Succulent Plant Problems

by Lynn

Don't know the type of succulant, but it has got a whitish powder on all the leaves. I can touch it and get a little off on my finger. Also is getting a spot that looks like a burned place. Turned tan & is circular. Lost one leaf & is on another. This has just happened & we have gone through months of hot summer. It is only in the sun for a few hours of direct morning light.



Drought Smart Plants reply:

Hi Lynn,
Many succulents including Echeveria have a powdery coating - it's a special wax coating called 'pruinose' and is meant to protect the plant from burning or drying out. It's just another one of those fantastic drought smart strategies that these plants use to help them survive challenging conditions.

This is my best guess without a picture.

As for your other issue with the circular burnt place, this sounds more serious, and even without seeing it, I am concerned. It could be a problem with too much water, or some type of fungus infection, or even Anthracnose. I would cut off the leaves that are showing this problem, and watch carefully to make sure it's completely cleared up before heaving a sigh of relief.

See the pages on succulent care and how to grow Echeveria for more insight into the needs of succulent plants in general, and Echeveria in particular. If you're not familiar with growing succulents, finding out about their quirks is certainly going to be a steep learning curve.

Hope this helps,
Jacki