Repotting guide

When & how to repot Tiger Jaws (Faucaria tigrina)

Also called Tiger Jaws, Tiger's Jaw, Tiger's Jaws, Shark's Jaws.

More about tiger jaws

About Tiger Jaws

Faucaria tigrina · also called Tiger Jaws, Tiger's Jaw · houseplant

Tiger Jaws (Faucaria tigrina) is a small clumping South African succulent whose paired triangular leaves bear soft tooth-like spines resembling open jaws, topped by yellow autumn flowers. Give it bright light, gritty fast-draining mix, and sparing water. It is not ASPCA-listed; treat as mildly toxic and verify with your vet.

Mature size: Compact: each rosette is roughly 7-8 cm (about 3 in) across and the plant stays around 10-15 cm (4-6 in) tall, slowly spreading into a wider clump of offsets.

Watch for — Soft, mushy, translucent leaves: The classic sign of overwatering and rot. Let the soil dry fully between waterings, water far less in winter, and ensure the pot drains freely.

How to tell tiger jaws needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For tiger jaws, watch for these signs:

Roots growing out of the drainage holes, or the rootball lifting the plant proud of the rim.
Soil that has shrunk away from the pot sides and no longer holds water.
The pot is unstable because the plant has grown top-heavy.
Old, compacted, broken-down mix that stays wet too long — for a succulent that is a rot risk, so refresh it even if the pot size is fine.

For the underlying biology of a pot-bound root system and why it stalls a plant, see our guide to spotting and fixing a root-bound plant.

How often to repot tiger jaws

Every 2–3 years, into bone-dry mix. Tiger Jaws's growth habit — slow-growing, stemless, clump-forming rosette succulent. pairs of fleshy triangular leaves emerge from the centre, their margins lined with soft, recurved, threadlike teeth that give the look of an open jaw. offsets form at the base over time, building a low cluster of 'heads'. — sets the pace. Tiger Jaws (Faucaria tigrina) is a small clumping South African succulent whose paired triangular leaves bear soft tooth-like spines resembling open jaws, topped by yellow autumn flowers. Give it bright light, gritty fast-draining mix, and sparing water. It is not ASPCA-listed; treat as mildly toxic and verify with your vet.

What size pot to step tiger jaws up to

Use a pot only one size up — or even the same pot with fresh gritty mix if the roots have room. Tiger Jaws stores water and rots in a large pot of slow-drying soil. A tight terracotta pot that dries fast is far safer than a generous plastic one. Never up-pot a succulent by several sizes.

Not sure of the exact diameter? Our pot size calculator takes the current pot and root spread and tells you the right next size — it deliberately recommends a single step up, never a big jump.

The best time of year to repot tiger jaws

Spring or summer, while tiger jaws is in active growth and warm, is best — roots recover fastest then, and the plant is not sitting in cool damp soil. Avoid repotting a succulent in winter dormancy.

Step-by-step: repotting tiger jaws

Repot dry. Do not water tiger jaws for several days first. Working with dry roots and dry mix dramatically lowers the rot risk for a succulent.
Pick a snug, fast-draining pot. Choose terracotta one size up at most, with a drainage hole. Have gritty gritty cactus and succulent mix ready.
Tip it out and clean the roots. Slide the plant out, crumble off the old soil, and trim any black, mushy or dead roots with clean snips.
Pot into dry mix. Set tiger jaws at its original depth in dry gritty mix, firming gently. Do not bury the stem deeper than it was.
Wait a week before watering. Leave it completely dry and out of harsh sun for about 7 days so any damaged roots callus. Only then water lightly.

Aftercare

Keep tiger jaws completely dry and out of fierce sun for about a week so any nicked roots callus before they meet moisture; watering a freshly repotted succulent is the classic way to rot it. Then resume the normal lean, dry rhythm. Do not fertilise for about 3 weeks — fresh mix already carries nutrients and feeding freshly disturbed roots scorches them.

The right soil mix for tiger jaws

Tiger Jaws wants gritty cactus and succulent mix. Use a fast-draining cactus/succulent compost, or amend regular potting mix with plenty of perlite, pumice, or coarse sand (around 50% grit). A mature-plant blend of two parts loam, one part coarse sand and one part pumice (per SANBI) works well. Always plant in a pot with drainage holes; terracotta helps wick away excess moisture. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting tiger jaws — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot tiger jaws?

Every 2–3 years, into bone-dry mix for tiger jaws. Repot tiger jaws every 2–3 years into a snug pot of gritty cactus and succulent mix, ideally in spring or summer. Let it sit in dry soil and do not water for about a week afterwards so any nicked roots can callus. Over-potting and watering straight away is what rots succulents.

What size pot does tiger jaws need?

When is the best time of year to repot tiger jaws?

Should you water tiger jaws after repotting?

No — not straight away. Repot tiger jaws into dry mix and wait about a week before the first watering so any damaged roots callus over. Watering a freshly repotted succulent is the single most common way to rot one.

Should you fertilise tiger jaws after repotting?

Not immediately. Wait about 3 weeks after repotting tiger jaws. Fresh mix already contains nutrients, and feeding freshly cut or disturbed roots burns them. Resume your normal feeding routine once you see new growth.