What's Wrong with My Succulent? 27 Common Concerns and Solutions #succulentpests #succulentproblems

When a succulent isn’t looking right, you may wonder if you’ve done something wrong. Find out symptoms, causes, severity, prevention, and treatments for 27 common succulent concerns.
NOTE: This video dates to 2016. Find more on a regularly updated page of Debra's website: debraleebaldwin.com/uh-oh-succulent-sick/.
On her ad-free site you'll also find detailed articles about preventing and treating common succulent concerns.
HAVE A PEST QUESTION?
Use Debra's Succulent Pests and Problems Q&A Forum. Go to debraleebaldwin.com and type "Forum" into the search bar. Answers are usually within 24 hours.
In the video:
0:00 Introduction
0:07 27 Common Concerns and Solutions
0:39 Abrasion
1:02 Agave edema
1:18 Agave snout weevil
1:53 Aloe mite
2:25 Ants
2:43 Aphids
3:08 Black spots
3:29 Blotchy coloration
3:50 Color change
4:11 Cochineal scale
4:33 Dry lower leaves
5:00 Deer damage
5:16 Desiccation
7:12 Frost damage
8:11 Gopher damage
8:45 Hail damage
9:39 Rabbit damage
9:50 Rot
10:13 Scale insects
10:38 Snail damage
12:04 Debra Lee Baldwin
BOOKS BY DEBRA LEE BALDWIN
- Designing with Succulents (mainly about in-ground gardening), amzn.to/2M7bBig
- Succulents Simplified (good overview for beginners), amzn.to/2Ewil2I
- Succulent Container Gardens, amzn.to/2VZvGeE
CONNECT WITH DEBRA
--Facebook: @DebraLeeBaldwinOfficial
--Instagram: @debralbaldwin
--Website: debraleebaldwin.com
--Newsletter: Subscribe at debraleebaldwin.com
--KZbin: kzbin.info
ABOUT DEBRA
Award-winning garden photojournalist and bestselling author Debra Lee Baldwin shares know-how about “plants that drink responsibly” in print, photos, videos and her “Celebrating the Joy of Succulents” newsletter. Debra is based in Southern California, home to more succulent specialty nurseries and growers than anywhere else in the world.
This video's URL is kzbin.info/www/bejne/h2GYlX1vadGtn5o
#succulentbug #succulentpest #succulentproblem #Aloemite #Spotsonsucculents

[@QueenofSucculents]

Have a question on ANYTHING to do with succulents? Go to debraleebaldwin.com and browse the menu or use the Search bar. Btw, my site is not monetized---no annoying pop-up ads. It's my gift to my followers and the culmination of my career as a horticulturist/photojournalist specializing in succulents. You'll find 100+ pages of tips and ideas; thousands of photos and must-know facts for specific varieties (including pests); curated design ideas for gardens, landscapes and containers; interviews with experts; seasonal info; and much more. Use the site as a research tool that also is entertaining---the same goal as my KZbin channel. Q's welcome!

[@joestolzenberger]

I have succulents new ones the top and new growth are thick but lower leaves and thin and wrinkled. I have a water meter and I am very careful about watering. Answers.?

[@QueenofSucculents]

@@joestolzenberger It's perfectly normal for lower leaves to wither and fall off. That's how the plants grow. New leaves grow from the top center of the plant and old ones die off.

[@333dabug]

This video is informative and thorough! Your narration paired with perfect visuals shows us exactly what each problem looks like and what can be done to prevent or correct it. I know I will refer back to this video time and again to keep my succulent collection healthy. Thank you so much! Really well done!

[@arlenegusto909]

I really appreciate your straight forward narration and visual references!

[@gazizaempringham1346]

Great video with lots of helpful tips 👍🏻 Many thanks Debra 🌹

[@ednacecilia9726]

Most of these problems have happened to my succulents and cacti. Now I'm ready to prevent and tackle these problems. Thank you for this fantastic video!

