots of little holes on the spout's 'pad'). Don't let the pot ever sit in drain water. I don't understand what you mean by " was forced to water it some when I repotted it or it wouldn't adjust to the repotting." If you used a proper fast draining, gritty mix (no peaty potting soil) and trickled in each layer as you went when repotting, there should be no reason for having felt forced to water afterward.

I bought this plant twice and both times it declined no matter what I did, water, no water, strong light, indirect light. They started to looked just like (fricanvioletlvr) after about a month, not sure why but I won't be getting it again, although I really, really liked it!

Billy Rae

I don't think that's a good mix for it, know know what's in yr. garden mix & sand can tend to be a bad idea on its own especially if small/fine sand. Pls. read my comments above for suggested mix, would drain better.

I didn't understand that comment abt having to water it in or it wouldn't adjust right either.

Succulents by their very nature hold their own water in reserve, they can survive repotting & or potting up w/out being watered in, can be better for them. They'll usually have enough stored moisture in them that they can re-settle their roots before one gives them more water.