Dead leaves on the higher portions of new growth are a symptom of a problem, usually over- or under-watering, but dead leaves near the bottom of your succulent are completely healthy. Succulents can experience issues with soil as well, as I discuss in this post.
Overwatering probably caused your plant’s leaves to turn yellow and translucent and feel soggy or mushy to the touch.
The emergence of leaves that only slightly bump is a warning sign of overwatering. It may be tough to save your succulent if you start to notice that it has a black stem or mushy patches on the stem or leaves since this indicates that the overwatering is getting serious.
Here is a Donkey’s Tail succulent. The center plant has entirely perished as a result of being excessively overwatered. The middle has mushy leaves and black stems that are visible.
Overwatering might harm some succulents more than others. One of the most sensitive plants is the echeveria. These lovely rosettes will quickly perish if given too much water, even after just two or three days.
In this video, you can see how I determine what’s wrong with my succulents.
How can succulent stem rot be treated?
After that, clean the container and fill it with new dirt. A drop of antibacterial dish soap should be added to a bowl of water. Carefully clean the succulent’s roots with brand-new cotton swabs. The roots could also be submerged in a weak anti-fungal solution. Before repotting, allow the roots to totally dry out. For two weeks, let the plant remain dry, and keep a constant eye on it.
Can you prevent stem rot on a succulent?
You tend to your succulent plants. You try your best to take excellent care of them and carefully water them. However, you currently have a plant whose succulent leaves are falling off. The leaves have a somewhat translucent appearance and a soft texture. These are indications of succulents that have been overwatered, according to your research. You come to the conclusion after more research that some succulent rot was caused by overwatering. Don’t be upset; things happen. While it’s important to understand the issue, you also need to know what to do next. Learn how to rescue your overwatered succulents by reading on.
Checking Succulent Roots
Your succulent received too much water. It occurs. Perhaps it was exposed to the rain. Sometimes compacted roots obstruct the drainage hole. Now we have to fix it.
Never hesitate to remove your succulent from the ground so you may examine it more closely. Any plant’s roots are crucial to its survival, but succulents can withstand being dug up much better than most other plants. Simply removing the succulent from its container may cure the problem if you overwatered it but there are no signs of succulent rot or leaves breaking off. Squeeze out extra water while keeping the soil and root ball in tact. The plant and root ball can then be placed next to the container and left there for a day or two, allowing the dirt to quickly dry out. To stop any rot from growing, do this.
Signs of Overwatered Succulents
The first indication of overwatered succulents is probably when the leaves start to change color and look a little translucent. The water-storage cells’ walls were ruptured as a result of the extra water. The water rushes through the leaf instead of being neatly contained within specialized cells, causing color dilution and making the leaf feel squishy as it starts to decompose. These succulent leaves will soon start to fall off the plant.
The simplest way to kill succulent plants is to overwater them, which causes succulent rot. The sooner you spot a succulent that is overwatered, the sooner you can intervene to save it.
Treating Overwatered Succulents
A few wilted leaves were the first indication that Terran’s echeveria was in peril. The smallest touch caused them to fall off. When she pulled up her plant, she discovered that the stem had a brown tint and that the succulent leaves had fallen off. It resembles a fruit bruise in appearance. She was aware of her succulent stem rot.
A problem is evident from the tiny amount of root structure in comparison to the size of the top growth. Either this was a freshly rooted cutting of a succulent, or the roots had mostly withered away. Dig up your succulent if you want a better look at the root system. Compared to other plants, succulents are much more tolerant of this, and it’s an excellent method to know for sure what’s going on. Remove any extra soil and, if the soil is muddy, rinse the roots if you’ve found or suspect root rot. If you find rot, throw away the used soil and give the container a good cleaning.
Dealing with Succulent Stem Rot
Terran discovered succulent stem decay. Her succulent was rotting at the soil line from overwatering. See how the leaf bases on the left are discolored? They exhibit rotting symptoms just like the stem. The leaves on the succulents started to fall off because of this. because they withered where the meristem was Plants’ meristem tissue, pronounced mehr-i-stem, comprises uniform tissue that cannot be propagated. The portion of a leaf that can produce new roots and leaves is called the meristem tissue. There can be no more growth or development once this has withered.
