Succulent dormancy and flowering questions

[SpriteFish]

Hello, I've been growing both cacti and succulents and wanted to ask some questions about doramcy.

I understand that all cacti go dormant in winter typically, and that succulents can be either winter or summer dormant. I also know that dormancy is more temperature and light based then season based (e.g. if you live somewhere with a hotter winter you might not experience winter dormancy). What I wanted to know was just general information about dormancy and general growing temperatures for differnt succulents and cacti. (Like what sort of temperatures do winter growing succulents grow in?)

Thank you for reading. (repost from cultivation for succulents growers help)

EDIT: I realized I didn't actually include all my questions, and I could probably write this better, so here is a more clear list of my questions:

1. If a succulent is described as 'winter-growing', that doesn't necessarily mean it doesn't go dormant when it's super cold, it just means it tends to grow when it's colder (like 18C) compared to other plants, and it's usually colder in winter. This is less of a question and more me just asking for confirmation.

2. When do succulents typically flower? Does it happen during the growing season, right after the growing season, etc?

3. What what temperatures do winter-dormancy and summer-dormancy typically happen? So far from what I've gathered heat-dormancy tends to happen when over night-lows are 25C+ (atleast in cacti), and cold-dormancy typically happens when overnight lows are 10C or below (atleast in cacti). Could this roughly apply to other succulents?

Thank you for reading!

[MrXeric]

Dormancy (period of arrested stem growth) is triggered by seasonal changes in temperature and in day/night length (and availability of water). Even summer growing plants grown in climates with "hot" winters can experience winter dormancy if kept dry, the temperature difference between winter and summer is "sufficient", and if the winter nights are longer than in summer. Obviously how well a plant will tolerate climates different than the climate of the habitat they ev0lved in will depend on species.

1. That's true, even winter growing plants will go dormant if temperatures stay below freezing during the day for a prolonged period. If this is accurate for your local climate, https://www.timeanddate.com/weather/new ... on/climate, then many winter growing succulents should grow just fine for you (I think there is enough of a seasonal difference from winter to summer to trigger dormancy? likewise from summer to winter to wake the plants up).

2. Flowering depends on species. Some flower while in growth, others while dormant.

3. Those temperatures are a good rule of thumb, but nothing beats observing how specific species behave throughout the seasons in your local climate.

[keithp2012]

Dormancy (period of arrested stem growth) is triggered by seasonal changes in temperature and in day/night length (and availability of water). Even summer growing plants grown in climates with "hot" winters can experience winter dormancy if kept dry, the temperature difference between winter and summer is "sufficient", and if the winter nights are longer than in summer. Obviously how well a plant will tolerate climates different than the climate of the habitat they ev0lved in will depend on species.

1. That's true, even winter growing plants will go dormant if temperatures stay below freezing during the day for a prolonged period. If this is accurate for your local climate, https://www.timeanddate.com/weather/new ... on/climate, then many winter growing succulents should grow just fine for you (I think there is enough of a seasonal difference from winter to summer to trigger dormancy? likewise from summer to winter to wake the plants up).

2. Flowering depends on species. Some flower while in growth, others while dormant.

3. Those temperatures are a good rule of thumb, but nothing beats observing how specific species behave throughout the seasons in your local climate.

Sent you a pm please read it

[nachtkrabb]

Hi Spritefish,
do you know the latin names of your plants? Then you can read up from which climates & regions they come & what they need & if they do cycle seasonally. Then you also learn more about the soil they prefer. Especially llifle.com gives useful hints. Wikipedia usually only gives you locations, rarely min. temperatures or hints about soil.
If you don't know the names, use the boards here https://www.cactiguide.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=35 to find out.

There are tropical plants including cacti, as (most? all?) Melocactus, who live without summer-winter-cycle. Give them a warm winter eg. in your living room. I am told that this is the main reason why tropical cati often do not survive winter in temperate countries, they are given "a nice cool winter" as a special treat.

The winter growers I know of like Tylechodon come from regions where the summer is too hot to grow, so they sleep until it is temperate winter. If July is summer or winter depends of the half of the Earth you live on. Your from New Zealand? So now summer is approaching? (Yesternight we had the very first bit of snow in Stuttgart, Germany. ) But look at your plant what it defines as summer or winter: My Tylechodon comes from the S-half of Africa but defines "summer" as July while in its home region that should be December. Well. He is a good immigrant, he has adapted to our conditions.
Just when you see your winter grower thriving, give it water as in "growing period now" and after half a year reduce watering to tell your plant "time to say good night". My Tylechodon makes it easy on me, it is rule no.2: "No leaves -- next to no water." Besides it resides in my living room most of the time. (Rule no.1 "no leaves -- no water" is applied eg. for Pachypodium lamerei.)

About flowering time: Everything is possible. Absolutely no general rule. Depends on the species. Please look them up.

I try to adjust the temperatures in dormancy to the home climate of my plants. Meaning:
* The opuntiae don't know my house. They are out in the yard all year round & enjoy the snow as available.
* Those who want it cold, just without frost, and don't need light, are stuffed in the unheated, relatively dark garage.
* Desert cacti, Crassulae & Stapeliae overwinter in our unheated stairwell without direct sun. That is about 10°-15°C / 50°-60°F.
* In my not really heated, S-facing bedroom with 15°-18°C / 60°-65°F are those, who like it cool.
* The tropical stuff like Melos etc. stay in the heated living room with lots of light. They do not really rest in contrast to the others. They might even flower all year round given enough sunlight.
All those with rest are taken in, when it gets "cold" according to what each kind can stand.

Example winter-flowering succulent: A Crassula ovata can stand 5°C / 40°F, so I take it in, when about that temperature is forecasted at night, here in S-Germany usually in October. Then the latest I reduce watering to next to nothing & place them on their wellknown winter place in the stairwell. During midwinter, here December & January, they might flower, but we stay in winter-watering, ie. next to nothing.
In early spring, here March or April, they slowly get more water & wake up. Then they get a month in a warmer place like my then over-crowded flat, before they move outside for the summer when it is at least 10°C / 50°F during the night.

Example winter-dormant catus: Winter-dormers like Astrophyti get NO water during the winter, which here is October to March. I take them in, when the nights get too cold & put them on their winterplaces in the stairwell. Then I only admire them but do not water them until spring, which here is about March. Then I start slooooowly to give them little gulps & bring them to wake up in a warmer place with more light. Whenever the nights are for sure above 15°C / 60°F, they move outside on the balcony -- first some days in half shade, then to their summer place with full blast sun.

In general:
So I tell my succulents and cacti "good night" in autumn by reducing water & placing them on their according winter positions.
In spring I wake them up with little gulps of water & more sunlight.
I would not think abstract "25°C / 75°F defines this or that phase", I go relative: When it becomes cooler, this is called autumn & time to say good night for winter dormant plants.
Which months are "spring" or "autumn" depends on where you live.
I hope that does help...? -- Just start with finding out, where your plants come from & what they think a "normal" climate might be.
N.