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Succulent question. [Off Topic]

11 years ago

I know there is a Cacti & Succulents forum but I'm not getting many suggestions there.

What would you all do with this Variegated Devil's Backbone? It is growing like a weed and taking over one of my succulent pots. Should I transplant it or just keep hacking it back every week?

Pot also contains:
Devil's Backbone 'Nova' (back where it can hardly be seen)
Echeveria 'Blue Prince' (right side [not sure if this label was accurate because it's so dark])
Echeveria 'Topsy Turvy' (front)

Comments (19)

  • 11 years ago

    If it's such a vigorous grower I'd probably transplant it. When I have multiple things in a single miniature pot I prefer them to have close to the same growth rate as possible. That's just my opinion though. All of those look great together.


    Kirk

    Nicholas C. thanked kodom087 z9a
  • 11 years ago

    I would be tempted to transplant it into it's own pot. If it has this type of growth habit, see what it does. Not same size pot it is in now, to keep it slightly root bound. At least you will see the others and allow them to develop.

    Rick

    Nicholas C. thanked rcharles_gw (Canada)
  • 11 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    Thank you Kirk and Rick. Love this forum, there is just so much more help here than anywhere else. The last time I cut it back I rooted the cuttings but by the time the roots grew (2 weeks) it had tripled in size. Was joking that at this rate I could replace the grass in my yard with it.

    Thanks again. I think I will transplant it. Of course then I'd have to buy another plant to fill the gap which just makes me SOOO sad :)

    PS I'm telling my girlfriend you made me buy another plant.

  • 11 years ago

    Nicholas, I hear the biggest one is calling you.....give me new home...give me new home.

    I am with Kirk and Rick.

    Marie

    Nicholas C. thanked Marie Tran
  • 11 years ago
    last modified: 11 years ago

    I agree with the others. That one is too vigorous for that pot. Give it it's own, and watch it go! I have one that is doing a similar thing. It's Crassula Capitella or Campfire Plant, It grows so quickly that I'm trimming it every few days and planting the tips which also take off quickly. I'll be giving this one away to everyone I see. :) PS forgot to say that is a gorgeous plant!

    ~Karen

    Nicholas C. thanked plantmanagerkaren
  • 11 years ago

    Marie, I think I will do just that and find a home for the cuttings too.

    Karen, thank you. I'm sure I'll be giving babies of this one away in no time.

  • 11 years ago

    Do you have a place to put it in your yard? It looks like it might love being in the ground where it could grow untrimmed. I had one that was just green with no varigation when we lived in the Marshall Islands. It grew like a weed there with lots of heat and 100 inches of rain a year.

    Nicholas C. thanked plantmanagerkaren
  • 11 years ago

    Could try that as well. But soil here is all sand so I'm not sure if it'd rot.

  • 11 years ago

    Since you have so many cuttings, you could give it a try. They do seem to like good drainage. Our soil here is all decomposed granite. I'm trying my cuttings in the ground and they seem happy as long as they get water.

    Nicholas C. thanked plantmanagerkaren
  • 11 years ago

    Great idea, Tracy! I should do something like that with my crazy crassula!

  • 11 years ago

    And for that suddenly vacant spot, I recommend Kalanchoe tomentosa--it has similar watering and sun requirements and will grow more vertically at roughly the same rate as your echeverias. Or, a nice clump of Adromischus cristatus. Or both!

    Pagan

    Nicholas C. thanked User
  • 11 years ago

    Tracy, I like the hanging basket idea. Have to check around and find a cheap one. Will probably put it in a normal pot in the mean time.

    Pagan,that's a great idea, I'll have to search nurseries in the area.

  • 11 years ago

    Pagan, were you "Pagancat" in a previous life on gardenweb?

  • 11 years ago


    Still needs a haircut but I think all of them will be much happier.

  • 11 years ago

    I love the pot Nicholas. You will soon have enough plant to make several arrangements.

    This is where I buy all of my hanging baskets. Note that I don't work for GHM, just a happy customer. They have high quality products.

    Tracy

    Nicholas C. thanked addicted2plants Southern IL USA
  • 11 years ago

    Thank you Tracy. I'll check them out.

  • 11 years ago

    Oh, so that's what it looks like under all those leaves. That community pot might not actually need another plant, Nicholas. Maybe a rock, until those other plants fill out a little bit more.

    OT: @plantmanagerkaren--No, ma'am. I've only had this one ID since I discovered plants a couple of years ago. "Fakechuchi" is what my sister and I call adeniums, as opposed to "realchuchi" or plumerias.

    Pagan

  • 11 years ago

    Thanks for the explanation, Pagan. I'm not familiar with the term "chuchi". I do love Plumerias as well as Adeniums.