Close examination reveals that the remaining leaves above the succulent stem rot still seem healthy.
Saving a Plant with Succulent Stem Rot
It’s crucial to distinguish the rotting tissue from the healthy plant when dealing with a succulent that has succumbed to overwatering and developed succulent rot, whether on the leaves, stem, or roots. Throw away used soil and any damaged plant pieces. Only the top of the plant was healthy in this instance due to the plant’s weak root system, rotting lower leaves, and lack of root structure.
First, get rid of all rot indicators. Cut off the stem with any rot and remove the leaves. Then, examine the stem’s interior to see if the stem’s core exhibits any indications of rot. Trim it back until there are no longer any rot indications. Terran did this, stripped the stem of its nutritious leaves. These wholesome leaves could be multiplied from their meristem tissue. After removing all evidence of succulent rot, she still had a rice rosette growing from the very top of her echeveria with a stem that was about 1/2 inch long. She successfully propagated the remaining rosette by using it as a succulent stem cutting.
Terran was able to salvage her overwatered succulent since the top of the rosette rooted well in new soil and had several leaves forming baby plants.
Succulent Rot in Black Echeveria
Black echeveria, such this Black Prince, are peculiarly susceptible to rot. You’ll inevitably see a plant with all of its succulent leaves dropping off at some point if you adore growing these types as much as I do. When overwatered, these plants immediately respond by abruptly losing all of their leaves. Even while their sensitivity is annoying, it usually implies that the majority of the leaves will be in good enough shape to root and grow into plants on their own. This is a survival strategy that allows the plant to multiply even when the parent plant is more prone to demise.
Steps to Saving Overwatered Succulents
Despite our best efforts, overwatering succulent plants still occurs. To prevent further harm and prevent succulent rot on your plants, take the following actions:
What does a succulent look like when it is overwatered?
How can you tell if your succulent is getting too much water? You can usually determine if a succulent is being overwatered or underwatered by looking for telltale indications. A plant that has received too much water will have soft, mushy leaves.
The leaves would either turn translucent in color or appear lighter than they would on a healthy plant. A succulent that had received too much water would frequently lose leaves readily, even when only lightly handled. Usually, the lowest leaves are the ones to suffer first.
The plant will look to be unhealthy overall. When this occurs, the plant is either being overwatered, sitting in the incorrect soil that does not dry out quickly enough, or both.
Your plants are being overwatered if you have been giving them regular waterings or if you have been following a watering schedule regardless of how the plant appears.
On the other hand, a succulent that has been submerged will have withered, wrinkled, and deflated-looking leaves. The leaves will appear thin and flat. The entire plant will appear withered and dry.
The leaves of a good succulent plant should be thick and solid, not mushy or desiccated.
To learn more about this subject, visit my post titled “How To Tell If Your Succulent is Over or Under Watered,” in which I go into great length about how you may determine whether your succulent plant is being over or under watered.
This String of Pearls ‘Senecio Rowleyanus’ plant leaf is one that has been overwatered. If a succulent’s water storage capacity has been exceeded, it may physically burst from overwatering.
How does succulent rot appear?
How to Identify Rotting in a Succulent Plant Dark brown to black dots start to emerge near the stem. The afflicted areas swell and take on a black coloring. The plant seems ill with droopy leaves if the rotting has spread from the roots up.
How can I tell if my succulent’s roots have rotted?
1) Examining the Sources Take the succulent out of the pot, shake off the soil, and examine the roots’ color. Either white or yellow roots are indicators of health. Root rot is present if the roots are either dark brown or black and feel slimy and damp to the touch.
How can I tell if a succulent is about to die?
A succulent should be simple to care for. But there are a few things to know in order to maintain it healthy. How can you tell whether your succulent is prospering or dying, first?
Generally speaking, the following are typical signs that a succulent is perishing:
- The roots are rotting if the leaves are brown and mushy.
- Pale, yellow leaves are a sign of illness or rot that has spread.
- Dehydrated, wrinkled leaves indicate that the roots are drying up.
- Rot or infection was indicated by brown roots.
