Why It’s Happening
Etiolation is most commonly caused by lack of sufficient sunlight to the plant, which in turn produces a change in the shape, color, and growth of your plant. This happens most often with indoor succulents, since they are not in direct sunlight for very long, but it can happen to any succulent.
In this regard, what happens when a succulent gets too tall?
Drooping or flattened out leaves
Sometimes before a succulent leans or gets tall, the leaves will curl backward. While a tightly curled up succulent is getting plenty of (or too much) sun, one that is flattening out or has it’s leaves spreading out is not getting enough.
In this manner, can you cut back tall succulents?
Succulent plants often need pruning just like any other kind of garden favorites, for size control, to shape them better, or to propagate them for more plants. … Because new growth typically sprouts near the end of cut ends, simply prune stems to where you want new growth to emerge.
Are stretched out succulents bad?
The stretched part of the plant won’t un-stretch, but new growth will once again grow more closely together. What is this? The only thing to do if you want to get rid of the etiolation I.e. stretched-out part is to cut your succulent down and propagate the cuttings.
Why is my succulent leggy?
Most succulents will grow “leggy” if they don’t get enough light. But those succulents that change colors when stressed are usually more light sensitive than others. Their reaction can be quick, putting out etiolated “growth” in a mere few days.
Can you cut the top of a succulent off and replant it?
Once you remove the top of your succulent, you can replant it in the soil and it won’t look so stretched out and leggy anymore. Grab a sharp pair of shears or a gardening knife. You should also wear a pair of gloves—some succulents have thorns and others have milky sap that can be irritating to your skin.
Can I cut my succulent and replant it?
Even if you cut off one of their branches, they will find a way to continue living. Yes, you can cut off, or prune, a piece of a succulent and replant it. And with the proper living conditions, the pruned piece of succulent will take to its new home and grown into a full-fledged succulent.
Are succulents supposed to be tall?
Tall, Healthy Growth
Etiolation isn’t the only reason a succulent might look tall. Some mature plants naturally have taller stems and at the peak of the summer growing season, it’s easy to mistake healthy, vigorous growth for signs of stretching.
