From my perspective, the most common and dangerous threat is an excess of your kindness with water. My native habitat is arid and unforgiving; I am built to store immense amounts of water in my thick, swollen caudex. When you water me too frequently, the soil around my roots remains perpetually wet. This saturation suffocates me. My roots, which need oxygen as much as they need water, begin to rot and die in the soggy, airless environment. You might notice my leaves turning a sickly yellow, becoming soft, and dropping off en masse. This is not a sign of thirst, but of drowning. The base of my stem may also feel soft and mushy to the touch—a clear signal that the rot has set in and is compromising my structural integrity. In severe cases, my beautiful caudex will shrivel and rot from the inside out, a silent scream for you to put the watering can down.
While I am a drought-tolerant specimen, I am not invincible. There is a limit to the reserves held within my caudex. When you forget about me for too long, I am forced into a state of extreme conservation. My first response is to reduce water loss through transpiration. I will sacrificially shed my leaves to preserve the precious moisture in my stem and roots. The leaves I do retain will often become dry, crispy, and brown, particularly at the tips and edges, before they too fall. Unlike the sudden leaf drop of overwatering, the leaves from underwatering typically yellow slowly, dry out completely, and then drop. You will also notice my proud, plump caudex beginning to shrivel and wrinkle, much like your skin after a long bath, as I exhaust my internal water supply. My growth will completely halt as I enter a survival state, waiting patiently for the next drink.
To understand my needs, you must learn to read my body language. Touch my soil; it is the most honest messenger. If it is still damp an inch below the surface, I do not need water. Observe my leaves: yellow, soft, and dropping quickly signals too much water. Brown, crispy, and dropping slowly signals too little. Most importantly, feel my caudex. A firm, hard, and plump caudex means I am content. A soft, mushy caudex means I am drowning, while a wrinkled, shriveled one means I am parched. My watering needs change with the seasons; I am actively thirsty during my hot growing season and prefer to be kept almost completely dry during my dormant, cool period. The best practice is to water me deeply only when my soil is completely dry, and then allow me to dry out thoroughly once more.
