Need Succulent Help

7 years ago

Good Evening,

Im having some problems with my succulents. Im pretty new to the succulent world and Im having hard time getting them back to their original shapes (I know the first hasnt really changed, I just have no idea what it is).

I bought these 4 succulents about 6 months ago and as you can see, they have gone through quite the shape and color change. The first photo is when I bought them and the last 2 photos are from today.

After they started flattening out and losing their vibrant color, I realized that they weren't getting enough light and I was most likely over watering them (They are indoor). So I bought some grow lights in mid August and cut back on the watering. As you can see, there was a huge color shift but I cant seem to get them to get back into their ball shape. The third one is actually trying but the leaves are still way more narrow than the original.

Also Ive tried googling how to get them to grow bigger but I cant find anything. I love really big succulents and I was hoping these would get huge but they seem do be doing the opposite. These are significantly smaller than when I bought them and even there stems seem to be narrowing. I just recently purchased a massive succulent and its stem is roughly an Inch thick. Is there any way I can get these to get these that big? or is it just the nature of these succulents to be small?

Im sorry if this post is too long or a bit all over the place but I would appreciate any advice,

Austin

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Comments (3)

rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Austin

Not all succulents grow big. Many will stay about 2-4" in diameter, some get bigger but not huge. There are succulents that grow big - but what size do you have in mind? What succulent did you buy that is massive? - could you give name or post photo?

1st looks to be Aeonium Kiwi; that is branching succulent. Healthy rosette could be about 4" in diameter. What it is doing in last photo is more or less the way it grows. There are aeoniums that grow much bigger.

2nd may be Echeveria shaviana. Pics 2 & 3 show it lacking light, in last photo it seems to be better. It will not get huge either, good size is about 4". If it is shaviana, it usually has lots of leaves, slightly 'crinkly' and very nice, purplish color. It could be quite variable plant. If it s growing longer stem, it is etiolated - needs more light. Did it bloom? - do you have photo of blooms?

3rd & 4th I am not absolutely sure of ID (I would need clear close-up, bigger - for old lady, lol). They look like more echeverias, and probably grow similar size as #2.

If plants are flattening and loosing color, it is mainly because of lack of light. What kind of light did you get and how far is it from plants?

Overwatering is very commn problem. How much do you water and how do yo determine they need watering? Many are more or less dormant during winter - but it all depends on temps they are in. Even if completely dormant, they should receive reasonable light and very little, if any, water.
Austin Sigstad thanked rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
One succulent that will grow large rosette easily is xGraptoveria 'Fred Ives'. It could easily grow to 8-9" (perhaps more?) in diameter. Only 'disatvantage' (I don't mind :) it has that it needs to be decapitated/beheaded since it grows long stem. Beautiful plant with purplish color, but very nice if all green or almost bronze color in strong sun.

ETA: here is a link to coupe of threads wih tips and photos on BEHEADING SUCCULENTS
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Polypompholyx
7 years ago
Might not be possible for them to stay exactly how they were when you bought them. They were probably grown in a controlled greenhouse- not the same conditions you'd have in a home. In my experience it is typical for a plant to change a bit after being bought from the store.