Your succulent is unquestionably growing in what is known as a “cristate or crested form.” When the original plant experiences harm to the single, typical growing point, it produces many growing points. These all collide and create the wavy, fan-like shape. We are unable to identify the plant with certainty; we can only speculate that it is probably a type of echeveria because it is unable to develop in its typical shape, which is a single rosette. It appears that might be the case off the right side of the picture, but we can’t see it, that it will occasionally throw out a plant that has returned to normal. This will assist in locating the plant. In order to be safe, I would carefully unpot it and fill the pot with soil so you could repot it at a higher level. This will improve airflow around the base, where rot problems can frequently develop, and remove all the old, dead leaves from the soil, which can lead to a fungus problem. Other than that, you seem to be handling everything fairly well. You don’t want the soil to be moist for very long, which is what it appears to be a little bit. Water well when you do, but wait to do so until the soil has begun to dry up to approximately your first knuckle on your finger before doing so again. Keep it as bright as you can, even with a little sun.
How do you know whether a succulent has a crested surface?
Recently, I’ve seen numerous crested succulents on Facebook and Instagram. I struggled for a long time to comprehend what they were, how they differed, or why they were so intriguing. I find them to be extremely fascinating now that I’ve seen more of them and asked some questions!
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As the plant develops, a mutation known as cresting takes place. Instead of growing additional stems or branches, the plant flattens down and forms a broad, level surface. The leaves are extremely compact and typically grow along the top of the ridge of this vast growth. They are more unusual than their non-crested cousins because it is something that occurs naturally and cannot be forced.
In Mimi’s garden from I Dream of Succulents, I encountered my first crested succulent (that I’m aware of, at least). It was lovely to see this crested Aeonium “Starburst”!
I adore the smaller form of this plant that she kindly gave to me! I had never owned a crested succulent before. I still have it, but since it has a little sunburn, I’ll have to display it until it recovers. I saw a crested ‘Topsy Turvy’ at Rancho Garcia Nursery’s shop on Etsy and knew I needed to add that to my collection. They truly are fantastic!
If you want to buy some, I suggest going to CTS Airplants. There are several different types available.
When I was in Santa Barbara previously, I visited Seaside Gardens where I spotted a number of crested succulents (amazing place… definitely worth visiting). They possessed an incredible assortment of crested Aeoniums.
I discovered this tiny crested Sedum Angelina while perusing some cold-tolerant succulents I had planted at my parents’ place. I was overjoyed to see a succulent in my garden that crowned on its own. Since it was so tiny, I made the decision to pluck it out and put it in a pot so I could take care of it. I’m hoping that helps it perform a little bit better.
How wonderful are crested succulents? It’s wonderful to have a rare item in your collection, but uncommon plants are frequently too pricey to warrant buying. Despite being rather uncommon, crested succulents are inexpensive, making them the ideal addition to any succulent collection. Visit CTS Airplants and choose your choice there.
Why are crested succulents so pricey?
The occurrence of cresting succulents is unusual, hence they are rare or special. Online prices show that they are more expensive than a typical succulent. However, because there are many of them available for purchase, perhaps we should just refer to them as odd. Aeonium “Sunburst” is frequently seen on websites that offer crested plants.
Even less water and fertilizer than is required for your typical succulents must be used when caring for crested or monstrous succulent plants. The best outcome for this unique development is to let nature take its course. Monstrous curiosities with crests are more prone to get rot and perhaps revert to regular growth, ruining the effect of the crest.
Naturally, you’ll want to give your odd plant special attention. It should be planted high in the container with the right soil mixture. If you’ve purchased or been given the opportunity to raise a crested succulent, learn about it and give it the care it needs.
What results in a cactus being crested?
When the cells in the developing stem start to divide outward rather than in the circular pattern of a typical cactus, cristate or “crested saguaros” are formed. This rare mutation causes a saguaro’s main stem or limbs to sprout a big fan-shaped crest at the growing tip.
Can a cactus be forced to crest?
Is it possible to make a healthy plant become ceested or monstrous? Cacti Prevail! Damage to the growth point may result in a crest, but it usually leads to additional branches or heads.
How should a crested cactus be cared for?
Crested euphorbia is an easy plant to grow as long as you give it plenty of light and moderately warm temperatures. Even in hot summer climes, indoor plants can withstand a lot of direct sunlight.
