Why is My Succulent Dying? (6 Solutions that Actually Work)


Why is my succulent dying

I have grown and cared for more succulent types than I can count, and I encountered every problem with them along the way! Fortunately, I have gained lots of experience in identifying the causes of dying succulents and learned how to save them.

Succulents are a lot more resilient than most people realize.

In this article, I’ll share with you all the tips, tricks, and secrets that I’ve learned from my own experiences and from talking to some expert succulent growers to give you a step-by-step process to pinpoint the problem with your succulent and tell you how to fix it…

Most often, I find the reason for dying succulents is often because of root rot caused by overwatering and damp soils. Succulents should only be watered once the soil has dried out. If the succulent is in consistently damp soil, then the leaves will start to turn brown, yellow, or black and die of root rot.

Overwatering also causes the succulent to droop, and sometimes the leaves fall off. However, there are several more reasons why your succulent could be dying, so I’ve listed the most common reasons in order of prevalence…

The most common reasons for a dying succulent:

  1. Root rot from overwatering and overly moist soils (Leaves turning brown, yellow, black, translucent with a mushy texture, sometimes with a drooping appearance).
  2. Drought stress is caused by watering too lightly or not watering often enough for your climate (leaves turn wrinkled with a wilted appearance, and some leaves may turn brown and crispy).
  3. Succulent dying after repotting (transplant shock and planting succulents in the wrong soil type causing root rot).
  4. Succulent turning brown or yellowish due to overwatering or sunburn (some succulents require bright indirect light and can burn in full sunlight).
  5. Succulent die from the bottom up (potentially caused by lack of light, too much moisture, or the succulent is naturally shedding lower leaves).
  6. Succulent dying from cold temperatures (a lot of succulents are not cold hardy and can die in temperatures colder than 50°F (10°C) and frost).

Keep reading for how to save your dying succulent…

Succulent Dying of Root Rot (Overwatering)

I have personally made this mistake myself when I first started growing succulents…

The reason for a dying succulent is usually because of overwatering or due to soils that retain too much moisture. Succulents are drought-resistant plants that require the soil to dry out between bouts of watering. If the soil is too damp, succulents turn brown, yellow, or black and die of root rot.

To help us identify the problem, we need to understand how our succulents grow in their wild environment…

Succulents are drought-tolerant plants that have adapted to living in gritty, well-draining soils (often growing on rocky hillsides) with high temperatures and infrequent rainfall in their native environment and thrive in hostile conditions where other plants struggle to survive.

Due to their preference for arid environments, our succulents do not tolerate watering too often or soils that stay damp for a long time as this creates the conditions for root rot which which causes the plant to die back.

When caring for a succulent at home or in the garden, the most common mistakes I see are:

  • Watering your succulent too often or…
  • Plant the succulent in ordinary potting soil (rather than special succulent and cacti soil), which retains too much moisture.

Even if you are following the best practices of watering succulents around once every 2 weeks, the succulent leaves can still turn brown yellow, or black and suffer root rot because the soil stays moist for too long after watering.

I had this problem when I spotted my succulent up into a larger pot. I used ordinary potting soil without amending it with grit, so it strayed damp for too long.

I learned that succulents require specially formulated succulent and cacti soil, which replicates the well-draining, gritty soil of their native environment and significantly reduces the risk of root rot.

The first signs of stress that a succulent is overwatered are:

  • Leaves or stems turn brown, yellow, translucent, or black.
  • Some succulents, such as jade plants, often drop their leaves in response to overwatering.
  • A drooping or wilting appearance.
  • The leaves of overwatered succulents can effectively burst and appear somewhat wrinkled.
  • The leaves feel soft and mushy rather than plump and healthy.

If you are watering succulents more then once per week then I’m afraid you are overwatering and this is the cause of your succulent plant dying.

