Your plants are Tillandisa -- though what species I have no idea. It is not necessary to hang the plant upside down after watering to drain away any excess water. Water quality is normally not a big issue. However, air circulation is a very big issue. Most tillies require very good air circulation. Your problem may lie here. You said that the base of the plants is were the problem lies -- that they are going "brown and mushy" there. Notice that those are the same areas you have shoved down in the shotglasses. Air circulation there will be utterly, "crap-tacularly" poor. As a result of the stagnant air, the plants may have developed a fungal or bacterial issue. IF that is the core of the problem, then you will need to remove the dead material (pull off any dead brown/black leaves, & cut away any brown, mushy material .... use a separate sterile blade for each plant being treated). Then treat the affected plants with a fungicide. I have never needed to do so, but Bayer makes one for use on roses that may work -- read the directions before applying. If you wish to continue use the shot glasses, then add more marbles so the plant's base sits at the top of the shot glass. A dab of hot glue can be used to affix the plant to the top marble so it stays put. An alternative would be to affix the plants to pieces of rock, wood, or whatever appeals to your tastes. (If you go that route, watering with a spray bottle should work fine.) Fertilizer: Tillies are not "hungry" plants ... they don't need fed often. Use a dilute fertilizer solution. Lighting: Based on what I'm seeing, I suspect lighting is going to be an problem for your plants sooner or later. Tillies generally like very bright light -- and where you have them currently the light definitely is not. If you wish to display them where they are, a lighting system would be impractical. You would likely be better off growing some on bright windowsill and rotating those out with ones on the shelf once a week.

Yellow star thistle? Here is a link that might be useful: Yellow star thistle

Brrian, you should check out the adenium/desert rose forum. Ltran on there is in Houston and has the most amazing collection of big DRs. I've seen triples offered here and there but never quads. There's a link for a place to order online below. George, I went to Joseph's nursery in Pearland and they had a great selection (in June) of DRs, even doubles. I was told they only bring them into the sales areas when they're blooming though I saw lots of giant ones in cachepots that weren't. Definitely worth a call. Laura, like everything else you grow your DRs are looking fantastic! Here is a link that might be useful: DRs online

Your Yucca cane roots are dying and the upper portion now has no way to absorb water. That is why the leaves are wilted. The basal shoots emerge only when the roots are mostly dead and are a sign that the plant is making a last desperate attempt to survive. My guess is you will also find that the outer bark is starting to pull away and is becoming papery. Finally, the heaviness of the soil indicates that it is too wet. Yuccas require lots of sunlight and soil that dries out at least a third of the way deep into the pot. I suspect that the combination of inadequate light and too frequent watering have caused the roots to rot. I am sorry to say that the chances of recovery at this point are unlikely. ~Will