Hercinothrips dimidiatus Hood is a tiny thrips of South African origin that has emerged in the last decade as a serious and spreading pest of cultivated aloes across southern Europe. First detected in Portugal in 2012 on Aloe arborescens, it has since been recorded in Italy (Sicily, 2021), France (Corsica, 2018), the Netherlands (in a… Continue reading Aloe Thrips (Hercinothrips dimidiatus): An Emerging Pest of Aloes in Europe — Identification, Damage and Control
Author: Jean-Michel
Overwatered Aloe: How to Recognise the Signs, Rescue the Plant and Prevent It from Happening Again
Overwatering kills more aloe plants than drought, frost and pests combined. This is not an exaggeration — aloes evolved in the semi-arid savannas and rocky hillsides of southern and eastern Africa, where their roots experience weeks or months of completely dry soil between infrequent rain events. Their thick, gel-filled leaves are biological water tanks designed… Continue reading Overwatered Aloe: How to Recognise the Signs, Rescue the Plant and Prevent It from Happening Again
Aloe Mite (Aceria aloinis): How to Identify, Treat and Prevent the Most Destructive Alooid Pest
The aloe mite, Aceria aloinis Keifer, is a microscopic eriophyid mite that causes disfiguring gall-like growths on aloes and related succulents — a condition widely known among growers as “aloe cancer.” Unlike mealybugs, scale insects or spider mites, which are visible to the naked eye and attack the surface of the plant, aloe mites are… Continue reading Aloe Mite (Aceria aloinis): How to Identify, Treat and Prevent the Most Destructive Alooid Pest
Cactus or Euphorbia? How to Tell Them Apart — And Why It Matters
Somewhere in a garden centre right now, a customer is buying a “cactus” that is not a cactus. It happens millions of times a year: Euphorbia trigona sold as “African milk tree cactus”, Euphorbia tirucalli labelled “pencil cactus”, Euphorbia lactea ‘Cristata’ marketed as “coral cactus”, Euphorbia horrida sitting on the cactus shelf next to the Ferocactus. The confusion is understandable — many euphorbias look… Continue reading Cactus or Euphorbia? How to Tell Them Apart — And Why It Matters
Jade Plant Dropping Leaves — Why It Happens and How to Fix It
A healthy Crassula ovata (jade plant) should not drop its leaves. When it does, it is telling you something — and the cause is almost always one of six problems, each with a distinct pattern of symptoms that makes diagnosis straightforward once you know what to look for. This guide walks through every common reason a jade… Continue reading Jade Plant Dropping Leaves — Why It Happens and How to Fix It
How to Propagate Succulents — The Complete Guide to Leaves, Cuttings, Offsets, and Seeds
Propagating succulents is one of the most satisfying things you can do as a plant grower. A single leaf placed on damp soil can produce a complete, independent plant within weeks. A stem cutting from a leggy jade plant becomes a well-shaped new specimen in a month. An echeveria that seemed past its best can… Continue reading How to Propagate Succulents — The Complete Guide to Leaves, Cuttings, Offsets, and Seeds
Types of Succulents — The Complete Guide to Over 100 Species and Varieties
Whether you are trying to identify a succulent you just bought, browsing for your next acquisition, or building a collection from scratch, this guide organises the world of succulents into practical, visual categories based on how the plants actually look — because that is how most people search. Rosettes, trailing stems, columns, globes, trees: each… Continue reading Types of Succulents — The Complete Guide to Over 100 Species and Varieties
How to Propagate Crassula — Stem Cuttings, Leaf Cuttings, Division, and Seed
One of the great pleasures of growing Crassula species (family Crassulaceae) is how willingly most of them multiply. A broken stem that falls into a neighbouring pot roots itself without intervention. A single leaf placed on damp substrate sprouts a tiny plantlet within weeks. Some species even produce miniature clones directly on their flower stalks, dropping them… Continue reading How to Propagate Crassula — Stem Cuttings, Leaf Cuttings, Division, and Seed
The Best Crassula Species for Bonsai — A Practical Comparison
Succulent bonsai is a niche within a niche, but it is a niche that has been growing rapidly — and the genus Crassula (family Crassulaceae) sits at its centre. Several species develop naturally tree-like silhouettes, thick trunks, flaking bark, and small leaves in convincing proportion to their stems — all qualities that traditional bonsai aesthetics prize. Better… Continue reading The Best Crassula Species for Bonsai — A Practical Comparison
How to Grow and Care for Crassula — The Complete Guide
The genus Crassula (family Crassulaceae) contains roughly 200 species — from the ubiquitous jade plant on a kitchen windowsill to tiny annuals barely visible to the naked eye and rare tuberous geophytes that vanish underground for half the year. Despite this extraordinary diversity, most cultivated crassulas share a core set of requirements that, once understood, make the… Continue reading How to Grow and Care for Crassula — The Complete Guide