To grow succulents successfully and to avoid root rot, what we need to do is emulate some of the growing conditions of the succulent’s native habitat with the appropriate well-draining soil and to water your succulent in a cycle of thorough watering once every 2 weeks or so.

Watering succulents generously but infrequently mimics the cycle of watering that succulent plants typically experience in their native environment with a deluge of rainfall followed by a period of drought so that the plant stays healthy.

(Read my article How Often to Water Succulents to understand how to know when you should water succulents so they stay healthy and avoid root rot).

My Method for Saving Succulents Dying of Root Rot From Overwatering

If your succulent is displaying any of the symptoms of root rot or stress from overwatering, the first step is to…

  • Scale back how often you are watering your succulent plant and let the soil around the succulent roots dry out completely. The most important lesson I have been taught about succulents is that they should only be watered around the roots when the soil is dry. Typically, watering succulents once every 2 weeks meets the watering requirements and mimics their natural watering cycle.
  • The best way to establish how often you should water your succulent is to feel the soil at the base of the pot. This is a method of watering I learned under the tutelage of some expert succulent growers who worked in a garden nursery…If the soil is damp, then I delay watering for a few days; if the soil is dry, then this is the time to water with a generous soak so that the soil is evenly moist.
  • Replant your succulent in well-draining succulent and cacti soil, which is especially porous, allows for good drainage, and replicates the typical soil conditions of a succulent natural soil in its environment. (Read my article on, the best potting soil for succulents indoors).
  • Always plant succulents in pots with drainage holes in the base and empty saucers, trays, and decorative outer pots of excess water regularly to ensure the succulent is not in standing water. Saucers and trays are good for preventing water from spilling in the home, but ensure water is not pooling around the roots of your succulent so that the soil can drain properly to prevent root rot. This isn’t always a problem for most houseplants, but I found due to succulents’ sensitivity to overwatering, it can be a problem.

Succulents are likely to die, like mine did, if they are in ordinary potting soil due to the length of time it stays damp, so I must re-emphasize the importance of succulent and cacti soil to help avoid root rot.

With appropriate potting soil and waiting for the soil to dry out before watering again, the succulent should start to show signs of recovery with the discoloration of the leaves shrinking and eventually returning to a healthier green appearance.

However, if the leaves continue to turn brown, yellow, or black and the mushy area of the leaves is expanding, then the rot can kill the succulent, and more drastic action is required to save the succulent.

In this case, the only way to save the succulent is with some tactical pruning of the diseased parts of the plant and cutting leaves and stems from any remaining healthy tissue for propagation.

Jade plants propagation
Here is a leaf that I took from my jade plant that was dying. I was able to propagate this leaf for a new jade plant, that was this time planted in well drianing succulent soil.

Propagating succulents is incredibly easy as this is one of the succulent’s main mechanisms for reproduction in their native environment. Watch this helpful YouTube video below to learn how to propagate succulents:

Are Your Succulents Dying From Underwatering? (Drooping, Shriveled Leaves)

As we discussed, the most common reason for a succulent dying is overwatering, which is due to their preference for well-draining soils and infrequent watering.

However, what I discovered is that succulents can still die from drought stress if they are not watered with the right method or if they are planted in soil that contains peat as one of the ingredients that can repel water when it is dry.

Succulents shrivel because they are not watered often enough or too lightly. They need a thorough watering rather than a light watering (around every two weeks) so that water trickles from the base of the pot to prevent succulent leaves from shriveling.

As we talked about previously, succulents store moisture in their leaves and stems after a deluge of rainfall as an adaptation to survive during periods of drought in their native hostile, dry environments.

When our succulent is watered correctly, the leaves should look plump and healthy.

From research, I leared that if the succulent has not been watered often enough or watered too lightly then the succulent draws upon and depletes the moisture reserves in the leaves and stems which causes them the leaves to look thinner and the surface to shrivel as a result.

The leaves and stems can also droop due to drought stress as the moisture reserves act as structural support to the plant.

