As is well known, most succulent plants are very unhappy during the summer, and the main reason is undoubtedly the high temperature. The second reason, possibly, is the high humidity.
High humidity is not suitable for succulent survival, as many people know. After all, most succulents originate from relatively dry environments, so it is understandable that they cannot adapt well to humid conditions. However, the main reason why succulents struggle during high humidity in the summer might not be immediately apparent to some people—it is due to transpiration. Transpiration rates are often influenced by humidity conditions when temperatures are high.
There are two main impacts of this phenomenon. First, during the daytime, although the stomata of succulents are not fully closed, they remain partially open, leading to minimal transpiration. Second, even though the stomata close during the day, they open at night, and transpiration still occurs.
When the humidity is too high, it slows down or even stops the plant’s transpiration process, which affects its normal growth and metabolic processes. This is not too deadly for succulents because they are naturally resistant to drought, and short-term effects are not significant.
However, there is another significant impact. When transpiration is weakened or stopped, water cannot evaporate from the cells in a timely manner, leading to an accumulation of water inside the cells. This causes the cytoplasm to expand, increasing pressure on the cell walls. If the cell walls of the leaves cannot withstand this pressure, they may rupture, resulting in leaf swelling and soft rot.
So, when your succulent leaves become watery and appear translucent, it may be due to excessive water absorption, high humidity, inability to release water, and ultimately, leaf cell wall ruptures leading to the watery appearance.
Post time: Jul-26-2023