The crested euphorbia is a low-water houseplant that only requires infrequent watering because it is truly a succulent (typically once every couple of weeks or so). Avoid overwatering this simple houseplant because if the green rootstalk on the bottom rots, the top will become too heavy and collapse. Keep crested euphorbia slightly too dry rather than excessively moist if you’re unsure whether to water it.
A mulch made of glued-together boulders is frequently used to grow crested euphorbia. Learn how to care for plants with pebble mulch in this article.
How is crested aeonium propagated?
Gardeners constantly seek to expand their plant collection, and propagation is the accepted method for doing so. Here are some techniques for duplicating your crest sunburst:
Through its Cuttings
Being a monocarpic plant, Aeonium Crested, Sunburst is best propagated so you may enjoy your succulent for longer. The most common method of growing additional succulent plants is through cuttings.
The first step is to remove a selected stem right from the center of the cluster using a clean, sharp knife or cutter. Allow it to callous over by allowing it to sit for many days. Plant the stem in a soil that drains properly. Apply the soak-and-dry irrigation method to your newly planted succulent.
Through its Leaves
Your Aeonium Crested Sunburst may also be propagated using its leaves. Pick leaves from the stem that are in good shape. To ensure successful proliferation, make sure that no leaf fragments are left on the branch. Replant it after 23 days of callous growth, not right away. When the ground becomes dry, replant it in a soil that drains well and give it plenty of water.
Through its Offsets
Through its offsets, Aeonium Crested Sunburst can also reproduce. To obtain the young plant from the central cluster after propagation, you must wait a few years. The propagation process will now begin:
- Carefully remove the offset of the primary cluster using a sterile cutter or knife.
- Clean the leftover dirt after removing the infant plant, then wait a few days to develop calluses.
- For your newly planted succulent plant, choose well-draining soil.
- Do not overwater your succulent plant; instead, water it sparingly.
Through its Seeds
Plant the seeds in a soil that drains well if you want to grow plants from seeds. When the soil is totally dry, water it well.
It is commonly known that Aeonium Crested Sunburst is a wonderful succulent. It features a special succulent plant that blooms in the summer and requires no upkeep. It can be cultivated outside or inside. Succulents are a stunning addition to any garden setting, especially if they are planted in a decorative pot or container. Your garden setting will be more appealing if you include and grow your own Aeonium Crested Sunburst in addition to its lovely qualities.
A crested Euphorbia is what?
Crested Euphorbia, Crested Elkhorn, and Coral Cactus The fan-shaped succulent’s wavy, coral-like top is a mutation of Euphorbia lactea that was subsequently grafted onto the root stock of another succulent. The color of the coral cactus ranges from silver to blue-gray. When joyfully stressed, the edges of the crests might turn pink.
Can a stem of a succulent grow?
All plants can be propagated using these techniques, not just succulents. Stem cutting propagation is the simplest technique that works with the most succulent kinds. We’ll concentrate on this approach today. Leaf division and propagation have been discussed in previous posts.
Propagating Succulents from Stem Cuttings
Certain stem tissues of succulent plants have a sort of mystical quality. Some of the plant’s cells, namely those found where the stem and leaf meet, have extraordinary abilities. Depending on the needs of the plant, these cells can create various forms of growth. These cells develop roots if the need for water is the greatest. These cells create leaves if the plant needs to capture sunlight in order to convert it into nutrition. These immature cells constitute the “meristem.” Plants’ meristem tissue, pronounced mehr-i-stem, comprises identical plant tissue. Meristem cells in plants resemble stem cells in animals in certain ways.
What happens if a branch from a plant that is growing in nature breaks off and falls to the ground? When a succulent branch falls, it frequently sprouts roots from its meristem tissues that penetrate the earth to hydrate the surviving leaves. It eventually develops into a whole new, self-sustaining plant. The practice of propagating plants via stem cuttings makes use of this trait. It takes a piece of a plant’s stem that was producing leaves and convinces it to produce roots instead.
Taking Stem Cuttings for Succulent Propagation
One of my favorite succulents is Portulacaria afra, along with several of its variegated relatives. Additionally, they are excellent for showing off stem cutting propagation! Check out how many of the stems have their own little stems. This provides you with numerous chances to get stem cuttings to take root.
When taking your cuttings, make sure to use clean, sharp pruners. It aids in preventing bacterial contamination and unneeded stress for the cutting process. Any excellent, sharp pair of trimming scissors will do; but, my titanium coated ones are my absolute favorite.