It is important to note that certain potting soils also repel watering when they dry out (in particular, potting soils that contain peat moss) so that water runs off the surface of the soil and down the side of the pot without infiltrating the soil, reaching the roots which cause the symptoms of drought stress with shriveling leaves.

This is exactly what happened to one of my succulents. I watered it regularly, but I found that, after some investigation, the water did not infiltrate the soil and reach the roots. I pushed my finger into the soil, and while the surface was damp, immediately underneath, it was still dry.

I would also pick up the succulent and it felt too light as the soil was still dry.

Fortunately, I can tell you that from experience, saving succulents that are suffering due to drought stress is much easier than saving overwatered succulents…

How I Saved My Underwatered Succulents

  1. I place the underwatered succulent in a basin of water for around 10 minutes, ensuring that the root ball is fully submerged. This allows water to effectively infiltrate the soil and reach the roots where it is required. After 10 minutes or so, remove the succulent from the basin and allow excess water to drain freely from the drainage holes in the base of the pot.
  2. Wait until the succulent soil has dried out (usually around 2 weeks) before watering it again, ensuring that it gets a really thorough watering so the soil is evenly moist.
  3. Water your succulent on average once every 2 weeks. We need to ensure that the soil dries between waterings, as succulent plants do not tolerate damp soil (which causes root rot).
  4. My way of establishing when my succulents need watering is to feel the soil through the drainage hole in the base of the pot. Feel the soil with your finger every 2 days after watering to establish how long it takes for the soil to dry out. When the soil feels dry at the base of the pot, this is the perfect time to water in your climate and according to your conditions. This method of watering succulents mimics the drought, followed by a rainfall cycle of soil moisture to which succulents are adapted in their native environment.
  5. If you notice water running off the surface of the soil and down the side of the pot rather than soaking in properly, then you need to replace the soil with succulent and cacti soil. The secret is to use specially formulated succulent and cacti soil as it retains an open, porous structure that promotes good drainage so that water can infiltrate effectively and reach the roots so your succulent can access the moisture it requires to stay healthy (available from garden centers and on Amazon).
A gritty succulent soil mix is perfect for growing succulent plants.
A gritty succulent soil mix is perfect for growing succulent plants.
  • Ensure that the succulent is not too near a source of heat when indoors, such as a radiator or in the direct flow of air currents, which can sap moisture from the leaves and dry out the soil too quickly. Succulents can grow very well at room temperature, with most species preferring a temperature range of 55°F-80°F (13°C-27°C), so keep succulents in an area where the temperature is fairly consistent rather than fluctuating significantly due to indoor heating.

Pro tip: I like to pick up my succulents after watering and then periodically over the next two weeks to assess the pot’s weight. When the pot feels light, I know the soil has dried out, and it is safe to water my succulent.

With my own drought stressed succulent, I found that with 2 or 3 watering cycles the succulent leaves recovered from drought stress and they had a healthy plump appearance to its leaves as the moisture stores are replenished as long as you water thoroughly and consistently.

The succulent leaves should feel firm and look smooth (rather than shriveled) when it is optimally hydrated and feel nice and plump when you pinch it.

However, if your succulent has suffered drought for too long, it is often too difficult to save.

Why is My Succulent Dying after Repotting?

Zebra succulent after repotting.
Zebra succulent after repotting.

As succulents grow relatively slowly (as an adaptation to living in a desert), they do not need to be repotted as often as most houseplants, but when they do need repotting, people tend to have problems.

The reason your succulent is dying after repotting is because of transplant shock. When succulents are repotted, the contrast in the soil medium, moisture levels, and light conditions can cause the succulent to droop and turn yellow, brown, or black and die back due to the stress of a different environment.

Our succulents are adaptable and become accustomed to a specific set of growing conditions, so when they are repotted or moved to a different area suddenly, succulents can often exhibit signs of stress.

