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Need help with dying jade succulent

7 years ago

Hello, my succulent is dying. It' a jade. It showing leaves that becomes dark green and "rotten". I cut them. The remaining part of leaves start to rotten again and it does not look healthy overall. Thank you for your help!

Comments (26)

  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    First thing is I think your soil is the problem. Looks like it could stay forever damp. Replant into some fast draining cactus mix. Throw some perlite or pumice in there for extra drainage. Half cactus soil and half perlite or pumice will work. How much light does it get:)?

    Athénaïs Bfd thanked Kara 9b SF Bay Area CA
  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Kara's advice is excellent. Rot is a sure sign of too much dampness, whether due to poor drainage or over-watering. I'd like to add that it also doesn't appear to be getting enough light. Those stems are very skinny, and the distance between leaf nodes is quite long.

    if the rot is bad, cut the healthy parts away and allow them to root in warm, dry soil. Once roots have formed, water LIGHTLY to prevent rot in that pot also.

    Jades, like all succulents, need bright light, pretty dry conditions, and usually warmth.

    Athénaïs Bfd thanked kwie2011
  • 7 years ago

    thank you very much for your advice. My boyfriend got me this plant few weeks ago and it comes in this pot and soil. I will repot it. Also, I think it was not getting enough light where it was in my apartment and that I over water it. Should I place it directly near the window so that it get more sun?

  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Yes, put it in a window. If the window gets more than a couple of hours of direct sun, acclimate it slowly. Increasing by increments of 2-3 hours of direct sun each week should be ok. If the window doesn't get any direct sun at all, you might have to resort to a grow lamp, or using a mirror to increase what little sun it gets.


    its not unusual for succulent plants to be over-watered and etiolated in the store. Store employees don't know how to care for them, and they are usually placed where they display best rather than where they grow best.

    Athénaïs Bfd thanked kwie2011
  • 7 years ago

    Is it possible that there was a gust of very cold or hot wind at the time of this happening? This "rot" seems to be on one side of the pot and on the edges of leaves. Rot usually starts from the bottom and works its way up the plant. Overwatering usually results in yellowing of the bottom leaves. Dehydration results in the shriveling of the bottom leaves. I find it very hard to believe that excess water skipped the roots, stems, and base of the leaves to finally rot the tips. Regardless, It did need better soil and more light, and it will do much better in these conditions.

    Athénaïs Bfd thanked garrett222
  • 7 years ago

    I only have a small phone screen, so I can't really see what Garrett is talking about, but if the "rot" is happening on one side, and from the edges of the leaves inward, I too would suspect another problem. I have never seen a cold breeze do that, but similar damage could result from being pushed against a cold or hot window or wall (some of mine burn if they touch the hot wall outside my apartment), or from being in front of an air conditioner or heater.


    If it's kept by a window, sunburn might be possible. I don't have much experience with sunburn myself, but I've seen photos of the flesh turning crusty brown. People sometimes experience this with box store plants that have grown under low light, and are then placed outdoors in direct sun.


    I'm still sure yours hasn't been getting enough sun, which is why the internodes (areas between leaves) are so long and the stems are so weak and spindly, but going directly from too little light to too much direct sun could cause a single plant to have all those issues.


    Could something be chewing on it? In the lower photo, I see a leaf with a crescent shape cut out of it, and around the edges of the missing crescent, the flesh looks darker. Where did the missing flesh go?


    Other people can probably see better on their larger screens, but since I only have a phone screen, it'd help me if you uploaded some close-ups of the damage.

    Athénaïs Bfd thanked kwie2011
  • 7 years ago

    I don't think it's a jade either Rina.

    Gill

    Athénaïs Bfd thanked greenclaws UK, Zone 8a
  • 7 years ago

    Definitely a crassula anyway, its the same care. A lot of crassulas with no common name are called jade.

    Athénaïs Bfd thanked garrett222
  • 7 years ago

    again, thanks everyone for the comments. Kwie2011, it might have been place in front of AC before it arrives at my place, which could explain why a part of the plant is still looking good. Even though, as you see on the red arrow, a leave is also damaged on the "good side".

    I bought cactus mix and perlite to repot the plant.

    Regarding something chewing on it, I cut the damaged leaves, hoping it helps.

  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Gill - thank you for 'support'...:)

    While care for most of the succulents is just about same, it is good to refer to plant by it's correct name...JMO.

    Athénaïs Bfd thanked rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
  • 7 years ago

    Anthénaïs, as you repot it, check the condition of the roots. They should have white tips. If the roots come off in chunks of globs that are mushy, or if the "skin" of the roots comes off and leaves a slender root "core" behind, or if the root ball has any brown or white goo in it or if it smells bad, the roots are rotted and useless, and it would confirm the rot hypothesis. If they are relatively strong and have white tips, the plant has a much better chance of survival.


    Try to clean all the old soil off the roots before you repot it. If you leave some very absorbent soil on the roots when you put it in dry soil, that absorbent soil will still hold too much water and things will continue to rot.


    Also check the base of each stem at the roots. The stem should not be dry, brown, and woody, or soft and mushy. Either condition would mean stem death and you'd need to cut it off and propagate from a cutting.


