I really need some help identifying these three plants. I'm having a really tough time getting them to flourish, and I suspect I am not caring for them correctly. The First: Pics 1,2,3 I think this is some sort of succulent plant. I pruned the top thinking it would bush out some more, but that probably wasn’t a good decision since I don't even know what type of plant it is. The Second: Pics 4,5,6 I have had this one going for about a year, and it has never had more then 3-4 leaves at any given time. I have added some wandering jew (I think) as ground cover recently. The Third: Pics 7,8,9 This plant was doing well up until about two months ago. I'm not sure why it took a turn for the worse, but it's growth has slowed and some leaves are turning yellow. I get a lot of yellowing on the leaves of my plants and I'm not too sure why that happens either.
2. Dieffenbachia sp., (+Aeschynanthus marmoratus, +Tradescantia zebrina) 3. Aglaonema 'Pattaya Beauty'
3 for 3! Thanks for the help. Any growing tips for these three? All of them are struggling under my care. In particular Cotyledon undulata is hurting since I cut it's top off in an effort to bush it out. Have I killed it?
all three should be in pots that have drainage holes and if they are in unglazed clay that would be even better. none of them like, or need, very moist soil and you should let them dry out before re-watering. the unglazed clay helps the soil to be able to dry out - glazed holds the moisture in.
Thanks for the advise! I try to always use unglazed clay. Unfortunately the Cotyledon undulata Haw is in a glazed pot, but the drainage is pretty solid. Should I transplant? My main concern is that since I cut the top of the Cotyledon I have not seen any new growth. Leaves shrivel up and fall off at the rate of about one every other day. Will this one return, or should I throw in the towel? I try to let the soil dry out thoroughly between watering, but it seems the plants all start to wilt about 1 day after the surface soil is dry. I use that as in indicator it's time to water. Should I hold out longer?
what kind of soil do you have them in? if the glazed pots have decent drain holes, then they should be okay - just be careful to not overwater. even if the top is dry, check the soil from below (through the drainhole). if it's still moist there, i wouldn't water until it's barely moist. the cotyledon - i'm not sure why the original part is wilting. it should be fine. and the cut piece should easily root. maybe the soil is too moist and/or it's getting too much or not enough sun? that one really doesn't require too much moisture - it's also in a dormant period - so, topping it off now may not have been a good idea. it should have bright light - not full sun. i'd keep up the usual routine with it - it may pull through. if it keeps deteriorating over the next few weeks, then dump it. hopefully the cutting will take root for you!
hate to admit this, but the top/first plant looks just like the first echeveria I grew, but it's not supposed to be leggy like that, if I'm right. My echeveria didn't get much light but was kept warm and watered, so it tried to grow but that means reaching for light it didn't have. I cut the top rosette off that spring and replanted it, and had a lovely tight growth plant the next year. You can also root leaves which will take a bit longer but will produce a little miniature plant. Just be sure to take a bit of the stem with the leaf. It looks as though your plant has produced a little offset in the same pot; if so, be sure it gets enough light to keep good compact growth. Good luck.
i think the piece that's in the pot is the part that was cut off the top - not a pup. i'm not sure what it is, either. lila is usually pretty accurate, although, you could be correct on it being an echeveria :) regardless, both types of plants are propogated in the same manner and both require basically the same as for soil, water and light. i agree with your observation on the leggy growth - the plant obviously has not had the proper light and should be put in a spot where it gets brighter light than it was getting previously. the extra light will help that cut piece root and the original plant to recuperate and start putting on new growth.
Thanks for the input, but I think Lila may have this one with Cotyledon undulate. I say that because of the serrated edges on the leaves. Echeveria has more rounded leaves. I have relocated plant 1 to a southern facing sill where it is sure to get more light then in the ENE facing window it was in. The plant may look leggy now, but keep in mind it has lost 30% of it's leaves in the last 5 days. The piece in sharing the pot is the cutting. I’ve also moved it to it’s own pot. Going to try to root it directly in soil; any thoughts? I’ve been using a perlite/potting soil mix. Probably not the best choice, but it’s what I had lying around. I use a layer of broken clay pieces in the bottom of the pot (which has drainage holes), so it’s hard to test soil moisture from the bottom. Considering using a moisture meter. Is that bogus?
putting the cutting in it's own pot is probably not a bad idea. moving them to a southern exposure is definitely a good idea!! as long as the mix is about half/half perlite and soil, it should be okay. i'd repot in cactus soil once they're really into the growing season though...it's just better in the long run for them. i've never used moisture meters, so i can't say if they're worth it or not. i've heard good and bad about them and if you were to get one, i'd say go with one priced in the middle - priced too low and it's less likely to actually work properly and why spend a ton of cash on something?? i've found most things at mid-range pricing are what work the best - regardless of what, in particular, you are looking to buy! you could also just use bamboo skewers (the kind for shish kebab's). insert it all the way down to the bottom of the container and let it sit there for five minutes or so. then take it out and run your fingers all the way down (start at the top) and if it's dry to almost all the way down to the bottom, it's time to water. if it's moistish most of the way, then hold off a few days and then check it again - only water if the skewer is dry most of the length of it.
Yes, but not every Echeveria has rounded leaves... there are many hybrids, that's why I was unsure! :( + your plant has "lost his head", so it's more difficult to ID!!! :) http://www.collectorscorner.com.au/Cacti/Echeveria%201.htm It could be Cotyledon... and could be an Echeveria also, like Constantgardener said...
if everyone else thinks it's not echeveria, you're probably right, it's just that I have pics of the same plant looking just like that one. Mine was green with an iridescence in the sunlight. But as Lila noted, there are as many echeveria forms and leaf shapes as hybridizers can come up with and some expensive ones are quite curly or with scalloped edges and even weird bumps (tubercles) in every color imaginable. That's one reason they're fun to grow!
I think the consensus is it may be either one, but since the cultivation parameters for both are so similar, I should be ok. As both Lila & constantgardener point out, there are probably too many hybrids out there to say exactly what this little beauty is without some sort of scientific analysis. I’m certainly no expert, but when I look at images like this one it makes me think I’m growing a Cotyledon undulate. The scalloped, spoon shape leaves seem to be match. This is a bit of a mystery. I like the bamboo skewers idea. Simple solutions usually turn out to work the best. Plus I have a ton of them around here. I’m also going to quit being so cheap and pick up a bag of cactus soil. I’ve got a few other plants around here that should probably be in cactus soil. Which is a perfect transition to my next request for identification: The cactus garden. Another amature move. A cactus garden planted in potting soil. I need to pick up that cactus soil today!
:) Nice cactus garden... -Euphorbia tirucalli -Euphorbia ingens -2 Mammillaria sp. -2 Gymoncalycium mihanovichii cv. (The top is Gymno, but the buttom is Hylocereus sp. ...)
You are all way too good at this. This is becoming a bit of a game. So much fun with plant identification, it’s elevating my interest in horticulture to higher heights. Also I’m starting to figure out why some plants are not doing that well. They really like it when you actually know how to care for them, and knowing what they is half the battle.
that's a beautiful dish garden!!!! i'd hold off repotting it until the weather is warmer though! they're all basically in the dormant stage right now and you do have perlite in the soil, so, they should be okay - just be skimpy with water until you repot them. oh, the euphorbias will both get pretty large - if they're getting proper lighting they will grow very quickly! especially the one that's in the center.
