Overwatered Kalanchoe: Soft Stems, Rot and Leaf Drop

Florist kalanchoe is a succulent, and too much water is one of the few things that reliably kills it. Clemson Cooperative Extension says plainly that kalanchoe can be damaged by overwatering. Too much or too little water and insects are the main problems in the home.

Gift plants are especially at risk. They often arrive in a foil or plastic sleeve that holds water around the roots. Iowa State University Extension warns never to let containers sit in sleeves full of water.

Signs of an overwatered kalanchoe

• Wet mix that stays wet. The pot feels heavy days after watering.
• Soft or dark stems at the soil line. NC State Extension says overwatering can cause root rot or stem rot. Clemson describes stem rot as a brown or black ring that girdles stems at or near soil level.
• Wilting in wet mix. University of Maryland Extension notes that plants with root rot can wilt even when the mix is moist.
• Yellowing and dropping lower leaves. Maryland says rot at the stem base can lead to lower leaf yellowing and drop.
• Brown to black, mushy roots when you tip the plant out. Healthy roots are firm.
• Corky bumps on leaf undersides. Clemson describes this as oedema. It shows up most on succulents in winter, with wet mix, poor light and cool temperatures. Affected leaves may yellow and drop.

Is it thirst instead? A dry kalanchoe has a light pot, dry mix and leaves that look thinner or wrinkled but stems that stay firm. Iowa State advises letting the mix dry between waterings, but not to the point of wilting. If the mix is dry and the stems are firm, water thoroughly and let it drain.

How to save it

1. Stop watering and remove any sleeve or decorative pot. Let water drain from the bottom.
2. Unpot the plant. Gently remove old mix from the roots.
3. Cut away rotted tissue. Remove soft, dark roots and any mushy stem with a clean, sharp blade. Clean the blade between cuts.
4. Repot firm growth in fast-draining mix. Clemson recommends a well-drained, well-aerated mix, such as 60% peat moss and 40% perlite. NC State suggests a cactus or succulent mix. Use a clean pot with a drainage hole, not much larger than the remaining roots.
5. Wait before watering again. Let the new mix dry slightly first.
6. Discard a plant that has rotted at the base. Clemson’s houseplant disorders factsheet says that if most roots are dark, soft and dead, it is better to discard the plant. Take cuttings first.

Starting over from cuttings

Maryland Extension advises taking cuttings only from healthy tissue. Clemson’s kalanchoe factsheet gives the method:

1. Cut 5–8 cm (2–3 in) shoot tips with two pairs of leaves. Use leafy shoots, not flowering ones.
2. Remove the bottom leaves.
3. Let the cut end callus for several days.
4. Insert it in a mix of half peat moss and half perlite in a clean pot.
5. Keep the pot in bright, indirect light inside a large closed plastic bag.

Clemson says cuttings should be established enough to transplant in 14 to 21 days.

Water safely afterwards

• Let the mix dry slightly between waterings, as Clemson and Iowa State advise. NC State says to water deeply once the mix has dried.
• Never leave water standing in a saucer or sleeve.
• Give bright light. NC State recommends 6 to 8 hours of bright light a day.
• Keep it cool, not cold. Clemson and Iowa State give 7–18 °C (45–65 °F) at night and 10–21 °C (50–70 °F) by day.

Kalanchoe is toxic to cats and dogs if eaten, according to the ASPCA. Keep cuttings and trimmings out of reach.

For reblooming once the plant has recovered, see our kalanchoe after flowering guide. The kalanchoe hub and our kalanchoe varieties guide cover general care.

Related guides

Other kalanchoe problems we cover: leggy growth.

References

• Clemson Cooperative Extension: Kalanchoe (HGIC 1563)
• NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana
• Iowa State University Extension: How do I care for Kalanchoe?
• Clemson Cooperative Extension: Houseplant Diseases & Disorders (HGIC 2251)
• University of Maryland Extension: Root Rots of Indoor Plants
• ASPCA: Kalanchoe