    Rina, I wouldn't bet that it's a jade, but I have seen jades grow elongated, pale leaves and thin stems like that in low light, so I wouldn't be surprised. I think it'll be easier to ID when it's in better health.

    Athénaïs Bfd thanked kwie2011
  • 7 years ago

    Hello everyone, I've removed the plant from the pot. See how they look like. One look like a small stem directly repot. The other part still have the "nurse" pot around it. Also the soil seems to already have perlite in it. What are your thought? what should I do?

  • 7 years ago

    I really can't see well enough with my little phone screen to be able to tell whether the roots look healthy or not. The roots in the top photo are very small for the plant. I don't see white roots, but my screen is very small. Did any roots come off when you de-potted it? The soil looks pretty good- relatively loose and dry, and without any mush spots. That's good, so I don't know why there aren't more roots on that plant. Usually poor root size results from over-watering, but I don't see obvious evidence of that.


    What temperatures, day and night, do you keep your plants at?

  • 7 years ago

    If it were my plant, I'd probably keep the same soil, place it in a spot where it'd get 2 hours of direct sun daily and the temperature was around 80-95 F, and I'd gradually increase the amount of sun until eventually it got at least 5 hours a day. Until I was sure it was actively growing, I'd water it carefully so the soil was never drenched. Alternatively, you could mix the soil with 25%-50% perlite. Perlite helps the soil dry faster so it's less likely to drown roots. In any case, it must get more sunlight, a lot more.


    I wish I could tell more from the photo, but I can't. On my tiny screen, they don't look that bad. Maybe Garret or Rina can see it better and give you better advice.

  • 7 years ago

    The roots need to be washed for anyone to be able to tell if they are healthy or not.

    The stems definitely do not look like a jade, leaves do not look like a jade and branching is bit different too. Plant is too limpy. JMO.

    If you are keeping the same soil, add generous amount of perlite - I don't think it is free draining as is. The amount of perlite there is, is minimal.

  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Rina, do you think this plant might be what is called 'trailing jade' Senecio Jacobsenii?

  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    I don't know - photos I have seen of 'trailing jade' show leaves almost rounded, and they are quite 'erect' rather than hanging down, same with the stems (they are much sturdier) - BUT, it could be just a shape of OP's plant. Flowers would help to ID it. Btw, Senecio Jacobsenii has been reclassified into genus Kleinia - it is now Kleinia petraea...

  • 7 years ago

    This isnt a senecio, senecios have random leaf growing points on the stem, whereas crassulas (and a few others) usually have their leaf pairs perpendicular to the pair before them.

  • 7 years ago

    It is crassula phlatyphylla. I have this one, if pics are helpful let me know.

  • 7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Pics are always helpful!!

    Please post =)

    Pics google pulls up for c. phlatyphylla are all over the place.

    See?...this is why I have trust issues Mr. Google =P

  • 7 years ago

    Here's crassula phlatyphylla, this one has been in a more shady spot outside (it needed repotting, which I did this weekend)

    This one had more sun, it is more compact and there are darker tones and very bottom left there is some that is burgundy.

    Anthénaïs - For your plant, (what I would do) I would take 2 or 3 cuttings after at least two sets of leaves and wait for them to send out roots before I place them into soil. I would also pot up the remainder of the plant with roots too, in just barely moist soil.

    -nancy



  • 7 years ago

    Nancy - not a big del, but as for spelling: isn't it Crassula platyphylla (rather than phlatyphylla?)

  • 7 years ago

    Thanks Rina, you are correct on the spelling.

  • 7 years ago

    Nancy your plants are great! Makes me jealous. I had a starter and it rotted away. I do have trouble with some Crassula's. I've had several 'Campfires' rot, too. In fact, I just ran out in a thunderstorm to bring mine in!

  • 7 years ago

    Thanks Crenda! Your massive agaves and jades by the waterfront make me jealous! So beautiful :) I have one pot of 'Campfire' too, I almost threw it out last year (for space) but it was such a bountiful grower and easy plant I decided to keep it.

    I find the care of platyphylla and campfire are very similar. I'm in part year cold climate, so in winter they are indoors in Southern windows, if too many inches away from window they will stretch, so as close to the glass as I can put them they've been happy. Winter watering is infrequent, 2 or 3 weeks, it depends on the soil medium. (Soil, quick draining with generous amount of grit or perlite....some turface..very little peat if used) In spring when night temps are warm enough over 50F, plants go outside, and begin slow sun acclimation, I put up an umbrella to filter the midday sun and prevent sunburn. Spring/Summer watering is mostly by outdoor rain, but during this drought I am watering when top inch or so is dry. If it's super hot temperature I don't water succulents, I wait until evening or first thing in the morning. I really don't baby these, but ignore them some. Also, if they want water, I've seen them send out roots and then I know I'm a little late and I should water them. I use Foliage Pro (9-3-6) in spring/summer when it's me watering them and not the rain. Lastly, if it should rain on and off and the leaves of platyphylla start to go yellow, I move it to a spot that it can dry out, like under a table or indoors.

    Anthénaïs - What is your location/climate?