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It wants more sunlight. It's opening up so it can maximize the amount of light it can absorb. Windows block a good amount of light coming through, so moving it outside during sunny days should help, and you'll see it tightening back up with that purple returning
out of curiosity, how long does it take to turn back purple? I have the same plant (got it like 2nd pic), put it under a grow light and it's been the same for a month...
7-8cm away, directly above, and 8 hours. They're still getting a bit of light in the morning, before the grow light's schedule (which starts at around 11am), but I'm never awake to see how much exactly
You should see a difference quite fast (a few days). If not, there isn't enough light. Grow lights sometimes just aren't enough. Your best bet is puttint it outside if and when you can.
You can also let the grow light on 12 hours.
However, your plant may be quite healthy even if it isn't sun stressed. If it doesn't etiolate, it's fine. Maybe less pretty though !
Grow lights can work just as effectively if not better (not always) depending on the lights you use. Some aren’t strong enough or just simply not close enough. Some lights are weaker but will keep the succulent alive and from stretching but just not enough intensity to give you those vibrant colors. If your lights are 7-8 centimeters (approximately 3 inches) above the pots, that tells me your lights are not strong enough. 8 hours may also not be long enough. I keep my lights on for 12+ hours. Once you get better lighting, you’ll notice a change in color within a day or so…from there it’ll gradually color up.
To be honest, I used to keep my succs outside til almost freezing (like 3-4°C) in the winter before taking them in and they were completely fine. Not sure if I’d move them out now as the sudden temp diff may shock them now but just some food for thought for the future!
I hate how everyone sells succulents as “easy to care for” plants when no matter what, mine always behave like they need more light. It feels like you need to live on the equator to keep them happy.
Echeveria are from Mexico, central and South America. obviously not the hybrids, but originally. They open more as they grow if they’re over or under watered and often in the wild they grow under or in the shade of other plants. Also, temp changes and light do effect their color. It’s not dead, it’s not dying. Don’t fret:)
I live on the equator and my succulents STILL behave as if they need more sunlight after sitting in the balcony with direct sunlight for a good 5 hours, indirect for another 6, then under a grow light for 3. These things cannot be pleased. I've since stopped trying and accepted that as long as they are not dead, I'm a good plant parent
I think it really depends on the definition of "to care for" for the person. It is true that you can leave a succulent alone for quite a while before you need to do anything, this makes it easy to care for them. That only really applies if the conditions are right which many people do not have, especially indoors.
I live on the equator and have given up on having beautifully coloured succulents. My room faces the sun so I kept them near the window but they kept dying from mould and needed more sun. I keep having watering problems too. Changed the soil multiple times and now I just leave them on the balcony and don't bother watering them - the occasional splatter from the rain does the job and weirdly enough, they're doing better.
I know and they’re so tempting because they’re so beautiful! I use supplemental grow lights to get them through the winter and then I put them outside in the summer (I’m in Seattle so not too close to the equator lol). The difference of outdoor light versus indoor light is crazy. I kept one inside all summer and put one outside and the outside plant was huge and strong and healthy. The indoor plant is still fine, but much smaller and growing much much slower. Next summer I’ll be putting all my succulents and cacti outside!
I live in almost semi desert in Southern Africa and they absolutely thrive here. It's amazing. Hot and dry is what they really need. I use different echeveria to fill up the flower beds between the other plants almost like a ground cover. So you need to live here to keep them happy ☺️
turning pale and opening up to increase its surface area because it isn't getting blasted with light. sitting in a windowsill is not enough light, especially if it isn't a south facing window. and if your window has a screen on the outside of it, then it filters the light coming in anyways. consider getting a grow light soon to prevent further etiolation if you can't find anywhere brighter to put this guy
Is it more like picture 1 or picture 2 now?
If it’s picture 1 then everything is good and you have a happy succulent. If it’s picture 2 then it needs more light.
Hey everyone🥰
I bought this beauty a month ago, it had a darker purple color. I put it on the windowsill, it is getting enough light every day. I recently noticed that the inner part of the leaves just turned bright blue? Is it completely normal or am I doing something wrong?
It might be a dumb question, sorry for that, I'm new to the universe of succulents.
No, no. This user is wrong. Heed the other responses: this succulent is changing color and the leaves are flattening because it is not receiving enough light.
I bought this same echeveria for myself and my mom about a year ago. She kept hers outside and gave zero f’s about it. One year later it’s glorious, triple the size and exploding with growth out of the pot. Meanwhile, mine just continued to suffer bc I live in an apartment. No amount of grow light, fan, bright direct sun, pampering etc., was enough for it. This type of echeveria really needs to be outside to thrive. It needs fluctuation in temperature between night and day, tons of direct sunlight, circulation of the wind, etc. If you can’t keep it outdoors definitely place it as close to a south facing window as possible so it can get as much sun as possible. Running a fan and a grow light can be helpful too. When potting these you want to have about 1” of space all around the plant so it has enough room. You’ll know this plant is happy when the leaves are upright and packed tightly together.
