Repotted my brother's extremely leggy succulent. She was stuck in a pot without drainage, and supposedly didn't have a name yet, so say hello to Hoyt! I'm not the most well-read on succulents, so I was wondering if anyone knew what specific type she is, and if there's anything I can do about her leggy-ness beyond finding her a better spot in direct sunlight? Any help is appreciated! 🫶
First things first-stop getting water on the leaves. Unless you have very good air circulation in your home, it can lead to rotting. Best guess as for type is echeveria chroma. If correct, they naturally get leggy, even in sun. To rejuvenate, cut off the rosette leaving some stem to insert into the soil. Let the stem callous over a couple days. Then plant it in to good quality succulent soil and a pot with drainage. Best choice is a shallow terracotta planter. Only water the soil at the base of the stem after a week or so. Or if you see signs of dehydration. Do not water the entire planter. There are not any roots in most of the soil to take up the moisture. The terracotta is porous and wicks out moisture. This will help avoid overwatering. Your soil should be highly inorganic, probably about 80%. It should root within about two weeks. Check by very gently trying to pull up on the plant. If there is resistance, it is growing roots. As it grows it will need more thorough waterings. Do some research for “echeveria care” for even more info but this should get you started.
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I agree with Phil…this baby needs a chop and prop. Just know in addition to keeping the soil pretty dry so that it sends roots out to search for water, Echeveria needs LOTS of light. If you can get her a small dedicated plant light and put it about 8 inches above the leaves should tighten up and she won’t get leggy again. Setting them in a window (even western or southern) doesn’t tend to give them enough hours of good strong light a day. I have two varieties that always stretched out until they got a dedicated light.
