I've been caring for succulents for a while, but I'm struggling with my Cotyledon tomentosa, also known as bear's paw. I live in an extremely hot and dry climate, which makes it challenging to keep my plants hydrated, even indoors. The tips of the leaves never turn the cute pink color they should; instead, they go from green straight to burnt brown and crusty.
I've been thinking that it might be due to the intense light conditions here. I can't access south or east-facing windows, so I've kept it under a grow light in a west-facing window for months. Recently, I moved it to a bright north-facing window that gets some afternoon sunlight, but I haven't seen any improvement.
Could this browning be related to other factors, like the city tap water I'm using or perhaps I'm not fertilizing it correctly? I'd love some advice from anyone who's had success with these plants!
2 Answers
It could be that you’re underwatering it. I've had issues with my succulents looking sad too, and I often lean more towards underwatering. Just make sure to give it a good soak once in a while to see if your bear's paw perks up.
Have you thought about edema? It can happen when plants take up too much water, leading to those brown tips. I was dealing with it on my jade plant. What worked for me was watering lightly and then giving a fuller watering a few hours later. Might be worth a try!