Cotyledon Pendens, also known as Cliff Cotyledon, is a member of the Cotyledon genus, is a mesmerizing trailing plant that has captured the hearts of indoor and outdoor plant enthusiasts alike. Its long, slender stems are adorned with lemon-green leaves that produce a refreshing scent. In early summer, Cotyledon Pendens has beautiful orange-red flowers that exude a light, fragrant aroma reminiscent of honey, lemon, apple, and wood. When exposed to enough sunlight, the edges of the green, plump leaves will be tinted with a ring of pink, giving it a stunning appearance. 

Caring for this plant is a simple process that requires minimal effort. This blog post will provide in-depth guidance on how to care for Cotyledon Pendens, including information on watering and fertilization techniques, light requirements, and soil preferences. Furthermore, this post will delve into the process of growing lush potted Cotyledon Pendens, highlighting the importance of repotting and pruning. Lastly, this post will offer solutions to common problems during care, such as pests, diseases, and flowering.

How to Care for Cotyledon Pendens

Sunlight

Like most Cotyledon succulents, Cotyledon Pendens require little care but a lot of bright sunlight to maintain its ornamental value. The ideal amount of sunlight for this species is full to partial sunlight for 6-8 hours a day. With enough light, Cotyledon Pendens will maintain its chubby shape and develop richer colors such as red and pink.

While plenty of sunlight can bring happiness to your Cotyledon Pendens, that doesn't mean it should be fully exposed to direct sunlight throughout the day, especially for coastal cities in low latitudes. The harsh sun may cause sunburn and leave unsightly sun spots. So, keeping Cotyledon Pendens in a sunny position without direct sunlight or providing a sunshade in summer is essential. 

You can grow Cotyledon Pendens outdoors in spring, summer, and autumn if the sun is mild and not intense during these seasons in your cities. This cultivation practice will result in fuller and more luxuriant leaves.

These beautiful succulent plants thrive when placed near a south-facing window indoors or on a porch, where they can soak up plenty of sunshine. However, during the winter months, when the days are shorter, and there's less natural light available, you might find that your Cotyledon Pendens starts dropping leaves. To prevent this from happening, you can fix this with a grow light, providing your plant with the light it needs to stay healthy and happy.

Watering

With thick leaves, Cotyledon succulents can store a lot of water. Therefore, a period of neglect is permissible. On the contrary, frequent water supply will harm its health and even kill the succulents! As a drought-tolerated succulent, Cotyledon Pendens dislike sitting in wet soil for a long time. Overwatering and frequent watering put your succulent plant at risk of rotting.

Just remember these tips when you water this succulent:

a. Use your fingers or moist tools to check that the soil is completely dry.

f. Place your succulents in the ventilated position after watering.

You may wonder: How to Tell If You Are Overwatering or Underwatering Succulents?

Soil

Cotyledon Pendens thrives in well-draining and porous soil that combines regular organic soil, tree barks, shredded coconut, perlite, pumice, and gritty rock. It is imperative to note that the Cotyledon Pendens plant exhibits rapid growth; repotting the plant with new fresh succulent soil every 1-2 years is helpful to provide the nutrients to keep a compact, luxuriant shape.

In addition to well-drained potting soil, it's important to select a plant pot with a drainage hole. This will prevent water from accumulating and causing root rot. If you opt for a hanging planter pot, it's advisable to add a layer of clay pebbles or large gritty rocks at the bottom. These materials will help the water to drain thoroughly, promoting healthy growth.

When it comes to displaying your Cliff Cotyledon, you have several options. You could plant it on a raised flower bench, allowing its cascading leaves to drape elegantly. Alternatively, you may hang it in a pot on your porch or windowsill, where it can receive plenty of natural sunlight.

Fertilizer and Flower

Although most succulent plants require little or no fertilizer, it is essential to fertilize them properly during their growth seasons. This will help promote their compact and lush shape, especially for those plants that feature flowers. When a succulent plant blooms, it consumes its own nutrients, which can cause the stems to become thin and leggy. To reduce nutrient consumption, you can pinch off the flowers if you have no particular requirements for ornamental flowers.

