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Jul 31, 2014 3:09 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Kassy O'Neal
Mobile Alabama (Zone 9a)
I have a Sempervivum and it was doing great, it even shot out a stem with pretty small pink flowers, but after the bloom fell off the leaves started dropping too. One by one they all fell off but two. One of the two remaining leaves has new growth on it and a long shoot coming from it and the stem of the original plant has roots coming from one side. I did get one leaf off that started a new plant but now I have no clue what to do about the bare stem. I have just been leaving it completely alone for now so I don't end up killing off the new growth but I think it is time to do something. I will attach photos of it from when I got it when it bloomed and what is going on now. I thought when I first got the plant that it was way too wet but soon after I took the first photo attached I went out and got cacti and succulent soil and re-potted it. I only water my succulents once every other week but I do live in Mobile AL (deep south east US) on the cost so it is very very humid here even inside.

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Jul 31, 2014 4:09 PM CST
Name: Marilyn
Greenwood Village, CO (Zone 5b)
Garden today. Clean next week.
Heucheras Bookworm Region: Colorado Garden Procrastinator Region: Southwest Gardening Container Gardener
Enjoys or suffers cold winters Sempervivums Annuals Foliage Fan Herbs Garden Ideas: Level 2
Welcome! Welcome! KassyO .. That stalk action is something I have not seem before in Semps. I know it does happen in the tender types of succulents, such as Echeveria. (sp?)

Others will come along pretty soon to give you some expert advice. You will find they are very helpful. This is a busy time of year for everyone so it may take a bit of time.
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Jul 31, 2014 4:53 PM CST
Name: Michele Roth
N.E. Indiana - Zone 5b, and F (Zone 9b)
I'm always on my way out the door..
I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Forum moderator Garden Sages Garden Ideas: Master Level Dog Lover Cottage Gardener
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Hi Kassey, and Welcome! .

I believe the "mother" plant is finished shortly after flowering; then the babies (I think they're called offsets) fall off and root on the soil surface to make new plants. Smiling
Cottage Gardening

Newest Interest: Rock Gardens


Avatar for KassyO
Jul 31, 2014 5:01 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Kassy O'Neal
Mobile Alabama (Zone 9a)
I did some hardcore reading and I learned that the mother plant should die after flowering and that it will flower prematurely without popping chicks if it is stressed out. I assume that is what happened here but what about the new growth and the weird roots that started to grow on one side. Should I cut the new growth off or just leave it alone?
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Jul 31, 2014 6:40 PM CST
Name: Michele Roth
N.E. Indiana - Zone 5b, and F (Zone 9b)
I'm always on my way out the door..
I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Forum moderator Garden Sages Garden Ideas: Master Level Dog Lover Cottage Gardener
Native Plants and Wildflowers Plant Identifier Organic Gardener Keeps Horses Hummingbirder Hosted a Not-A-Raffle-Raffle
I guess we'll have to call out to someone more knowledgeable than I, since I just toss out the spent mother once it's finished.

@valleylynn, @gg5, or @goldfinch4; can one (or more) of you share some insight?

TIA Smiling
Cottage Gardening

Newest Interest: Rock Gardens


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Jul 31, 2014 9:03 PM CST
Moderator
Name: Lynn
Oregon City, OR (Zone 8b)
Charter ATP Member Garden Sages I helped plan and beta test the plant database. I helped beta test the Garden Planting Calendar I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Plant Database Moderator
Forum moderator I helped beta test the first seed swap Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Plant and/or Seed Trader Garden Ideas: Master Level
Hi Kassy, and Welcome! to ATP. So glad you found your way here.

Chelle is correct, once a rosette blooms it will die, but hopefully will leave behind some offset to carry on. The last photo does look like a viable offset. Just leave it sitting on top of the soil, it will get nutrients from the leaf or stalk until it grows it's own root system.

The first photo does look like it has been over watered. The last photo also looks a bit wet. Let it dry out a bit, them mist until just the top of the soil is moistened. Hopefully the little guy will take off growing. Hurray!

