Hey there, new member.
I was hoping someone might know what sort of distress one of my Blue Atoll Echiveria was exhibiting signs of. I bought it young last year and finally moved it outside into full light around July this year and it had until then shown fairly good growth I think. Over the summer it grew quickly until starting to tilt a bit in september despite my rotating it, and lately with the cooler weather and occasional light rain it has turned fast. The lower portion is starting to look severe and the tilting as well.

I'm in SE Michigan where the temps have been 60s and 70s high, and no lower than high 40s a few times. I have another younger Blue Atoll next to this one that is growing well.

It is struggling but not all is lost. I can't see the bottom but from what it looks like it is etoliated. You should cut the top off, remove the bottom leaves, leaving some stem, and pop it into some dry, free-draining sandy soil fora few days, then lightly water it. It should take root. The base remaining may sprout babies. Don't water it, let it stress a little bit. If it starts to dry out in the leaves then give it a little water but not too much.

Agree with Patti. It is normal for those lower leaves to go like that. Those are the older leaves. It is trying to adjust to the change in light levels too, so it is trying to follow the sun. I find my echeverias grow actively in warmer conditions in late spring to early summer vs. my semps that prefer cooler conditions.

If you do cut off the top half, recommend you callus the bottom end or apply some cinnamon. Your overnights are getting cooler, try to keep it warm and dry as it tries to make new roots.

I have a hard time this time of year. Grows great all summer then come fall I have to bring them in. I would not cut until next spring when it's growing season again. Seems any thing I cut and place on top of the soil grows at that time. All good advise given, I am just adding my poor luck growing thru the winter.
Welcome new member.
Stush

Thanks for the info everyone. The yellowed leaves at the bottom died off, and I decided to let it grow tall with some kind of support and see if all the chicks now growing out of the base will prop it up eventually.

Hi sleepingbeard, with echeverias, oftentimes, they will do that, grow taller, dropping the older leaves and then it exposes a long neck, similar to what Aeoniums do. Now you can do as Patti suggested, cutting off the top growing half, and let it root. Or you can keep it growing tall and it may or may not grow new rosettes up and down the stem. But it varies. I do not know really what triggers it to do the new rosettes along the stems, sometimes they do or sometimes it is just at the base of the plant. Then it may go top heavy and lean forward as it goes. It looks sad when it does it, but to me as long as the stems are holding firm, it is okay. But if I get tired looking at it appearing sad, I cut off that top growing part and set aside to root. It does take longer to root when it is into cooler weather, but it will, just give it time. So if you can wait, wait to do the chopping part when it is Spring, so warmer conditions are longer. Just try to keep it dry this winter. It can take some coolness maybe up to 40F but have to keep it really dry. To play safe, keep it indoors by your south facing window and dry, that should make it easier

This is my echeveria elegans before: June 2013


Photo last April 2015 - very long neck, and there is a new rosette down the stem, but not quite at the base of the plant


These were some of the echeveria elegans I have cut off in Jan 2015, just to experiment the rooting aspect, keeping them dry indoors in part shade area, trying to see where exactly does the roots appear: so roots appear anywhere above the callused area.

I agree.with Stush. If you can wait until summer to cut that would be my preference. We get so little sun and it is so cold you might lose the plant.

We are going to be 25 degress I think you are probably colder.