Help please! I can usually look at plants and tell if they need water or not but I need to know what to look for in cactuses. I am sorry, I don't know the Latin names but I have Hen and Chicks, Compact Jade, and aeronims (of course, I don't know how to spell it.)

Two days ago I knocked one of my aeronims on the floor. One of the babies got knocked off so I put it aside for two days to set. I went to plant it yesterday and it was shriveled. I planted it right away and watered it.

Thank you for any help you can give me.
Leda

Remember, generally all cacti are succulents but not all succulents are cacti. Leda, you only mentioned non cacti succulents, so I will try to address your concern.

Your aeonium may look shriveled now (especially the leaves) but in time may look plump again. I usually lay the stem of aeonium on top of damp soil and watch for the roots to develop (if there were no roots). If the stem becomes shriveled then I would wonder if the plant will make it but if the stem is still firm there's a good chance.

Thank you Bev. I can't quite wrap my head around not all succulents are cacti. I will have to research that to learn more. I appreciate you educating me and helping me understand the plant world more.
Leda

Leda, an Agave for instance is definitely a succulent but most definitely NOT a Cactus!

I was going to use the aeonium example...

Hetty @Dutchlady1, and Bev @websemps, I really appreciate BOTH examples. I will have more questions later when my brain is less boggled.

@Leda hi there, getting to this thread late but wondered how your aeoniums are doing? Mine look like "heck" during the winter when I bring them indoors...I just don't know how else to deal with them, I think they need a bit more water than other succulents - but the really cool thing is last year when I brought them back out for the summer, I cut off the tops leaving a bit of stem (these are rooted plants) and they came back within a month!!! Totally bright and lovely! Now I keep wondering "do I keep bringing them inside where they nearly die each year?" or after summer this year give mine away to someone who may be better at winter care!
Good luck (I think especially in Denver your summers are shorter so it may even be harder...if you do figure out how to water them during winter - please post it so we can all learn!

Greg @gg5

I have one now in a collection of succulents in a north window with a Aero Garden light. I just moved it to the "Greenhouse Living Room," because I went to look since you asked me this question and I think that they look pretty healthy since they have been repotted and I have knocked a couple on the floor and were "re-re-potted." (The variegated was the one I knocked over the most.) When they came to me they desperately needed repotted and had mealy bugs. It is odd, I cannot understand! They are placed by south and west corner windows but there are 3 cheap $40 shelves with lots of African Violets covered in plastic taking almost all the light. Humidity or the cfl lights might be part of it. I have started a couple babies and they don't look very well yet.






Here is a picture of the windows and greenhouses.


I usually water especially around the stem once a week. I have 4 CFLs in there and one Happy Light which was supposed to help treat my depression but I hated the glare. Here are some pictures of them. I am not sure how they look in comparison to yours.






Hope this helps Greg!
Leda

Very pretty Leda!! You are making me feel guilty Mine are literally just stems! I'll take photos tomorrow if I'm brave enough to show how sad they look! All my other succulents do ok during winter, these guys don't. I'd be more concerned but the same thing happened last year, so I know they'll bounce back! (especially since they're well rooted)
Yours look totally good!!

I think they look good too, Leda.

Bev @webesemps,

Thank you, Bev, I respect your opinion so much. I am becoming more interested in succulents and cacti. I still don't quite understand the difference but lets just say - I really don't like being stuck! I know you can use tongs but always manage to get ouches anyway. I am sort of out of room but might squeeze a few more in.

Thank you again.

Greg @gg5

Thank you. I am glad you brought the question up. You may have saved the life of a plant. I know I was pulling off shriveled leaves on the one under the AeroGarden but didn't see the difference between that one and the ones in the "Greenhouse Living Room" until you asked me. You probably saved its life. I did not know that the stems would come back in the spring so I probably would have thrown it away.

and

Hooray I'm glad I'll post "ugly" photos