I see the roots growing on the stem. I would leave the stem in the pot, it might still send out some offsets for you.
The long/weird growth looks like the plant is etiolated, meaning it may not be getting enough light.
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Jul 31, 2014 11:28 PM CST
Name: Greg Colucci
Seattle WA (Zone 8b)
Sempervivums Sedums Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Cactus and Succulents Container Gardener Garden Ideas: Level 1
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Welcome KassyO (and thanks @Chelle for alerting us to this post Smiling ) I love when the plants do odd things, like stay alive after blooming! Agree with Lynn that I'd leave it and see what happens! It may take until next year to really be a size that you'd even notice Blinking But its alive and that's what counts! haha
I love your aloe in the first photo!! Hurray! I tip my hat to you.
Avatar for KassyO
Aug 1, 2014 7:25 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Kassy O'Neal
Mobile Alabama (Zone 9a)
Thanks so much for all the info, for now I'll just leave it be and maybe find a place that gets more sun. I also have a short blog post of the rest of my succulents and some photos of others that seem to have issues if you guys would like to take a look. http://www.kassyo.com/design-b...
Thanks again for the help and I'll be sure to let you know how things go. Thank You!
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Aug 1, 2014 7:31 AM CST
Moderator
Name: Lynn
Oregon City, OR (Zone 8b)
Charter ATP Member Garden Sages I helped plan and beta test the plant database. I helped beta test the Garden Planting Calendar I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Plant Database Moderator
Forum moderator I helped beta test the first seed swap Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Plant and/or Seed Trader Garden Ideas: Master Level
Kassy keep us updated on how the semp does. Smiling
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Aug 1, 2014 5:13 PM CST
Name: Carole
Clarksville, TN (Zone 6b)
Charter ATP Member Garden Sages Plant Identifier I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! I helped plan and beta test the plant database. Avid Green Pages Reviewer
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I agree
I garden for the pollinators.
Avatar for KassyO
Aug 2, 2014 9:29 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Kassy O'Neal
Mobile Alabama (Zone 9a)
I put up some new photos of what is going on with this one and my other succulents as an update on a previous blog post I made. Feel free to look at the photos and give me any pointers you can. I really appreciate the help and I will definitely be sure to keep ya'll updated on how things go. Thank You!
http://www.kassyo.com/design-b...
Avatar for twitcher
Aug 3, 2014 11:08 AM CST

Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database!
Kassy, I'll try to address your question. Usually, when a semp rosette blooms, the entire rosette dies. Occasionally the bloom spike/rosette will also produce offsets on the bloom stalk or base of it during this process. I think it has more to do with the makeup of the variety than treatment or conditions.

I found your post and picture very interesting. A few years back, I experimented with a number of methods for easy propagation of sempervivum. Among them was the effort to start new plants from leaves. I was never able to get this to work like you have shown in your pictures. However, I see that you have done this. I am amazed and will have to go back to trying some more experiments. I'm wondering if a plant was able to start because it was a leaf from a bloom stalk (the ones I had tried were all from a normal rosette) or because of the high humidity you mention or a combination or some other factor.

I think there is something interesting for us to learn from your experience with your plant. However, let me just say, for now, that you are fortunate that the rosette did not completely die when it bloomed. The remaining growth should go on to produce new plants for you, unless, of course, the growth on the stem turns out to be another blossom. Thanks for sharing this very interesting experience.
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Aug 3, 2014 12:18 PM CST
Moderator
Name: Lynn
Oregon City, OR (Zone 8b)
Charter ATP Member Garden Sages I helped plan and beta test the plant database. I helped beta test the Garden Planting Calendar I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Plant Database Moderator
Forum moderator I helped beta test the first seed swap Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Plant and/or Seed Trader Garden Ideas: Master Level
Thank you twit for great information and observation addressing Kassy's semp problem.
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Aug 5, 2014 9:18 PM CST
Name: Greg Colucci
Seattle WA (Zone 8b)
Sempervivums Sedums Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Cactus and Succulents Container Gardener Garden Ideas: Level 1
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I was trying to get a leaf from a blooming semp to propagate but thus far I haven't had much success...Now I guess I'll try again. I've usually just placed the leaf in some soil near the blooming semp. Maybe I'll treat them more carefully and see what happens Thumbs up
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Aug 5, 2014 9:51 PM CST
Moderator
Name: Lynn
Oregon City, OR (Zone 8b)
Charter ATP Member Garden Sages I helped plan and beta test the plant database. I helped beta test the Garden Planting Calendar I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Plant Database Moderator
Forum moderator I helped beta test the first seed swap Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Plant and/or Seed Trader Garden Ideas: Master Level
I wonder if using rooting hormone would make a difference?
Avatar for twitcher
Aug 6, 2014 1:17 AM CST

Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database!
I did find out that a small piece of stem attached to a leaf will start. My conclusion at the time was that the stem could be the source of the roots and new plant and that the leaf provided the "energy" to get small rosette growing. Just a conclusion that I never tested beyond confirming that a piece of stem was needed.
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Aug 6, 2014 1:20 AM CST
Name: Kate
S Wales UK (Zone 9a)
Butterflies Cactus and Succulents Cat Lover Container Gardener Region: Europe Region: Wales
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OOoo this is interesting, thanks Twit and Kassy!
Avatar for twitcher
Aug 6, 2014 9:37 AM CST

Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database!
Never tried rooting hormone, so that is definitely worth a trial!
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Aug 6, 2014 1:00 PM CST
Moderator
Name: Lynn
Oregon City, OR (Zone 8b)
Charter ATP Member Garden Sages I helped plan and beta test the plant database. I helped beta test the Garden Planting Calendar I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Plant Database Moderator
Forum moderator I helped beta test the first seed swap Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Plant and/or Seed Trader Garden Ideas: Master Level
I think we should start come experiments on this method.
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Aug 18, 2014 9:30 AM CST
Name: aud/odd
Pennsylvania (Zone 6b)
Garden Ideas: Level 1
That is interesting. I will admit although it looked like a semp I thought someone would say it was a tender suc because a leaf from a tender suc will start a new plant easy.

It looks like the soil is very wet, I will try it with real moist soil.

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