Help, wavy succulents! Pics Added!

[Maid Spikeion]

hello, I'm new to the forum. I've been given several succulents from my Mum and a lot of them are wavy looking 'crested looking' succulents with leafy bits along the top. They haven't been collected that way, a lot of the succulents of different types have grown like that in the garden. I quite like them, but I was wondering what makes them go wavy and if there is something that is happening in the garden to make them like that? The leafy bits are a bit stunted on the tops of the wave and grow packed together. Thanks!

[Saxicola]

I'd be happy to try and answer your question, but it is nearly impossible to without a picture. Can you provide some?

[Maid Spikeion]

Thank you so much for your offer to help. What is going on with these gnarly succulents?... each pic is a different plant and there are many more I haven't included. Many thanks

[Daniel]

They look like crested plants to me, cool looking and really weird!

[C And D]

Those are beautiful
Your mum collected "Crested" succulent specimens
which are uncommon, and collectors items for sure

You have to trim off the regular growth stems periodically to keep the crests growing preferentially

[Maid Spikeion]

Thank you for your nice comment about them. I like knowing that they are collectors items! My mum doesn't collect crested plants, she buys them normal and they become weird. She doesn't trim them, they just keep growing that way. I wonder what is causing this? Thank you for your replies!

[Sir Spikesalot]

What a great crested succulent collection!!!! I wonder how your mom was able to grow so many of them????? I love pic10! I have a normal one of those and it would be so much nicer if it were crested ....

[Subverted]

I wonder how your mom was able to grow so many of them?

Perhaps it could be that this cresting is caused by a virus that has been transmitted from plant to plant by pests...

[Maid Spikeion]

OMG! Mum says 'what virus!!??' eeeiiik. I hope we don't have a virus, everything else seems very healthy around the garden. Mum says she thinks they grow like that from pure neglect!:) Pest we have mostly are snails, slaters and kangaroos. We walked around the garden and found several more crested succulents that we didn't know were there, Mum ripped them out and I've potted them up for my now crester collection! Thank you for your reply.

[Daniel]

I thought that cresting is a genetic mutation that the plant has throughout its life, perhaps it took a while for the mutated genes to become prominent in the right conditions? Oh and don't worry, as far as I know cacti cannot catch crest (in the gene mutation form). However if it is a disease I would let it spread, I know it sounds weird but with the crest your plants almost triple in value! (just something to to think about)

[Subverted]

OMG! Mum says 'what virus!!??'

I dont have a clue and wouldnt worry about it. I was just speculating as there are some viruses that can cause plants to grow in distorted forms.

I wish I could turn my regular succulents into crests just by neglecting them, lol. The only other possibility that comes to mind is a wholesale grower sold off a load of reverted stems that were rooted and they grew out into this...but as Daniel mentions crests, the curiosity that they are, are typically worth more/command higher prices.

[Cool Potter]

Just for everyone's interest about these crested cactus. I originally grew these beautiful things. They were ordinary plants at one stage, but we have cold, very windy winters and a maritime climate. The summers are very hot and the plants often lack water because we have none to give them. The ones that suffer the most neglect, that are not re-potted when they should be, and are left to fend for themselves seem to be the ones that swiftly mutate into the crested forms. I've noticed this year after year. Perhaps some of you could torture your plants for a while and see what eventuates. Thanks for including me in the forum. I hope I can positively contribute!

[Mooleyjones]

Beautiful, I'm jealous lol

[salamandra]

one more jealous over here.

beautiful plants!

[Cool Potter]

About crested succultents again! I've had a thought!

Would it be possible that the poison in the native Oxalis perennans could affect the genetic structure of the nearby plants. I weed it out spasmodically but as it's a native, have never worried too much about it. It's also pretty with dark red clover like small leaves and a tiny yellow flower. I'd like to hear what you all think about this!