Any one of these cuttings can be rooted. The meristem tissue and a whole, healthy leaf are all that are really required. But you’ll discover that cuttings between 2 and 4 inches long with two sets of nodes for rooting and two sets of leaves will root most quickly and easily. By removing the leaves from the stem, you can reveal a node or see one:
Are the two sets of nodes on this cutting visible to you? Every node is a location where new roots can grow. So you will have at least 4 roots locations with 2 sets of nodes (assuming each set has a node on each side of the stem, which is how this portulacaria grows). This new plant will have a sufficient amount of roots at four rooting locations to absorb moisture and secure the plant in place. It’s crucial to maintain the rooting zone’s proportionality with the area of your cutting that will become the next plant’s top growth. The cutting will continue to receive moisture and nutrients from the strong leaves as it starts to root.
Remember to root the end of your cuttings that was lower on the plant when it was growing as well. It is crucial to root the cutting from the point that was lower than the end that would keep its leaves since plants have a rigorous sense of up from down. This is simple to determine with a single stem. When a plant has developed several branches, you will refer to the end of the stem that is closest to the stem from which it originated as the main stem “down. The direction of the leaves typically indicates which portion of the stem should be pointed “to root, one must go down. As you collect your cuttings, observe if the plant you are getting cuttings from is unclear.
Lay the cuttings out in the proper orientation as you take them. Leaves you remove should be saved for leaf reproduction! After I cut my cuttings, I place them on a flat of quickly draining succulent soil out of the sun for a few days. This increases their risk of developing calluses, which lowers the possibility of rot in the future.
Insert the root end of the stem cuttings into the dry succulent soil after two to three days have passed. Give them some room, but don’t worry about crowding them because they won’t mature here. After placing them in the dry soil, bring them back to a location that is not in the direct sun but receives indirect light. After about two weeks, thoroughly spray the soil. Continue misting the well once a week going forward.
Most succulent cultivars can be multiplied successfully from stem cuttings. This aeonium kiwi branch can be divided into several cuttings, one for each rosette. Rooting many plants from which you want to obtain cuttings in the same flat is simple.
Another cultivar that grows well from stem cuttings is Crassula ovata. The nodes are still extremely visible despite having a very different appearance from that of the aeonium and portulacaria. At each node point are the lines encircling the stem. You can separate this branch into multiple stem cuttings.
You have now collected all of your cuts. They were left for two to three days on top of dry, sun-free succulent soil. After placing them in the ground, you let them dry for an additional two weeks. The earth was then thoroughly misted. For a while, keep thoroughly misting the soil once a week. Make sure to examine your cuttings carefully each time. You’ll notice that the leaves are starting to wrinkle and dry out a little bit. The succulent plant needs water because of this. This encourages the growth of roots when the succulent needs water. The leaves will eventually look better and swell out a little more. They can now take up water, which indicates that they have started to root. Yay! It’s so thrilling! When a cutting is gently pulled and there is resistance, it has roots. Here, a forked root is visible, and new, tiny roots are also growing. This little one needs to be planted and gradually exposed to more light.
How Long Does Succulent Propagation Take?
Most of the year, propagating succulents from stem cuttings can be done successfully. The length of time from cutting to rooting depends on the season, amount of daylight, temperature, type of succulent, etc. This process takes time. But it is trustworthy. Plan to get them if you know you will require a certain quantity of succulent plants at a specific period. However, propagating them is a terrific method to grow your collection. If you don’t mind getting cuttings instead of rooted plants, you can also find some great deals online. Succulent cuttings are available from certain top-notch suppliers, and they can be used in crafts or as a less expensive alternative to buying plants.
I have dabbled with plant propagation on numerous occasions over the past 25 years. Aspirin, willow bark water, rooting hormones, and nothing at all have all been utilized by me. The hormone powder is helpful for my particularly obstinate, woody plants. But from what I can gather, it just does not appear to matter for succulents. Why spend money on something you don’t really need?
The vast majority of succulent species, including Echeveria, Aeonium, Graptoveria, Crassula, Kalanchoe, Delosperma, Euophorbia, Portulacaria, Sedum, Senecio, Peperomia, and more, can be propagated from stem cuttings. Essentially, this method can be used to successfully propagate any succulent that is made up of a stem and leaves. What plant will you start with first now that you are knowledgeable about reproducing succulents from stem cuttings? I hope you can’t wait to get going. Please let me know if you have any questions; I’m happy to help!
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P.P.S. Would you consider joining my Facebook group for cactus lovers? We discuss design, identification, propagation, and care of succulents. They’re a friendly bunch who would love to meet you!