[@melgo5589]

Great video & helpful info, thank you. Just an observation though, the background music was a little loud and not really needed. Thanks again. Best regards.👍💖💕

[@QueenofSucculents]

I totally agree about the music. Thank you for being so diplomatic, often viewers are not. 😔 Regardless, I no longer add music that competes with dialog---or much music at all.

[@socialbutterfly2326]

Thank you very much Debra, this has been one of the most helpful videos Ive seen in a long time.

[@kurtstraudt1085]

Hi Debra, How do the Delospermas compare to these? Thank you for another great video!

[@QueenofSucculents]

Hi Kurt -- Delospermas deserve their own video. I stuck with the ice plants that grow in my area (Southern CA), but there are wonderful ones that thrive in colder climates. The key is to not let them rot or stay under snow for days on end. When I think of delospermas, I think of THE expert, Panayoti Kelaidis of the Denver Botanic Garden.

[@valeriehancockdesmons833]

Excellent video, thank you!!!

[@Botanarama]

Great collection of photos and tips here, Debra! And some very cool succulents featured (although sad to see them with yucky pests and other ailments)!

[@PetalsonthePavingSlabs]

This was very useful thank you. I've often seem many of these problems on some of my succulents, and I now I know what they are! TFS.

[@kimriha4433]

Thanks Debra, lots of great information in a short amount of time!

[@QueenofSucculents]

Hey there neighbor! Thank you!

[@feelingcrafty]

Hi Debra, great video! Can you please indicate what to do in the case of burnt leaves? I didn't acclimate my plant properly and now it's all burnt :-(. Any way to salvage it?

[@QueenofSucculents]

Succulents are resilient and unless the damage is severe, in most cases new growth will eventually conceal scorched areas. Prevention is the best cure: Watch the weather report, and when summer temps are predicted to take a quick upturn---i.e. plants won't be able to gradually adapt as they normally would---protect them with sheets or shadecloth, much as you would with frost. See this article on my website: Summer Care for Succulents: Heat and Sun Concerns. debraleebaldwin.com/debra-lee-baldwin-news/summer-care-succulents/

[@feelingcrafty]

Debra Lee Baldwin Thank you so much!

[@jordanives4359]

Fantastic video, Debra. Thank you!

[@erins.5420]

Hi Debra! I hope you had a lovely Christmas or Holliday and a brilliant New Years! I and others are having issues with black stems but no obvious rot on the roots but it’s varying from small black rot spots (again rot only on the stem) to full blown blackish/off colored grayish stem (the outer skin of the stem seems healthy but black or off color is from the core) it’s not fully mushy like Ive experienced with root rot but if left long enough before catching it can be but it’s a firm rot (if that makes any sense with this run on sentence lol). Any ideas? I was thinking larvae from gnats or the hunter (I’m guessing) fly but during the colder months? I wouldn’t have guessed especially with dryer soils. Love your books and coloring book btw this holiday. A special big huge thank you for the reference photos, I’ve used the coloring books as line art and the photos to work realistically in watercolor. Xoxo

[@niquola77]

Thank you! I have a mealy big problem, sooo many succulents and I am struggling to identify the ones with a problem before it's too late. 😭😭😭 Just sprayed them all with Isopropyl Alcohol and freaked because I didnt dilute it! Thank you for very clearly stating I dont have to!!

[@laurabalaoro8019]

Great video and info Debra. you rock. :)

[@nancystringer3041]

What a great video, so informative! Thank you so much, from Rancho Bernardo...almost neighbors!

[@libbyslittlegarden9514]

PERFECTION!!! SUBSCRIBING TO YOUR CHANNEL WAS A NO BRAINER. SO INFORMATIVE!! AND VISUALLY CORRESPONDING.😄😄😄😄😄😄

[@Sebastian-mo8bt]

Thank you Debra!You helped my so much with this video😀!

