Expert: Greg Simpson - 12/7/2007

Question
Last year I purchased an aeounium that was a dark purple in full sunlight. I am sorry i cannot tell you what it is called. It was doing really well from the spring to summer growing very fast and seemed to be healthy. In September i moved it indoors because it would get too cold outside. Some weeks ago I noticed the bottom of the trunk getting smaller and had a hard brown substance on it. A little like bark but smoother. As the weeks have been going by the brown substance is spreading up the trunk of my aeonium and while it is spreading the leaves which were all the way down the plant have been slowly wilting and falling off. I think there is a possibility that I have been watering it too much as i found out in the winter months it is only supposed to be watered once a month. Please if anyone knows what I have done or has infected my plant please tell me what to do! I'm not sure but maybe it is supposed to grow harder and start spreading up because I bought when it was really small and at the same time i bought an older aeonium which has a hardened trunk. ??? I don't know! Please can someone help! xx

Answer
Charlotte,

It sounds like it is rotting from the base upwards. You can try re-rooting it by cutting the top off about 2 inches above the "bark" area. Let it "heal" for a couple of weeks then replant. It will perish anyway, so you might as well give this a shot. You may want to use a rooting hormone (available from a good nursery) to help the process. Just make sure to water only when the soil is dry and less in winter. Good luck.

Sincerely,

Greg