You might notice my leaves turning red, orange, purple, or even a deep blue-black. While this can be a beautiful, natural "sun-stress" color for some of my kind, it can also be a major distress signal. If the color change is sudden and accompanied by other signs, I am likely telling you something. Intense, direct sunlight for too long can cause a sunburn, which appears as crispy, brown or black spots that are permanent. Conversely, if I am not getting enough light, I may become pale and stretch out unnaturally, a condition called etiolation, where I am desperately reaching for a light source.
This is one of the most critical signs of distress. If my leaves feel soft, squishy, and look almost see-through, it means I am drowning. You are giving me too much water. My roots are sitting in soggy soil, unable to breathe, and they have begun to rot. This rot will spread from my roots up through my stem, turning my firm, plump leaves into a mushy mess. If you see this, I am in immediate danger. You must stop watering me at once.
When I am desperately thirsty, my leaves are the first to show it. I store water in my leaves to survive dry periods. When that reserve is depleted, my leaves start to shrivel, wrinkle, and become thin and flexible. They may also curl inward as I try to reduce my surface area to conserve moisture. Unlike the mushiness of overwatering, these leaves will feel dry and papery. This is my way of crying out for a drink.
If I am stretching out, with a long stem and leaves spaced far apart, I am not getting enough light. This is called etiolation. I am essentially stretching my growth to try and find a stronger light source. This growth is weak, unstable, and makes me vulnerable to falling over or breaking. I want to be compact and sturdy, but I need your help to get into a brighter spot.
It is perfectly normal for me to reabsorb nutrients from my oldest, lowest leaves as part of my natural growth process. These leaves will dry out crisply and fall off cleanly. However, if I am losing a significant number of leaves from all over my body, or if the leaves are dropping while still plump or discolored, it is a sign of stress. This could be due to overwatering, extreme underwatering, or a pest infestation.
For Overwatering (Mushy Leaves): You must act fast. Remove me from the wet soil immediately. Gently clean my roots and inspect them. Use sterile scissors to cut away any black, brown, or mushy roots—these are rotten. Let my roots air dry for a few days before repotting me in fresh, dry, well-draining succulent soil. Do not water me for at least a week after repotting to allow me to heal.
For Underwatering (Wrinkled Leaves): Give me a thorough, deep watering. Soak the soil completely until water runs out of the drainage hole. Then, let all the excess water drain away completely. Do not let me sit in a saucer of water. I will plump back up within a day or two. Going forward, water me only when the soil is completely dry.
For Too Much Sun (Sunburn): Move me to a location with bright but indirect light. Unfortunately, the sunburned spots will not heal, but you can prevent further damage. Acclimate me slowly to stronger light over a period of weeks.
For Not Enough Light (Leggy Growth): Gradually move me to a brighter location, such as a south or east-facing window. If natural light is limited, consider using a grow light to supplement. You can also behead my stretched-out top section and replant it once it has calloused to start a new, more compact plant.