These are a few warning indications that your succulent may not be prospering. If you have one or more succulents and are worried that your plant is dying, continue reading to learn how to identify when your plant needs care.
How can a dying succulent be revived?
Yes, I am aware that it seems illogical to remove extra water from the soil, but bear with me. This is the justification. Too much water has already put the succulent under stress, and exposure to sunlight makes matters worse. Direct sunlight is a big no because most succulents require brilliant indirect light.
Place the succulent that has been overwatered somewhere dry and bright, but out of direct sunshine.
2. Permit the roots to breathe.
Cut off any brown or black roots as they are already rotting. Dig the succulent out of the ground and remove any excess soil that has become stuck to the roots. Place the plant on a mesh or other strainer until the roots have had two to three days to air dry. Replant the roots in the pot once they have dried completely.
Remove the entire root system and any puckered, spotty, black, or brown stems if the roots are entirely rotted. The succulent stem can be buried in the ground for propagation.
Keep the overwatered succulent on a mesh screen or other strainer until the roots have had two to three days to air dry.
3. Modify the ground
You might not need to entirely alter your succulent if it is already rooted in homemade or commercial succulent soil. Algae (green living matter) typically grows on soil that is too wet. If so, it is your responsibility to remove all of the top soil from the area around your plants and replace it with new succulent soil.
Can succulents endure direct sunlight?
Due to their drought tolerance and water-storing properties, which enable them to tolerate high heat and very harsh sun exposure, succulents have become well-known. This is true for the majority of succulent plants, however some cannot survive direct sunlight without protection, and if exposed to excessive heat, they may suffer sun damage.  
The best 10 succulents and cacti that will thrive in full sun are listed below. Some of these plants can withstand full sun exposure better than others.
 
Do cacti require sunlight?
Depending on the type, succulents need six hours of sunlight each day because they are light-loving plants. You might need to gradually expose newly planted succulents to full sun exposure or give shade with a translucent screen because they can burn in direct sunshine.
Why is the stem of my jade plant becoming black?
Jade plants are acclimated to low humidity because they are from desert regions of South Africa with windy mountainside conditions.
Leaves may become black if there is excessive humidity in your environment or residence.
Lower rates of transpiration (water loss) from your jade plant’s leaves, which results in water stress and can color your plant black, are caused by higher levels of humidity.
There are a few things that can cause the humidity levels for Jade plants in a house to be higher:
- watering from above. Always water Jade plants at the base rather than overhead, as was previously mentioned in this post but is still important to emphasize. A humid microclimate is produced by water on the leaves, which lowers transpiration.
- Jade plants in moist house interiors. Showering or cooking can produce a lot of steam in rooms like bathrooms or kitchens, which can increase the humidity.
- Jade plants are especially susceptible to turning black in naturally humid locations (like Florida), making complete sun exposure and putting them in a breezy place even more crucial.
Place your Jade plant in broad light and, ideally, in the line of a breeze from an open window to prevent still air in order to reduce humidity. Additionally, avoid finding Jade in a stuffy space.
Even though high humidity isn’t always the reason why jade plants become black, it is frequently a big contributing element. As a result, jade plants can develop healthily with proper watering techniques, well-draining soil, and pots with good drainage.
Key Takeaways:
- Jade plant stems and leaves turn black as a result of rot brought on by too much moisture around the roots. Black patches on the leaves of the jade plant are caused by overwatering and poorly draining soils.
- The most frequent causes of jade plants becoming black are over watering and poorly draining soils. High humidity and root rot are both brought on by pots with no drainage holes.
- To avoid Jade from going black, try to mimic the growing circumstances of the plant’s native South Africa, which include full sun, occasional watering, a breezy position, and grittier soil that drains well.
- Cut back any stems or leaves that are black to stop the rot from spreading and save the jade plants. Use the healthy leaves or cuttings for propagation if there is considerable rot.
A desert plant that is native to and has been specially suited to this hostile environment
Contrary to the conditions to which they are accustomed, leaves are adapted for storing water, which reduces the need for consistent watering.
Water the plant from the base up to prevent wetting the leaves, which can reduce transpiration and cause root rot.