Need Senecio Help

6 years ago

I'm having trouble with my senecios and I'm hoping I can find some help on this forum. I planted about 15 senecio serpens along my wall in early spring this year. They are all on the same drip line, all planted at the same time and with the same soil mixture. It seems the ones planted closer to shaded areas are doing much better and the ones receiving more sun are doing very poorly. I thought perhaps they were being underwatered at first but the moisture levels are moderately high and equal on all of them, whether they be in sun or shade most of the day. I then thought, maybe they are being overwatered, but some of the senecio that are doing well in the shade are in a soil that is almost muddy. Im at a loss in finding the differentiating factor between the failing and successful plants. Ive planted many Senecio mandraliscae in the exact same soil and on the same watering settings and they are growing successfully. Are the shorter Serpens variety simply more fragile and require more shade? Ive attached a photo of a poor senecio and healthy senecio and how they are equal in water. Also showing an image of my senecio mandraliscae that are doing well on the same drip line.

Some Senecio Mandaliscae i planted on the same drip last spring that have been doing relatively well.

Thanks so much!

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Comments (6)

Spider Zone 4b USA
6 years ago
It certainly seems to me that they like more shade in your conditions. And most of my Senecio want more water than many of my other succulents; my Senecio scaposus and haworthii can take strong light but want almost daily watering (with well-draining soil).
George Rushing
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks for the reply! Yeah some of the ones in the shade are so wet im surprised that they arent suffering from any rot but are instead doing great. I dont have enough experience with senecios to know what the yellowing color means. Too much water, not enough water or simply too much sun. Based off what you said, Ill try increasing the amount of water on them and see what happens!
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cactusmcharris, interior BC Z4/5
6 years ago
I'd guess it's a reaction to the bark mulch. IMO, stone would have been a better choice (for the plants).
westes Zone 9b California SF Bay
6 years ago
Have you tested your soil's pH? I wonder if the yellowing shows a nutrient uptake problem.

I have the same general observation on many succulents: thrive in the shade and quickly get stressed in full sun, even when you gently build up their exposure to the sun. I have discovered that Aeoniums can really thrive in the Summer if you just set them into the full shade.

That particular Senecio is a real weed and will gradually take over large areas.
Chris (6a in MA)
6 years ago
I find my blue chalk sticks to grow better with rich and consistently moist soil. I have a potted one which sits in the yard where sprinklers get to it twice daily and it’s doing great. It still gets full sun (10+ hours on a south facing yard) so my plant is still green and looking plump.
George Rushing
Original Author
6 years ago
My PH level is almost fully on the alkaline side of the meter. I did have a thought about the bark mulch as was mentioned. It’s a thicker fir bark and may be holding in so much of the heat in the sunny areas that it could be almost cooking the plants. Just a thought. I will increase the water from the drip line to keep the moisture higher and pull back the bark from around the plants. From everyone’s replies, it sounds like too much sun is a real factor for these plants, sadly theres nothing I can do about that, but I hope the above changes will have a positive enough effect that they are able to survive the summer.