It is from my conversations with specialist growers that I learned the importance the pot itself can have a big impact on the succulent after repotting for 2 reasons:

  1. If you have repotted your succulent to a much larger pot, then the level of soil moisture is likely to change significantly, even if you are watering the same amount. This is because larger pots have a greater soil capacity which retains more moisture and dries out slower compared to smaller pots. This means the soil is likely to stay moist around the roots of your succulent for longer than it is accustomed which can promote the conditions for root rot and be the cause of a dying succulent.
  2. The type of material of the pot can affect how quickly the soil dries. Pots that are made of clay are porous and allow moisture to dry from the soil quicker, whereas pots made from plastic can retain more moisture than the succulent is used to and can promote the conditions for root rot.

However, the most common cause of succulents dying after repotting is because the succulent is potted in the wrong soil type.

As we discussed, succulents are adapted to living in gritty well-draining soils that drain quickly and do not retain much moisture.

Ordinary potting soil retains too much moisture for succulents and causes the leaves to turn yellow, brown, or black with a soft mushy texture, or the leaves start to fall off (symptoms can vary according to succulent species).

The Solutions

The key is to re-pot your succulent into a specially formulated potting mix for succulents and cacti.

A special potting mix helps to replicate the preferred soil type in the succulent’s native environment. This dramatically reduces the risk of root rot and can help to revive your succulent.

Always use a pot that is relatively proportional to the size of the succulent, so if you are repotting, move to the next pot size up rather than an excessively large pot, as this could retain moisture in the soil for too long, causing root rot. What I’ve found works best is that when I repot a succulent, I make sure that there is not more than an inch and a half of soil wider than the plant itself.

I’ve learned the hard way that the pot has to be in proportion to the succulent!

I’ve also experimented with growing succulents in different types of pots (plastic, metal, ceramic, clay and terracotta) and from my experiment I found that succulents repotted into clay or terracotta pots had a much higher survival rate of planting because clay and terracotta are porous which allows the potting soil to dr out more evenly around the roots of your succulent, thus mitigating the risk of root rot.

Ultimately, the steps to saving a dying succulent after repotting are the same as saving an overwatered succulent (which is detailed in this article above) as the problem is too much moisture around the roots, so scale back the watering of your succulent and allow the soil to dry out completely whilst it is showing symptoms of stress, and the succulent may start to recover.

(To learn more about saving succulents due to root rot, read my article, How to Revive a Dying Succulent Plant).

Why is My Dying Succulent Turning Brown?

Is your succulent unexpectantly turning brown?

Succulents turn brown due to overwatering or sunburn. Brown leaves are a sign of stress caused by too much moisture around the roots from overwatering or slow-draining soils. Succulents also turn brown due to sunburn if moved from shade to intense sunlight without time to adjust.

I’ve found that the key to distinguishing whether your succulent leaves are turning brown due to overwatering or sunburn is that overwatered succulents turn brown with a soft, mushy texture (in which case you should read the overwatering section at the top of the article), but if you are watering succulents responsibly and it is planted in the appropriate well-draining soil, then sunburn is most likely the problem.

What I’ve learned is that succulents can differ significantly in their preference for sun with aloe vera plants preferring full sun having adapted to growing in relatively open areas in direct sunlight on the Arabian peninsula, whereas other succulents such as string of pearls or some jade plants prefer bright indirect light and can scorch to a brownish yellowish color in full sun.

However, I can tell you from experience that all succulents regardless of species can suffer sunburn when they have been in a relatively shaded area for a period and then moved to an area of intense sunlight, even if they habitually prefer direct sunlight.

This is because succulents are very adaptable and try to acclimatize and adjust to the level of light that they consistently experience, even if the light conditions are not ideal, to survive.

If the succulent is then moved location from lower light to intense full sun then this sudden contrast in light intensity causes even the sun-tolerant species of succulent to turn a scorched brown or yellow color.