[@kalliedenney2874]

I got a succulent and one bottom leaf is red, thin, and mooshy! What's wrong with it and how do I fix it???

[@harvdog26]

Great info, big thanks Debra

[@suziecharles8933]

Thnx for this video Debra. Lots of info. Happy New Year to you and yours 💜💙

[@BrenHaas]

LOVE this video... thank you Debra!

[@miniwini5901]

Great video! Do you happen to know the name of the succulent at 4:06? its stunning!

[@QueenofSucculents]

Crassula corymbulosa 'Red Pagoda'

[@lynnjohnson852]

I had a firestorm indoors from months under grow light in the evenings and was doing wonderful. This spring I took it outside to the patio and within a few days I noticed black spots on the plant that I can rub off. I’ve tried all kinds of different fungicide and nothing seems to help. The black spot seems to be on these types of plants only. I can’t find anything on the Internet about this any ideas on how to stop this or what is causing it? I brought those plants that are affected by it inside for now. Thank you for such great videos.

[@QueenofSucculents]

Hi Susan -- I had that happen recently to mine, too. It looks like the fungus that sometimes affects gasterias, aloes and haworthias, but to see it on a Sedum is unprecedented---at least for me. I've contacted the nursery and hopefuly will get a reply soon.

[@solarwinds-]

Hi Deb, Does the Agave Snout Weevil attack Opuntias? I have a friend who lives in the Dallas Fort Worth Texas area and her Opuntias look just like the agave at 1:23. She gets these black beetles all over them.

[@QueenofSucculents]

I have heard of a beetle that attacks opuntias, but as far as I know, it's not the same one. It's common in Mexico, so finding it in Texas makes sense. In any case, the treatment is likely the same.

[@solarwinds-]

@@QueenofSucculents Thanks so much Deb, I will tell her.💗

[@DeetherTan25]

Great and helpful tips!!!

[@webwhisper2701]

great info. ... background music a little too loud & detracting.

[@QueenofSucculents]

Apologies. I no longer add music to my videos.

[@Daniquas.Art.]

I have an aloe with aloe mites would the tiny pups be safe to keep and wait and see if they are healthy?

[@QueenofSucculents]

Great question. As I understand it, the mite is in the system of the plant. So it would seem that anything that grows from an infested plant will also have it. Yet I've seen mite-infested plants that produce offsets that are healthy. At least they appear so.

[@fotostock1]

Phew! I feel rather proud that so many of my dozens of succulents have survived. This is a very useful video, I'll save the link. Thank you!

[@kiokomoon2785]

So much information thank you so much learned alot!

[@joestolzenberger]

Looking for answers to succulent questions. A succulent that is well watered and some leaves are thick and some and wrinkled. Why?I have a water meter well draining soil .I am lost for answers Can anyone answer or offer a solution

[@QueenofSucculents]

@@joestolzenberger Can you be more specific? There are thousands of various succulents. And with all Qs, knowing the city or region may offer insight.

[@jcrefasi1]

Great info but the background music drowns you out. Is the music necessary?

[@QueenofSucculents]

Please know I appreciate your comment and I put a LOT of time into my videos and aim for excellence. I've received this complaint before and subsequent videos do not have music and narrative at the same time. To fix this video, I'd have to delete it (which would lose the comments and View count), edit the music in the original file, re-upload it (which would give all my subscribers a second notice about it, which they may not appreciate), and re-do the closed captions. Speaking of which, you might want to turn them on if you can't hear.

[@jcrefasi1]

Debra Lee Baldwin. Thanks so much! I will try the captions! I had no idea it would involve so much to remove it. I just found your channel as I'm new to succulents and enjoy the content. I am currentlly binge watching all of your videos

[@QueenofSucculents]

Thank you! I LIVE for positive feedback. Makes it all worthwhile. But I know my videos won't improve without constructive criticism, too.

