Plant Care Moonstone

Moonstone

4.8 out of 5 (20 experiences)

Moonstone has a Survivor plant personality Survivor
Moonstone has a Fast grower plant personality Fast grower

Also known as

Sugaralmond Plant

Taxonomy

Pachyphytum oviferum
Pachyphytum
Crassulaceae
Saxifragales

How to care for Moonstone

💦 Water

How often to water your Moonstone

Water needs for Moonstone
0.5 cups
every 12

Moonstone needs 0.5 cups of water every 12 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Calculate water needs of Moonstone

Water 0.5 cups every
12

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

Select the pot size

5"
☀️ Light

Finding light for Moonstone in your home

Light needs and placement for plant Moonstone: 1ft from a window
1ft or less from
a window

Moonstone love being close to bright, sunny windows 😎.

Place it less than 1ft from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Moonstone does not tolerate low-light 🚫.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Moonstone in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize Moonstone

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Moonstone: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Moonstone after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

Browse #Moonstone
💡 FAQs
⭐ Difficulty Level

Moonstone is generally easy to care for, though some plant parents report facing challenges with growing it. Check out the reviews down below to read more about their experiences!


💦 Water Needs

Moonstone thrives in dry soil and should be watered sparingly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.


☀️ Sunlight Needs

Moonstone requires abundant, bright and direct light. Place it less than one foot from a window to ensure it receives enough light to survive 💪. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.


🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

Moonstone is not known to cause harm to humans or pets. Regardless, if you, a family member, a cat, or dog has ingested any plant material, please consult a doctor or a veterinarian.


💨 Humidity

Moonstone prefers dry environments. Providing extra humidity or misting your plant allows water to linger on leaves, which can create the perfect environment for harmful types of fungi.


🪴 Soil

Moonstone is very sensitive to wet soil, so choose a potting soil that drains very well and doesn’t retain too much moisture. A good soil will have lots of perlite or vermiculite for drainage and some organic matter for nutrition. A few handfuls of perlite added to regular store-bought cactus soil will do the trick!


💩 Fertilizer

Moonstone grows very slowly and doesn’t require added fertilizer. Replacing your plant’s potting soil once a year should provide them with more than enough nutrition. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!


❄️ Dormancy

It’s common for Moonstone to go dormant in the summertime and you may notice their growth slow down. Waterings should be spaced out more during this time.


🌎 Native Region

Moonstone is native to Mexico.


🌸 Flowers

Moonstone produces flowers in the wild, but does not flower when kept as houseplants.


⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern

Moonstone grows in a rosette pattern, with leaves neatly arranged in a circle. New growth will emerge from the center.


🌦️ Growing Outdoors

USDA Hardiness Zone
Moonstone can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 9a-11b. Find your local hardiness zone here.


🌱 Propagation

Moonstone can be propagated by the leaf method. To propagate:

  • Remove a leaf by gently twisting until it pops off.
  • To get the leaf to root, you can either:
    • Place the leaf in water until roots emerge and are ~2” long and then transplant into well-draining soil, or
    • Place the leaf directly into well-draining soil

🧐 Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.


😖 Common Issues

Overwatering is a likely cause of issues with Moonstone. These plants are very sensitive to wet soil so if you notice your plant becoming squishy or translucent, overwatering is the likely culprit.

Cut your plant just past where the rot ends and allow it to callus over for a few days before replanting it in fresh, dry soil. Download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!


Care Summary for Moonstone

Moonstone

Moonstone


Greg recommends:

Water

0.5 cups every 12 days

Placement

< 1ft from a window

Nutrients

Repot after 2x growth

Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.

What other plant parents say

Moonstone has a Survivor plant personality Survivor 10
Moonstone has a Fast grower plant personality Fast grower 6
Moonstone has a Easy to propagate plant personality Easy to propagate 6
Moonstone has a Large, lush leaves plant personality Large, lush leaves 4
Moonstone has a Blooms easily plant personality Blooms easily 3
@strawberrymoon avatar
@@strawberrymoon
leaf-1 22 Plants
xp 18,698 XP
12/26/2021

super cute!! her leaves are chonky and have various colors (they turn more pastel ish in direct sun). she’s being grown hydroponically with a couple drops of fertilizer when i change the water in her jar, she grows rather slowly. these plants have farina (powder coating on leaves) so you have to take care when handling them, i haven’t been the best at this but she doesn’t seem to mind.

@dcooper713 avatar
@@dcooper713
leaf-1 5 Plants
xp 653 XP
globe Spokane, WA
09/01/2021

It’s very resilient but you need to be patient with its growth

Survivor Survivor
Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
@Shorrock5 avatar
@@Shorrock5
leaf-1 21 Plants
xp 579 XP
globe Salford, England
08/18/2021

The leaves on this plant are very fragile and can come off very easily, especially if over watered. However the fragility of this plant makes it very easy to repot the leaves and propagate.

Fast grower Fast grower
Survivor Survivor
Easy to propagate Easy to propagate
@Leeyum_ avatar
@@Leeyum_
leaf-1 17 Plants
xp 336 XP
globe Washington, DC
06/25/2021

sensitive to over-watering, otherwise perfectly happy left out in the sun ☀️

@anakit237 avatar
@@anakit237
leaf-1 7 Plants
xp 491 XP
globe Aloha, OR
03/06/2021

Forgot to add this guy to Greg and he hasn’t been watered in a few months. Still sending out pups.

Survivor Survivor

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