Please help me rescue my sister's plant

by Rachel
(Jackson wy)

Miniature Crassula, and a bonus Kalanchoe

This is my sister's plant! Dudley, so named because he doesn't grow.

She has had him for 5 + years and there is very little going on. It seems everyone thinks their plant is a jade plant so I don't want to just assume that's what he is.

We recently moved him to a sunnier windowsill and he grew about an inch and is toppling over. What is this plant and how can I help him flourish?

Thank you!!!!

Rachel, succulent newbie :)

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Oct 01, 2014

Two different plants?
by: Jacki

That is a jade, more accurately, Crassula and this appears to be the miniature kind. Moving it to a place with more light was the right call. However, there are three things that occur to me with this poor little guy.

First of all; the pot is WAAY too big. These plants need to be cramped, and having a pot that has too much root space always leads to problems. The roots of these plants like to find the edges of their environment, then the plant will grow on top. Don't ask me why, that's just one of their little quirks.

Secondly; this is totally the wrong kind of soil. These plants (like all succulents) prefer a sandy or gravelly soil, not compost like many jungle type house plants. Repot it into a smaller pot, using some cactus soil, or at the very least, potting soil mixed with small gravel, pumice or lava rock.

Third; there looks to be a second plant in with this one, and I suspect that it's more than likely some kind of Kalanchoe. When you repot the tall spindly one, check and see if there actually are two plants, and repot those into the same kind of soil, again, in a smallish pot. They will be much happier, and you will start to see some growth.

See more on Crassula, Kalanchoe and succulent care here.

Hope that helps get Dudley off to a good start with his rehab.

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