What are these3 'things' circled in red?

Hi Rina, I’m not sure. They are firm and on the plant base, possibly future roots? Not sure. The top photo plant was all black at the center base and squishy. I think I’ll cut it clean and start over since it’s limbs seem to have their own roots. Have you ever done that with a stapeliad before?

Brendan

I do not know if they could be roots, it is possible. Looking just at the pic, they look like scale. But if that part was in the soil, I don't believe scale would be there (it doesn't look like it was in soil?). Scale would come off very easily if you get a q-tip, moisten it in rubbing alcohol and swipe over it, making sure there is r.a. all over it. If still alive, and you squish it, there will be bloody goo...sorry for being gross!

I do not have same plant. I do know how 'future' roots look on some other plants like aloe. They are hard nubs, as on this Aloe variegata - at very bottom, or starting to grow where leaf was attached.:

All I can say is that soft and squishy and dark is usually rotting. If that's the case, you should cut off all infected flesh (until there is no dark marks visible). It probably could be rooted after. Wait until someone growing stapeliads will post.

Hmm interesting. That part was under the soil and felt hard to the touch. But I will check again though and test with a q tip like you said.

If I have five or six other stapeliads I’ve potted in the same mix over the last two weeks, would you recommend taking them out of their mix and reporting in grittier mix tomorrow morning? Or since they just came to me and were potted only 1-2 weeks ago, I should wait?

I just dont want any others to get waterlogged like this one because I had too much soil and not enough grit

I grow all succulents in very gritty mix. I do not know if that's best for your plant. Fast draining mix can't hurt any of them.

What kind of soil or mix are you using?

Have look thru: -THIS THREAD- for lots of info and excellent photos on same subject...There is photo in one of the posts by ewwmayo of the mix (he is using pretty well same one as me).

And -THIS - thread has some good photos and tips too.

I had planted them all in a 50% cactus-succulent mix (miracle grow) and perlite because I hadn’t found pumice yet.

I think the soil soil was too peat heavy though and retains too much water.

I was was able to get a big bag of pumice two days ago though, and am debating whether it’s safe to report them again and this time all pumice and some gravel dust/tiny pieces.

I dont know if that will will harm them since I just potted them after getting them all in the mail 1-2 weeks ago?

I am not sure what you mean by gravel dust. I wouldn't use anything smaller than abt. 2mm, preferably bigger. Here is pic of grit I use - same would be for pumice:

Are they looking recovered from being in mail? My own opinion is that I would repot again even if soon after original potting, rather than leaving them in water-retaining soil...but that is just me :) Especially if soil is peaty.

Btw; in the first post I linked to, there is excellent photo of rotting plant and how it should look after cutting off the rotted parts; look at post & pics by ewwmayo on Oct. 23.

Thank you! Those threads are very helpful. I will debate repotting them over again. I think I just need to water less than I already am. I've never had plants that need so little water, so this is all new to me

Wanted to update you Rina, I decided late last night to just cut off the squishy holly black end of the main center stem in the first photo Stapeliad. I took the two lowest arms on either side that looked healthy and had their own roots and put them in a small pot of pumice and a little small gravel. Watered that this morning since they're outside in the sun. The larger piece that I cut the blackened bottom off of is in my closet with little light, hopefully it will harden at the end and I can try rooting it in a day or two.

The other Flavopurpurea that you said looked strange to you (scale possibly) was cleaned at the roots and dried out a little before repotting in pure grit mix. Those bumps don't seem to come off though. And that brownish tint on both of the plants bases is hardened and won't come off either. They came to me like that. Still not sure if it's scale or just because those parts were planted under soil mixture from wherever they came.

Hopefully they both do well. These are my favorite Stapeliads (Rhytidocaulon second), so I'm hoping to keep them alive and see them flower!

Thank you again for the tips and advice. I moved them under an umbrella so they're outside getting good light, but not in the full sun.

I actually read that other thread/post before cutting up the rotted Flavopurpurea last night, so I tried to get high up on the stem with the black rot so that it was clean all above the rotted area. I didn't want to get rid of that part and the roots, but it was basically black slush.

I have it between two paper towels now on a dark/cool shelf until it hardens at the cut end. Then I will try to see if it can root on top of some gritty mix. I'll remember not to water until there are roots forming. Do you recommend just lifting it every week to see if there are roots? Or would that disturb it too much?

It is best not to lift. It disturbs new and very fie roots, may even rip them. After about 10 days-2 weeks, I would just tug it very gently. If there is any resistance, roots are growing. I am not sure how long it takes for this plant to start growing roots, but 2 weeks sound reasonable to me - maybe it takes longer. Don't remember if it was mentioned in other threads.

Hi Brendan. May I make a suggestion? You said that your cutting is between two paper towels. Good air circulation is important for callousing over cut ends. If it were my cutting, I remove it from between the paper towels and would just lay it on top. I don't know that a dark place is required. So long as your cutting is not in direct sunlight.

Great thanks for the advice Stewart. I took it out off the shelf and just have it on one papertowel now. the end where I cut off the rot seems to be drying and getting crinkly. I think I'll wait another day before planting it. Do you recommend just laying it on it's side, or sticking the end that I cut into a gritty mix so that it's standing up?

From a thread I linked to earlier:

by Stush2049: ..."Any stem below the ground level seems to rot easy. By laying it on it's side, it will send roots down all along the side towards the soil. Keep water to a minimum. Plenty of water in the stem to re-root"...

Thanks Rina, I thought so but wasn't sure if same applied for freshly cut end. We'll see how it goes over the next few weeks. Hopefully at least one of the pieces from the larger plant will root and do well.

I've never had this particular plant as a cutting and I can only tell you what my experience with cuttings has been in general.

After callousing over, I put cuttings (end sticking up) in the DRY growing medium, put in a place with bright, indirect light and do not disturb to check for roots and do not water until I see signs of life like new growth. At that point I do the "tug test". GENTLY tug and if I feel any resistance then I know roots have formed and dug themselves down into the growing medium.

I did try one cutting (Alluaudia procera) where I laid it on top, but insured that there was good contact between the "stem" and medium so that it was not just resting on its spines. I was testing out how I figured the piece might've landed if it had gotten broken off in habitat and also thought (hoped) that roots might form along several places up and down the cutting. Well, no roots ever did form and the cutting looks dried up so, so much for that. It was a fresh cutting being just hours old. I still haven't tossed it though. It might surprise me!

So those have been my experiences.

Great to know Stewart. I have a few different cuttings in dry medium pots right now...inside by a window getting some light but not too direct. I also have some that I was sent which have very tiny roots (probably a quarter inch) that I am trying to get to grow in small 2" pots in the same way. I'm trying to keep those a little moist on the top by misting every other day...but also keeping them inside with bright window light.

Hopefully some of them root well and decide to grow