Is my succulent dying??
Belgrave Victoria,
Australia 
Sorry admin, I posted this question in the pictures section as well.
The two photos I have submitted are of the plant on my balcony. Until recently it has flourished magnificently from a small cluster of 'florettes' to the point now where they are over flowing the pot egdes.
The latest change was that of one 'florette' has grown much longer and taller than the others ????with flowers at the end (nothing has bloomed as yet though). At the time of this happening the bases of some of the other florettes have turned brown and dried right up and when levered have easily come out of the soil. This is why in the first picture there is a space at the back of the pot where the 'florettes' have gone.
This white powdery stuff pictured above is also a new development.
I'm just wondering if this is the natural cycle of the plant or if I may have overwatered it or .... could it be more sinister.
Any advice would be welcomed. Thanks, Chris
26 Feb, 2009
Answers
Certainly looks like mealy bug. Not easy to kill off - I have constant attacks on cacti in the greenhouse. I would keep it away from other plants because it spreads very easily. I had none for years until I bought a new cactus and it spread all around.
26 Feb, 2009
Sempervivums die after they have finished flowering and by the looks of it the plant to the frog's left is flowering now. The adult plant usually creates baby offsets before it dies though and the space should eventually be filled with new plants naturally.
Sempervivums often have a white sort of webbing in their centres which is normal but if you have never seen it before then have a look through it on one of the plants. If you look very closely you might be able to see little bugs living in there called "Mealy Bugs" or "Wooly Aphids". If they are present then you will need a systemic pesticide to kill them off.
(I also answered this under your photo accidently, sorry)
26 Feb, 2009