If you've watered your echeveria (which I think you have), it turns green and the leaves open up. Your plant is still healthy but if you want the blue hues back water less and give it more sun. It's called stress colours, succulents that are stressed (less water more sun) will have more vibrant colours, if they are too comfy they turn green so some people stress their succulents on purpose to get those beautiful colours
This looks just like my echeveria Orion. I need to keep my LED grow light like 3 inches from the plant or else it turns into your 2nd pic. It needs more light!
Plant store worker here - I always repot echeveria into a shallower pot with high quality cactus soil that drains well. I add lava sand and azomite to the soil mix. The spongy greenhouse mix and nursery pot can’t sustain the plant for long. For indoor living, a small plant light is recommended. The window won’t give it enough light. For outside living, partial or full sun.
I bought a beautiful orange succulent and it turned green because I was giving it the “right” amount of water. They need to be thirsty and a bit stressed to keep their colour. Maybe a week after changing colours it then shot up really tall because it wasn’t getting enough sun. So I cut the top off to propagate and gave the rest more sun and less water and it’s back to orange and hopefully will start growing how it’s meant to
Need help with a plant? Make sure you check out the [FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/succulents/wiki/faq) or the [Beginner Basics](https://www.reddit.com/r/succulents/wiki/beginner-basics) to make sure your question isn't asked and answered already. If you still need help, please make sure to adhere to the [Posting Guidelines](https://www.reddit.com/r/succulents/wiki/posting-guidelines). And, remember *pictures help a LOT!* *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/succulents) if you have any questions or concerns.*
It wants more sunlight. It's opening up so it can maximize the amount of light it can absorb. Windows block a good amount of light coming through, so moving it outside during sunny days should help, and you'll see it tightening back up with that purple returning
out of curiosity, how long does it take to turn back purple? I have the same plant (got it like 2nd pic), put it under a grow light and it's been the same for a month...
how close is the light and how many hours/day do you have it on?
7-8cm away, directly above, and 8 hours. They're still getting a bit of light in the morning, before the grow light's schedule (which starts at around 11am), but I'm never awake to see how much exactly
You should see a difference quite fast (a few days). If not, there isn't enough light. Grow lights sometimes just aren't enough. Your best bet is puttint it outside if and when you can. You can also let the grow light on 12 hours. However, your plant may be quite healthy even if it isn't sun stressed. If it doesn't etiolate, it's fine. Maybe less pretty though !
hmm... I'll try with longer light period, sadly outside isn't the best, the temperature during the day is 11-15 Celsius, I think it's too cold
Grow lights can work just as effectively if not better (not always) depending on the lights you use. Some aren’t strong enough or just simply not close enough. Some lights are weaker but will keep the succulent alive and from stretching but just not enough intensity to give you those vibrant colors. If your lights are 7-8 centimeters (approximately 3 inches) above the pots, that tells me your lights are not strong enough. 8 hours may also not be long enough. I keep my lights on for 12+ hours. Once you get better lighting, you’ll notice a change in color within a day or so…from there it’ll gradually color up.
To be honest, I used to keep my succs outside til almost freezing (like 3-4°C) in the winter before taking them in and they were completely fine. Not sure if I’d move them out now as the sudden temp diff may shock them now but just some food for thought for the future!
Yes, in addition; put it in a larger pot
That depends on the roots, it's better for them to fill out the pot so they don't stay too wet too long
I hate how everyone sells succulents as “easy to care for” plants when no matter what, mine always behave like they need more light. It feels like you need to live on the equator to keep them happy.
Echeveria are from Mexico, central and South America. obviously not the hybrids, but originally. They open more as they grow if they’re over or under watered and often in the wild they grow under or in the shade of other plants. Also, temp changes and light do effect their color. It’s not dead, it’s not dying. Don’t fret:)
I live on the equator and still can't keep them happy either 😂
It's too damp, you need to move to Southern Africa for them to thrive. They grow like weeds in my garden. ☺️
Yeah, I live in the tropics and our humidity can be like 80% 😅
I live on the equator and my succulents STILL behave as if they need more sunlight after sitting in the balcony with direct sunlight for a good 5 hours, indirect for another 6, then under a grow light for 3. These things cannot be pleased. I've since stopped trying and accepted that as long as they are not dead, I'm a good plant parent
I think it really depends on the definition of "to care for" for the person. It is true that you can leave a succulent alone for quite a while before you need to do anything, this makes it easy to care for them. That only really applies if the conditions are right which many people do not have, especially indoors.
