Staff Answer
May 21, 2021 - 07:37 AM
Sorry to hear about that!
I have a couple things in mind in regards to black spots on Aeonium and crispy leaves. However, there are many things that could cause black spots to form on Aeonium.
1) Heat. Although you've protected your plant from the direct sun, there has still been some hot days in Palm Springs, if I'm not mistaken. I believe it's been near 95F at some points this month. The heat could be drying it out or it could be triggering the summer dormancy that all Aeoniums experience. They do look fairly shabby in the summer for this reason.
2) Insect pests and their treatment. Has your plant been struggling with pests? Maybe mealybugs or aphids? If so, that could cause black spots to form in and of itself. Have you treated that plant for insect pests using isopropyl alcohol? If so, that may be too harsh for Aeoniums and could also lead to black spotting and drying.
3) Bruising. Aeonium plants are pretty sensitive. Even light touching has the potential to cause a bruise to form. Do your plants get touched a lot?
This is all well and good, but there could also be a less serious reason. Are all the leaves starting to crisp up at the edges, or just the lower ones? If it's just the lower ones, then it could just be natural leaf fall. Succulents, and Aeoniums in particular, lose their lower leaves as they grow and form new ones. The black spotting could just be a mild epidermal fungus that won't cause any long term damage. These sorts of explanations are bit tougher and complicate the issue.
I'm sorry that I couldn't be more helpful, but I hope that pointed you in the right direction.
I have a couple things in mind in regards to black spots on Aeonium and crispy leaves. However, there are many things that could cause black spots to form on Aeonium.
1) Heat. Although you've protected your plant from the direct sun, there has still been some hot days in Palm Springs, if I'm not mistaken. I believe it's been near 95F at some points this month. The heat could be drying it out or it could be triggering the summer dormancy that all Aeoniums experience. They do look fairly shabby in the summer for this reason.
2) Insect pests and their treatment. Has your plant been struggling with pests? Maybe mealybugs or aphids? If so, that could cause black spots to form in and of itself. Have you treated that plant for insect pests using isopropyl alcohol? If so, that may be too harsh for Aeoniums and could also lead to black spotting and drying.
3) Bruising. Aeonium plants are pretty sensitive. Even light touching has the potential to cause a bruise to form. Do your plants get touched a lot?
This is all well and good, but there could also be a less serious reason. Are all the leaves starting to crisp up at the edges, or just the lower ones? If it's just the lower ones, then it could just be natural leaf fall. Succulents, and Aeoniums in particular, lose their lower leaves as they grow and form new ones. The black spotting could just be a mild epidermal fungus that won't cause any long term damage. These sorts of explanations are bit tougher and complicate the issue.
I'm sorry that I couldn't be more helpful, but I hope that pointed you in the right direction.
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