The solution

  • First of all, it is important to establish whether your succulent species grows in full sun or prefers bright indirect light and move the succulent to a location with bright indirect light for the time being to prevent any further browning or damage. (I would google the species of succulent to determine is light preferences as the are hundreds of succulent species).
  • Succulents need time to adjust to different levels of light, so if your succulent requires some direct sunlight, the secret is that we need to gradually expose them to more sun over the next 2 weeks rather than in one go.
  • Move the potted succulent in the sun for a bit longer each day for 2 weeks, which is enough time for the succulent to acclimate to the higher intensity of light without burning. Succulents produce chemicals that protect the leaves from sunlight, and the production of these chemicals is triggered by greater exposure to the sun.

Unfortunately, my sun burnt succulent leaves did not recover in appearance once they have been burnt, however, as long as the plant has had a chance to adjust to the light or you have moved it to indirect light, the damage should not get any worse.

Succulents can carry on living with sun burnt areas, however they do not turn green again and stay the scorched yellowy brown color.

The only way we can revive the appearance of our succulents after sunburn is to cut the most severely burnt leaves back to the stem or base with a sterile pair of pruners to create space and stimulate more leaves to grow and take their place; however, I have learned through trial and error to only cut back 1 or 2 leaves at a time over weeks to prevent more stress on the plant.

You can of course take cuttings from any healthy areas of the succulent for propagation as this may be the only way to salvage sun burnt succulents depending on the extent of the damage.

It took year or so but my succulent did grow back once I cut the sun burnt parts off and eventually you could not tell it had been dmaaged.

Why Are My Succulents Dying From the Bottom?

Succulent with dying brown, dry leaf at the bottom is part of the succulents natural life cycle.
Succulents with dying brown, dry leaves at the bottom are part of the succulent’s natural life cycle.

Are your succulent leaves turning brown and dying, specifically from the bottom up?

The reason succulent leaves die at the bottom is not enough light, underwatering, or because of the age of the succulent. If succulents do not have enough moisture or light, they redirect moisture and energy to persevering newer leaves, causing the bottom leaves to die back.

All of my succulents lose leaves at the bottom of the plant as they grow which is a natural part of the plants life cycle and does not mean your succulent is dying, so most of the time I can assure you that there is nothing to worry about.

We can improve the appearance of our succulent, if we wait until the leaf is dry and crispy and then it should be very easy to twist off gently. If the leaf is still resisting then leave it for a few weeks and try again rather than forcing the leaf off as this can damage the plant.

However, if several leaves are dying at the bottom of your succulent, then the reason is underwatering or a lack of sun.

I find the easiest way to distinguish whether the leaves at the bottom are dying due to too much shade or underwatering is:

  • If the bottom leaves of succulents die due to too much shade, they also grow tall and leggy, often with the growth weakening and entire leaves or stems drooping downwards.
  • If the bottom leaves are dying due to underwatering, then there is usually some visual shriveling of the remaining leaves as their moisture reserves become depleted.

The Solutions

How I’ve solved leaves dying at the bottom of the succulent due to drought stress…

  1. If there is some shriveling of the newer leaves in addition to the lower leaves dying then you need to increase how often you water the succulent or replace the soil if it has baked hard and repels water off the surface. The same instructions apply to saving underwatered succulents, so give your plant a soak in a basin of water to give the roots a much-needed drink.
  2. Wait for the soil to dry out again (to avoid root rot) and give the succulent another good soak. With 2 or 3 watering cycles the succulent should recover and the leaves at the bottom should stop dying.
  3. If you notice water running off the surface of your soil rather than soaking in properly (which is common for potting soils containing peat moss), then you can either carry on watering your succulent by submerging the root ball in a basin of water or by repotting your succulent and replacing the soil with special succulent and cacti soil which retains a porous, aerated structure that allows water to infiltrate effectively even if the soil has dried out.