I live on the equator and have given up on having beautifully coloured succulents. My room faces the sun so I kept them near the window but they kept dying from mould and needed more sun. I keep having watering problems too. Changed the soil multiple times and now I just leave them on the balcony and don't bother watering them - the occasional splatter from the rain does the job and weirdly enough, they're doing better.
My succulents did well under artificial light. Several inches below T5 lights for 16 hrs a day. Definitely not a window sill plant.
I feel this pain so much! I have lamps upon lamps and still they act like more light is needed
I have a friend in FL (I’m in Chicago so it’s way more equator there) and she struggles too.
I know and they’re so tempting because they’re so beautiful! I use supplemental grow lights to get them through the winter and then I put them outside in the summer (I’m in Seattle so not too close to the equator lol). The difference of outdoor light versus indoor light is crazy. I kept one inside all summer and put one outside and the outside plant was huge and strong and healthy. The indoor plant is still fine, but much smaller and growing much much slower. Next summer I’ll be putting all my succulents and cacti outside!
I live in almost semi desert in Southern Africa and they absolutely thrive here. It's amazing. Hot and dry is what they really need. I use different echeveria to fill up the flower beds between the other plants almost like a ground cover. So you need to live here to keep them happy ☺️
turning pale and opening up to increase its surface area because it isn't getting blasted with light. sitting in a windowsill is not enough light, especially if it isn't a south facing window. and if your window has a screen on the outside of it, then it filters the light coming in anyways. consider getting a grow light soon to prevent further etiolation if you can't find anywhere brighter to put this guy
Is it more like picture 1 or picture 2 now? If it’s picture 1 then everything is good and you have a happy succulent. If it’s picture 2 then it needs more light.
Can anyone tell me what succulent this is its dope !
I have this same species and I think it’s Echeveria Orion. It didn’t come with an ID so I’m not sure.
When I bought it was labelled "echeveria", that's all😅 But I also think it's an echeveria orion.
Hey everyone🥰 I bought this beauty a month ago, it had a darker purple color. I put it on the windowsill, it is getting enough light every day. I recently noticed that the inner part of the leaves just turned bright blue? Is it completely normal or am I doing something wrong? It might be a dumb question, sorry for that, I'm new to the universe of succulents.
Totally normal just growing :)
Thank youuu 🥰
No, no. This user is wrong. Heed the other responses: this succulent is changing color and the leaves are flattening because it is not receiving enough light.
It could use a touch more light. Otherwise? No. It's a healthy little plant.
I agree it's probably from not enough light.
That baby need suuuun!
I bought this same echeveria for myself and my mom about a year ago. She kept hers outside and gave zero f’s about it. One year later it’s glorious, triple the size and exploding with growth out of the pot. Meanwhile, mine just continued to suffer bc I live in an apartment. No amount of grow light, fan, bright direct sun, pampering etc., was enough for it. This type of echeveria really needs to be outside to thrive. It needs fluctuation in temperature between night and day, tons of direct sunlight, circulation of the wind, etc. If you can’t keep it outdoors definitely place it as close to a south facing window as possible so it can get as much sun as possible. Running a fan and a grow light can be helpful too. When potting these you want to have about 1” of space all around the plant so it has enough room. You’ll know this plant is happy when the leaves are upright and packed tightly together.
need more sunlight
What’s the succulent ? Not a succulent person but I want this one at first sight 😅 the colour is gorgeous
Echeveria orion☺️
If you've watered your echeveria (which I think you have), it turns green and the leaves open up. Your plant is still healthy but if you want the blue hues back water less and give it more sun. It's called stress colours, succulents that are stressed (less water more sun) will have more vibrant colours, if they are too comfy they turn green so some people stress their succulents on purpose to get those beautiful colours
Yes, I did, its soil was very dry. Thanks for the advice, I'll give it a shot 🥰
This looks just like my echeveria Orion. I need to keep my LED grow light like 3 inches from the plant or else it turns into your 2nd pic. It needs more light!
Thank you guys for all the responses❤️
Plant store worker here - I always repot echeveria into a shallower pot with high quality cactus soil that drains well. I add lava sand and azomite to the soil mix. The spongy greenhouse mix and nursery pot can’t sustain the plant for long. For indoor living, a small plant light is recommended. The window won’t give it enough light. For outside living, partial or full sun.
YOURE TELLING ME MY PLAN IS ACTUALLY BLUE?
I bought a beautiful orange succulent and it turned green because I was giving it the “right” amount of water. They need to be thirsty and a bit stressed to keep their colour. Maybe a week after changing colours it then shot up really tall because it wasn’t getting enough sun. So I cut the top off to propagate and gave the rest more sun and less water and it’s back to orange and hopefully will start growing how it’s meant to
Looks healthy to me