It is recommended to fertilize Cotyledon pendens in the spring using professional phosphate and potash fertilizers, fertilizing once a month. This will result in beautiful, fragrant orange-red flowers in early summer.

Temperature and humidity

The ideal temperature range for the growth of Cotyledon pendens is between 50-77℉ (10-25℃). According to the USDA hardiness zones, zones 10-11 are better for growing this succulent. However, it can still tolerate brief spells of higher or lower temperatures. During summer, avoiding exposure to temperatures above 86℉ (30℃) is important, and placing it in a shaded area with good ventilation to prevent damage. During winter, it is recommended to maintain a minimum temperature of 32℉ (0℃) to ensure its survival.

During the growth period of Cotyledon pendens, it is important to maintain air humidity between 60-80%. Leaves may turn yellow in an overly dry environment.

Pruning and Propagation

You may wonder why I put pruning here with propagation. Some growers may hesitate to prune Cotyledon pendens because they value its trailing stems and leaves. However, if the distance between leaves is wider than usual and the leaves have become thin and flat, it may be a sign that the plant is not receiving enough sunlight. In such cases, pruning the stems and propagating the plant may be the only solution to address the issue of plant stretch.

To propagate a succulent plant:

Pests and Toxic

Keep Cotyledon Pendens away from your pets! The succulent plant is toxic to most pets, for example, dogs, cats and rabbits. Your pet may very ill after eating the plant due to the neurotoxins found in its leaves. The pet-safe succulents are here.

Why Cotyledon Pendens Keep Loosing Leaves?

1. Insufficient sunlight or over sunlight exposure

Cotyledon Pendens is sensitive to excessive direct sunlight or prolonged low-light conditions, which can make it fragile and cause it to shed its leaves. To maintain the health and beauty of Cotyledon Pendens, it is essential to find a balance of light and ventilation that is optimal for its growth. With proper care, this plant can add a touch of natural beauty to any indoor or outdoor space.

2. Normal reaction after repotting

Typically, live succulents take at least a month to get used to a new environment, during which you should avoid exposing them to direct sunlight. This will reduce the plant's stress and help it thrive in its new home.

3. Frequent watering or overwatered

When Cotyledon Pendens is overwatered, the roots can suffocate and rot, causing the succulent to lose leaves that easily fall off, even with a slight touch. In such a situation, you need to check the soil drainage, add more particulate matter to the soil, ensure drainage holes at the bottom of the flower pot, and move the plant to a well-ventilated area to evaporate the excess water.

It is crucial to pay close attention to promptly adjusting the watering routine of plants, especially in summer. Before watering your succulent, use a moisture meter to measure the moisture level of the potting soil. Water the plant only after the soil has dried out completely. In summer and winter, reduce watering frequency or skip it altogether.

4. Low temperature

When the temperature drops to 41℉(5℃), Cotyledon pendens leaves tend to fall off. Keeping the plant warm indoors and placing it near the south-facing window can solve the issue.

5. Need fertilization

As previously mentioned, Cotyledon pendens plants produce stunning bell-shaped flowers in early summer. To ensure healthy growth, it is vital to fertilize them properly. Pinching off the flowers to reduce nutrient competition or providing sufficient amounts of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers is essential. Nitrogen fertilizers can help build a robust root system in the spring and fall, leading to happy and healthy plants. Fertilizing Cotyledon pendens reminds me of another beautiful flowering succulent, Christmas cactus.

You may wonder: Tips to Promote Faster and Ongoing Blooming of Christmas Cacti.

If you're searching for a gorgeous trailing succulent other than Burro's Tail, String of Hearts, and String of Pearls, consider Cotyledon pendens. Placing this plant on a support bench or flower stand improves air circulation, which promotes growth, and the branches extend out from the planter pot, creating a striking display. You won't regret adding it to your collection!