NEED HELP with Crassula Rupestris "Tom Thumb" Variegata
I've only had this little plant for a month or so and it's dying from the bottom up! It's planted in the same gritty, well-draining soil mix as most of my other succulents and is watered when it's dry (usually about every 10 days). The pot is about 2 inches in diameter and it lives under grow lights, about 9 inches below the bulbs. I've never had a succulent die from the bottom up like this and am perplexed. The browned leaves are 'hard and crispy' and there's no evidence of mushiness or rot anywhere. ANY advice would be very much appreciated!
Comments (9)
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
2 years agodebutante55
2 years agoRelated Discussions
Jade (Crassula) tree, Part 2--Toni & Pug
Comments (78)Hey Ryan...Did any succulents follow you home? lol. How many varieties did they have? See anything unusual? New and exciting? A few yrs ago, we went to a local nursery..when you enter the greenhouse, there's 3 huge rooms filled w/succulents.. One plant that caught my attention was a 6+' variegated Pony Tail. It's leaves were green with yellow speckles. The owner, Ted, is a really nice guy and possesses quite a sense of humor. I asked about the pony tail, and its price..he came back with, 'Can you take a second mortgage on your house?' lol..The PT was started from seed in the 1940's..Several nurserymen have practically begged him to sell, but he refuses. Little baby PT's were growing off the trunk. The problem is, no matter what they do, the shoots die. I wanted to ask if he'd sell a shoot, but didn't have the nerve. lol The PT was the most beautiful I'd ever laid eyes on. Got a new plant in the mail today, even though it hasn't quite been 3 months, lol..It's called a Pickle Plant..I think its botanical name is Othonna capensis..Unsure about spelling.. If you or anyone has info on this succulent, I'd appreciate it. Anyway, sounds like you had a productive day. I hope you found something nice..if so, please post pics.. Mind if I ask what floor your're on? The view sounds amazing. Mountains are so beautiful, and you're right, each have their own personality. Especially during different seasons. I emailed the nurseryowner where I bought my olive tree. Hope he remembers..Think he sold one type, so he should. Are you saying there are some olives with large leaves and other with small? What size are we talking? Never considered an olive bonsai. Do they need a cool period? Do you consider olives slow-growing? Seems like mine is taking forever to grow..Don't get me wrong, it's grown since its arrival, but slow, very slow. Now that you've brought up bonsai, lol, since I have no intention of purchasing another olive, how difficult or perhaps easy would cuttings do? Any ideas? Russian Olive..isn't RO a perrenial? I can't recall its family..I had a RO growing in the garden, its stems and leaves had a silver hue. Very pretty, but you're right, it's not an olive that bears fruit. I'm thinking it's an herb, but not sure..perhaps Sage? Yep, Olives are mentioned in the Bible, though I can't recall their significance. Gotta love Olive Oil..Wonder why it's much more expensive than veggie or corn oil. I doubt there's an olive strike. lol. Did you catch the election? Our future president offered Olive branches to those who didn't vote for him. Guess it was a gesture of peace. Here's pics of my new Pickle plant, and new succulent shelf..The shelf is a blessing, it holds numerous sux. 8:55pm, 33.3F, 52% humidity... Toni Pic one faces south and west, pic two faces west and north. Have a great day.. PS. Ryan, thanks so much for the weather site..I saved it to favorites.....See MoreCrassula ovata 'Variegata' : U.S and European forms ?
