Leggy succulents (etiolation): causes, rescue and prevention in winter

Your Echeveria was compact and colourful in summer – and now it is growing tall, the leaves are spread far apart and the plant is leaning towards the window? Then it has etiolated. Especially in winter, this is one of the most common problems with succulents. The good news: with the right light and a little patience, you can save your plant and even grow new ones from it.

What does etiolation mean?

Etiolation describes elongated, weak growth caused by a lack of light. The plant stretches towards the light: the stem gets longer, the gaps between the leaves get bigger, and the colour fades. This is not a disease but a reaction to its surroundings – the plant is telling you that it needs more light.

Causes: why succulents etiolate

• Too little light: The main cause. In winter, daylight is not enough in many locations, especially in a north-facing room or far from the window.
• Too warm with little light: If the plant sits somewhere warm, for example right next to the radiator, it keeps growing but cannot find enough light for it.
• Too much water and fertiliser: Both stimulate growth and make the stretching worse when light is lacking. Fertilising an etiolating plant is therefore counterproductive.

Recognising etiolation

Rescuing etiolated succulents

1. Step 1 – Move to a brighter spot: This is the most important immediate measure. Place the plant at the brightest window, turn it regularly and water sparingly.
2. Step 2 – Beheading: If the plant has become very long, you can restart it. Cut off the rosette with a clean, sharp knife and leave about two to three centimetres of stem.
3. Step 3 – Let it callus: Place the head with the cut end in a dry, bright spot until the wound has sealed. This usually takes a few days.
4. Step 4 – Rooting: Set the head on dry, mineral substrate and only water once roots have formed. This usually takes several weeks.
5. Step 5 – Do not throw away the stump: The remaining stump with its leaves often sprouts again and produces offsets. Keep it bright and water only very sparingly.

Good to know: Echeverias only grow slowly in winter. If the plant is not suffering acutely, you can first move it somewhere brighter and take the head cutting in spring, when the plants are actively growing again. The leaves you remove can also be used as leaf cuttings – you can read how that works in our post How do I propagate an Echeveria?.

Prevention in winter

• Brightest spot: A south- or west-facing window, as close to the glass as possible without the leaves touching it.
• Turn your plants: A quarter turn every one to two weeks, so they do not grow lopsided.
• Keep them cooler: At around 8 to 15 °C, succulents hardly grow and etiolate less.
• Use a grow light: A full-spectrum LED grow light makes up for missing daylight. Keep to the distance recommended by the manufacturer and use a timer or a switchable socket to keep the lighting duration consistent – as a guideline, about 10 to 12 hours a day.
• Do not fertilise: Do not fertilise in winter.

These two helpers make getting started easy: a grow light with a built-in timer and a switchable socket with a schedule, in case you want to control the lighting duration flexibly.

You can find more on location, watering and winter quarters in our post Overwintering succulents. How to care for Echeverias in general is covered in The Art of Echeveria Care.

Conclusion