This is how I solve leaves dying due to lack of sun

  1. As a general rule, succulents either require full sun or bright, indirect sunlight, so we need to find the preference of your particular succulent type and locate it accordingly.
  2. Brighter light encourages the succulent to stay healthy and compact with better colors and an attractive appearance rather than leggy growth with leaves dying.
  3. Avoid moving a succulent immediately from shade to full sun as it can suffer from sunburn due to the sudden contrast in light intensity. Instead, gradually expose the succulent to more sun over 2 weeks with more sun each day to give the succulent a chance to adjust.
  4. If the succulent has grown leggy and drooped over, then often it is best to take a cutting from a stem or leaf to propagate as once the succulent has drooped under its own weight, it does not tend to return to a normal appearance.

Succulent Dying from Cold Temperatures

Succulents are adapted to living in hot and dry climates (Jade plants are native to Africa and aloe vera plants are native to the Arabian peninsula), therefore most species are not particularly cold hardy, and the most popular succulents die if they experience temperatures lower than 50°F (10°C) for a significant amount of time and most succulent are susceptible to frost damage.

Succulents grow much better as house plants with the optimal temperature range of around 55°F-80°F (13°C-27°C) being optimal for growth.

If succulents experience cold or even frost, the leaves and stems turn brown or black and mushy as the moisture stored inside the leaves freezes.

Often, the damage is more prevalent on the succulent’s younger leaves.

I find this happens when people keep their succulent ts on cold window sills with the leaves in contact with the window pane, which is significantly colder then the ambient temperature of the room.

The Solution

Move your succulent to a location in your home or garden that is between 55°F-80°F (13°C-27°C) and ensure that the leaves are not in direct contact with windows as they can be colder than the rest of the house, and scale back any watering for the time being.

Once the succulent is in a more stable environment, I find the damage from cold should not necessarily get any worse in the short term.

If the succulent leaves feel mushy then I recommend waiting until the mushy, cold damaged part of the succulent dries out and callus over.

Once the mushy part of the leaf has dried up, what you need to do is cut the leaf back to below the damaged area as the cold damaged areas of the succulent typically do not recover but usually in my experience, the succulent plant as a whole can be saved if the damage is not too extensive.

Only resume watering the succulent when the callus of the leaf cut has healed over to prevent other potential problems as cold damage can increase the risk of root rot.

It often requires some considerable patience, but succulents can eventually grow new leaves and start to recover to a normal appearance after cold damage.

Key Takeaways:

  • Succulents die from overwatering and damp soil. They are drought-tolerant plants that require the soil to dry out before watering again. In damp soil, succulent leaves turn yellow, brown, or black and die of root rot.
  • Succulent leaves shrivel and wilt when watered too lightly, not often enough, or when the soil bakes hard and repels water off the surface, causing drought stress. Succulents store water in their leaves, which shrivel when the roots cannot access enough moisture.
  • Succulents die after repotting due to transplant shock or damp soils. They die back due to a sudden contrast in light, soil, and moisture levels. The new soil can retain too much moisture for repotted succulents to tolerate, causing leaves to turn yellow, brown, or black.
  • Succulent leaves die at the bottom because they are underwatered or lack sunlight. Drought-stressed succulents and succulents in too much shade redirect their resources to preserve the upper leaves, causing the lower leaves to die back at the bottom of the plant.
  • Most succulents are not cold hardy and die back due to cold temperatures and frost. As a general rule, succulents prefer a temperature range of 55°F-80°F (13°C-27°C). Freezing temperatures damage the moisture reserves in the succulent leaves, causing the plant to turn black and die.

Mark Bennett

Mark Bennett is the writer at gardener report. I'm a qualified botanist, landscape gardener and garden center plant troubleshooter! I grow and care for all the plants I write about so I have lots of first hand experience, in troubleshooting problems with plants and providing step by steps tips for recover. I love hearing from you so please leave me a comment and I'll reply!

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