Comments (70)Richard chimeric nature is guilty. Because 2 types of cells (normal and chimeric) are present together in one plant. Mericlinal chimeras are produced when the derivatives of the mutated cell do not entirely cover the apical dome. A mutated cell layer may be maintained on only one portion of the meristem giving rise to chimeral shoots or leaves which develop in that portion while those that differentiate on all other portions of the meristem are normal, nonchimeral shoots. Many mericlinal chimeras involve such a limited number of cells that only a small portion of one leaf may be affected. As was the case with periclinal chimeras, mericlinal chimeras are generally restricted to one cell layer. Sectorial chimeras result from mutations which affect sections of the apical meristem, the altered genotype extending through all the cell layers. This chimeral type is unstable and can give rise to shoots and leaves which are not chimeras. Both normal types and mutated types can be produced, depending upon the point on the apex from which the shoots differentiate. Origin, Development and Propagation of Chimeras - R. Daniel Lineberger...See MoreCrassula ovata ahhhhhhh!!!!!!
Comments (20)Helen Agius There are 2 species of the Jade: ovata and arborescens. C.ovata are of two varieties (varietate aka varietas in Latin): ovata and obliqua. Maybe there is a third variety - minor (http://www.lapshin.org/succulent/family.php?id=tax&s=sp,Crassula%20ovata%20cv.%20Crosbis%20Compact%20(portulacea%20v.%20minor) ) Further, there are the forms (variegata, cristata, monstrosa - mutated forms) - the secondary taxonomic ranks, below that of variety, in botanical nomenclature. The sequence of categories: family - genus - species - subspecies - variety -subvarietas- form: Crassulaceae - Crassula - ovata - var. obliqua - f. variegata - cv. Solana Or C. ovata f. monstrosa 'Gollum' C. arborescens ssp. undulatifolia 'Whirly Bird' C. arborescens ssp. arborescens 'Silver Dollar' Oksana....See MoreCrassula ovata ‘Variegata’ - Lemon Lime
Comments (12)Duc That looks very much as Tricolor/Crassula ovata Variegata. It is easy to buy around here. Lemon 'n Lime has different colors. Here is the originl plant Lemon 'n Lime with the label: Tricolor is more green & white (or whitish/cream). It gets purple on the undersides of the leaves in summer when I keep it outdoors, in lots of sun: This is original plant I received in 2012 from my daughter as a B-day gift: All my other Tricolors were propagated from this original plant (there were probably more than 100 over the years); almost all from stem cuttings/prunnings like this: John I propagated some leaves because I found a falen leaf that grew into variegated plant - photo below - and I read that plants grown from leaves reverts. I don't think it had any stem tissue - it was just a leaf that fell off: I had (I think) 4 pots of leaves that I started; here they are after they grew plantlets: As you can see, about half are variegated plants. They were just leaves that I twisted off. I can't tell if there was any stem tissue because I didn't know there was supposed to be any! I agree that names are 'tossed around'. I have seen photos of the Tricolor with the name Variegated jade (or Crassula ovata variegata). Tricolor is probably correct name - as seen here...See Morerina_Ontario,Canada 5a
2 years agodebutante55
2 years agodebutante55
2 years agoTapla, thank you VERY much for the detailed information. I really appreciate it. To answer your questions, the shale is a very shallow top dressing and the substrate appears to be about 70% peat-based soil/30% grit, similar to quite a few of my other succulents. Due to the very small pot size however, it does dry out even faster than 'usual' so I've increased my watering frequency and increased ambient humidity. As for the two lightbulbs, they are Sylvania Gro-Lux wide-spectrum 40 watts, which seem to generate a fairly low level of heat at a distance of 6" below the bulbs, which is roughly where the top of the plant is. Interestingly, in the short time since I posted, the plant has generated a tiny bit of new growth at the bottom and looks like it *may* survive after all. {Pics attached] THANK YOU again for all your help and insights!
debutante55
2 years agoKen, Thank you for your comments. The plant does have a moderate degree of white/green variegation with a small touch of pink blush at the tip of each stalk. The jury is out on this particular grower.... this plant was part of my first order and I was a bit 'underwhelmed' overall. Here's a pic that shows the variegation and the pink blush a little better. The plant seems to be holding its own but it's definitely not one of the 'top 10 plants' in my collection! LOL
tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
2 years agolast modified: 2 years ago
tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)