From my perspective, light is my food. I use sunlight to perform photosynthesis, the process that converts light, water, and carbon dioxide into the energy (sugars) I need to grow. If I am placed in a dim corner or a room with only artificial light, I am essentially starving. I may survive for a long time by living off my stored energy, but I cannot produce enough new energy to create significant new growth. My leaves may become thin, pale, and stretch out awkwardly (a process called etiolation) as I desperately reach for any available light source. To grow strong and produce new pups, I require several hours of bright, indirect sunlight daily. A south or west-facing window is often ideal.
Watering is a delicate dance for my species. My thick, fleshy leaves are designed to store vast amounts of water, allowing me to thrive in arid conditions. If you water me too frequently, the soil remains constantly wet. This suffocates my roots, as they require oxygen from the air pockets in the soil. Root rot sets in, a fatal condition where my roots turn brown and mushy and can no longer absorb water or nutrients. Without functional roots, my growth halts completely, and I will eventually collapse. Conversely, if you underwater me for extended periods, I will go into survival mode. I will use all my stored water to simply stay alive, leaving no resources for new growth. My leaves will become thin, wrinkled, and brown at the tips.
My root system needs space to expand. If I have been in the same pot for years, my roots become pot-bound—a tangled, dense mass that has exhausted the available soil and nutrients. There is no room for new roots to form, which directly stifles the growth of my leaves above the soil. Furthermore, the potting mix I sit in may be depleted of essential nutrients. While I am not a heavy feeder, I still require some nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to fuel cellular division and the production of new tissue. A lack of these key elements will result in very slow or stunted growth.
I originate from warm, sunny climates and prefer temperatures between 55°F and 80°F (13°C and 27°C). If I am exposed to cold drafts, temperatures below 50°F (10°C), or significant temperature fluctuations, I experience stress. My metabolic processes, including growth, will slow down or stop entirely to conserve energy. Furthermore, I have a natural growth cycle. I am most active and grow fastest during the warm, bright spring and summer months. During the shorter, cooler days of fall and winter, I enter a period of dormancy. It is completely normal for my growth to pause during this time as I rest. You should not expect new growth in the winter.
