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Cacti & Succulents

Identifying succulents and care tips?

7 years ago

I bought two succulents from a local store but they don't have the names of them. They're both pretty young. I just re-potted them and broke a couple leaves on them. (oops)

I'm not sure what the bottom one is. It's pink at the center and I'm not seeing any other succulents that match that, is that because it's still young?
The other one has kind of grown sidewards? I don't know if that's from poor handling or not, a couple leaves on the bottom are dead. I saw it today and decided that I wanted to save it.
Are these types that you could grow more from the leaves that came off? They broke off pretty clean at the base of the leaf.

Anyhow, besides that, I definitely need tips on taking care of them. I've never had succulents before but I do like them, and eventually want to pot a few of them together.

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Comments (4)

socks
7 years ago
What kind of potting soil did you use? Honestly, it looks very dark like it is too wet. You need a cactus/succulent soil blended 50/50 with perlite, available from nurseries. It will be fast draining. Succulents dislike being too wet and will rot. Water only when dry. Do the pots have holes in the bottom?

Succulents generally like fast draining soil and lots of light.

Sorry I do not know the names.
zeba oreen
7 years ago
I know the buttom one will be easy to propagate because it's fleshy, the top one might be one that roots from cuttings. You can buy some perlite, it's easy to find in stores like home depot or Lowe's and mix it in so the ratio is at least 50% perlite to increase drainage. Also it looks like they're in terracotta pots so I'm assuming they have holes in the bottom. Succulents hate being wet too long and they'll rot if so. By too long I mean like soaking wet for even three days causes them to die *from experience. The bottom leaves will wither, it's a natural thing succulents do as they get older. If it's grown sidewards then that's called etoliation, where it stretches out looking for light.
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It is Kalanchoe delagoensis. Many consider these weeds. I happen to like them (but you have to be vigilant about picking up the baby plantlets that fall from the leaf edges (starting new plants). This one may not look good right now, but it is a survivor. It can grow in just about ANY conditions...including from a crack in the cement, a piece of your carpet, an empty pot, etc. :D You have been warned. The flowers are very pretty. :) I take it back...if you have SNOW or freezing temps...it would probably not survive that. Anything else...it's A-Ok.
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The fuzzy leaves make the ID a bit easier, for me at least. My guess would be Echeveria pulvinata, though Echeveria setosa also has fuzzy leaves. There is an Echeveria 'Doris Taylor' that is a hybrid of the 2 if I remember correctly. As with most Echeverias they like full sun, but must be acclimatized to it. "Fuzzy" Echeveria are reported to be more cold hardy than the other species and said to withstand temperatures down to around 25F (though I've never personally tested this) Still think it might be getting too much water. Your watering frequency seems correct but it still looks overwatered, making me think that the soil isn't drying out fast enough. I only say this because the lower leaves look a bit translucent which I think is caused by excess water, kind of like edema. Could try changing it to a faster draining soil (repot it with more pumice or perlite) and see if that helps, or reduce watering a bit to like once a week or every 10 days.. just don't let the roots dry out too much or they may have problems. Hopefully someone else will weigh in on this, I'm still a novice when it comes to succulents.
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Did you mention where you live? (Good idea is to put general location and/or growing zone next to your name...) Yes, Sempervivums could be grown indoors but usually they don't look their best. I am not sure if they are better off with having to spend winter outside (some plants have to have x number of cold days to grow well); unless you get them really good light during winter they usually look quite sad. During summer it may not make that much difference. But amount of light is always less indoors than outdoors. But if you don't have access to garden or deck-balcony, you have to just do it indoors. Many ppl have to, living in apartments without balcony or any other outdoor space. All of the succulents need lots of light otherwise they stretch as I already mentioned about Painted lady. I use lots of supplemental lighting in winter, and probably will improve even more next winter. here is same Echeveria purpusorum, still indoors (March) and blooming, under lights: Adding more perlite definitely helps.
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Kara, Currently I leave both the plants at my east-facing window sill at which sunlight is available for around 8am to 10am. And I plan to increase the sunlight exposure by an hour a week. Hopefully, they can enjoy themselves =) P/s: I live in the southern region in which the weather is still sunny and not quite humid at this time of year ^^. Btw, being curious about location and some private information is welcoming here as it is part of our norms, so no worries :))) Frank, Wow, so this one is the hybrid between the Sedum and Echeveria? Patrick, Ok, so it should be fine to leave them there a week before watering again. I also wonder whether gradual sunlight adjustment like I plan is ok or it is too long? P/s: about the ID yeah we should wait for more comments to confirm. These echies are sometimes too shy to reveal their true forms, or they just love to make us confused xD Thank you all for being very informative and enthusiastic in supporting me ^^
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Kat Dungey
Original Author
7 years ago
The pots are terracotta and do have holes. I read about the soil so I've been looking for the proper kind. I put them in miraclegro, it looks like the same stuff the store had it in, but clearly is not.

That's what i was thinking was the cause is how the top one grew, they were inside a canopy so they didn't get direct sunlight. Luckily I do have south facing windows so that's where I have them now.
Liz (Virginia z6b)
7 years ago
The top one might be Sedum Lineare.

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