[@erins.5420]

oldladytoofast try putting headphones/ear buds in! The right ear bud will only work to hear Debra and a very light background music and disregard the left ear bud because that side is all music. Hope that’s helpful as I agree with Debra this video is too valuable even for the subscribers to lose or redo as it’s the third or fourth time I’ve watched over the last year or so.

[@Angie-ci1lp]

Thank you

[@MariaGarcia281]

for me it's those pesky aphids that keep coming back!

[@QueenofSucculents]

Vigilance!

[@suzannachan7286]

Hi - @3:08, should I use alcohol to clean the Black Spots? Thank

[@QueenofSucculents]

No. It's for mealy bugs and thrips.

[@Eram.Abbasi]

I bought very healthy acheveria & their leaves turn as black from base & this grows fast till whole leaf is black & mushy. & then fall off. Ultimatelly the stem also dies. I also bought healthy sempervivium. Leaves of its rosets started turning as if water filled & very fast died off. Plz can u suggest what is going wrong?

[@QueenofSucculents]

It sounds like overwatering. Because the pathogens that cause rot may now be in the soil, remove the plants, rinse the roots, and repot in a half-and-half mix of perlite and fresh potting soil (sold by the bag). Wait a week or so, then water minimally, barely enough to moisten the soil. And make sure they're not in full sun, and have good air circulation.

[@edreirodriguez1486]

Plants were moved from natural light in window to artificial light closer inside due to Winter. (They were also elongated) However, the core of one green plant looks like it's turning white. Any help?

[@QueenofSucculents]

Sounds like a classic case of etiolation (plants are starved for light and flattening their leaves to expose more surface area to available light). Try switching the light bulb to full-spectrum (similar to daylight) and moving the plant closer.

[@edreirodriguez1486]

Ok! The settings on the light have 5 different intensities, I'll increase the brightness and go from there. Thanks!

[@michelel1852]

Debra for agave snout weevil you say to douse with systemic but systemic so are harmful to pollinators. What kind are you using that is not harmful to pollinators?

[@QueenofSucculents]

Hi Michele, it takes years, sometimes decades, for an agave to bloom, so it's a nonissue. I don't advocate the use of systemics unless there's a strongly compelling reason. Snout weevil is spreading rapidly and has to be stopped. It's a horticultural emergency and unfortunately there's no perfect solution.

[@AmandaVF1]

My succulent has tiny white spots all around. What can I do to get rid of it.

[@QueenofSucculents]

If it's not a pest, it's probably from abrasion or impact, like hail. If it's a pest, it'll need to be treated; if it's an impact injury, it'll outgrow it.

[@kls5954]

Holy cow! Why is the music so overpowering? It's very hard to understand the narration. However, this does look to be very informative.

[@QueenofSucculents]

I know. I apologize. I no longer add music to my videos. I would take this one off of KZbin, but as you say, it's very informative.

[@rybell5855]

If my succulents are scrunching there leaves does that mean that they need water?

[@QueenofSucculents]

Probably. Wrinkled leaves usually indicate that.

[@tyrelcooper130]

the centre of plant is brown?

[@QueenofSucculents]

Rot.

[@jilllindfield2187]

Great informative video, except for the awful background music, I’d be happy to listen to your voice only 🪴🪴

[@QueenofSucculents]

Totally. I no longer add "awful background music." As I've explained numerous times, KZbin is a learning experience for me. I really appreciate the patience and kindness of my viewers.

[@supercal333]

Heeelp! My cactus is cactus.

[@gazepskotzs4]

shave it! maybe you end up with a succulent.

[@sujeymartinez9105]

Great video but it would be better without the music☺️

[@QueenofSucculents]

Hi Sujey -- So sorry you don't like it! What would you suggest instead?

[@sujeymartinez9105]

Debra Lee Baldwin 🤔 you have a soft and relaxing voice ...I suggest No background music 😉but I did 👍🏻the information 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@susitorre-bueno9009]

Very informative - thank you!

[@QueenofSucculents]

Thank YOU, dear Susi! May you not need this video!