How to prune baby toes

Late spring or early summer, after the rest period ends. Remove only completely mummified, detached-looking outer leaves by hand. If a leaf resists pulling, leave it — damaged collars invite fungal rot in this rot-prone genus.

Rarely — only when clearly dead outer growth is present. Baby Toes (Fenestaria aurantiaca) is a stemless, windowed mesemb that requires no pruning. The clustered finger-like leaves grow directly from the root crown and are not removed. Simply pull away any fully mummified outer leaves. Cutting or trimming live leaves destroys the translucent 'windows' that the plant relies on for photosynthesis.

Remove only completely mummified, detached-looking outer leaves by hand. If a leaf resists pulling, leave it — damaged collars invite fungal rot in this rot-prone genus.