Echeveriaspp.

Colorful and decorative , comfortable - careEcheveriaspecies , hybrids , and cultivar are flowering succulent that thrive on neglect and arid conditions in the garden .

They can be lift as houseplant as well .

Highly valued for their unique , heavyset parting , echeveria is widely spawn and available in a range of bighearted shades , fromicy blue - greenstorich redsand purples .

A close up top down image of echeveria succulents growing in a garden border.

In summer , particularly with out-of-door finish , marvelous peak stalking shoot up and stock clusters of small-scale , bell - shape or starry flowers in shades of orange , peach , pink , flushed , white , and yellow .

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works size depart but these succulents are typically compact to moderate in size , and grow in lovely , symmetrical rosettes .

A close up vertical image of a succulent garden growing different Echeveria varieties. To the top and bottom of the frame is green and white printed text.

aboriginal to semi - desert regions of the Americas , they make an excellent alternative for mass planting in borders , carpeting bedding dodge , containers , pansy gardens , rockeries , and xeriscape gardens .

But they ’re cold ship’s boat and need a dry fix to winter alfresco , or they can be brought indoors in sphere with dusty wintertime .

easy cultivate with minimum weewee , is your garden ready for some colourful echeveria ? Then let ’s skip in to research how to grow succulent echeveria plants .

A close up horizontal image of echeveria succulent plants growing in rock garden.

Here ’s what you ’ll find beforehand :

What You’ll Learn

What Is Echeveria?

Echeveriais a genus of approximately 150 species and hundreds of cultivars of evergreen perennials , decorative blossoming plants with chummy , fleshy parting and stems in idle or tight rosettes .

The many hybrids vary greatly in colour , var. , shape , and size of it depending on their parentage , with rosettes pasture in width from one to 20 inches , although most are well under 12 inches at due date .

Indigenous to Mexico , Central America , and South America , their lifelike habitat is semi - desert terrain in bumpy , craggy regions where they tardily grow in ledge and rock face , thriving in full sun and desiccate experimental condition .

A close up horizontal image of the pink, purple, and yellow blooms of an echeveria succulent plant pictured on a soft focus background.

The unique leaves are the big attractive force , with a waxy surface and impressive grasp of colors including blue - green , burgundy , chartreuse , grey - unripe , green , lilac , scarlet , and plum .

The chubby , spoonful - shape leaf are composed of spongy tissue , designed to reserve extra piddle until call for , with rough , cabbage - similar , crinkled , smooth , or ruffled flesh .

In summertime , improbable flower spikes spud up , with stem clusters of low , starry or doorbell - work flowers in bright colors of orange , peach , pink , red , white , and yellow-bellied that attract pollinators like bees and hummingbirds .

A close up horizontal image of a succulent echeveria with small offsets growing at the base.

Species and cultivar also go by the common name echeveria . But during the growing season legion clunk - forming offshoot form , and as such , some variety are referred to by the mutual name “ hens and chicks . ”

These arenot to be confused with variety show ofSempervivumthat go by the same byname .

Stonecrop is another common name also used by other plants , the succulentsedums .

A horizontal image of echeveria succulents propagating from leaf cuttings.

With superb drought allowance , these low - sustentation industrial plant make an excellent plant - and - forget choice forxeriscapesand water - wise garden .

Hardy in Zones 9 to 12 , they are frost - tender plant that do n’t hold out freezing temperatures but can be brought indoors for wintertime .

Cultivation and History

Described by Swiss botanist and taxonomer Augustin de Candolle in the other 1800s , theEcheveriagenus was named in pureness of eighteenth one C Mexican botanical artist Atanasio Echeverría y Godoy , who drop years in the field drawing and chronicling Mexican flora –   including the first named species , E. gibbiflora .

Throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries , more species were added to the genus as botanist hazard further afield into Central and South America .

well cross - pollinated , today one C of cultivars are available , with several assortment acquire the Royal Horticultural Society ’s Award of Garden Merit , includingE. agavoides , E.xgilva , andE.runyonii‘Topsy Turvy . ’

A horizontal image of a succulent garden with echeverias growing on a piece of wood outdoors.

Echeveria Propagation

Echeverias are easy to propagate from offsets and foliage cuttings .

Butcollecting seed for propagationisn’t recommended as the many hybrid cultivars do n’t produce offspring dependable to the parent works – unless that ’s what you ’re go for .

To propagate offsets , remove them from the mother rose window by gently tease them away with a modest trowel or fork .

A close up horizontal image of different types of succulent plants growing in small pots.

Pot up in small containers fill with cacti and succulent potting soil and place in bright , collateral lighter until established .

Water modestly , keeping the stain barely moist and let the control surface to dry between app .

Offsets should begin rooting in two to three week .

A close up horizontal image of large echeveria plants growing in a terra cotta pot.

For cuttings , gently remove a low leaf by tilt it from side to side until it liberate from the female parent .

Place the folio on top of the ground in a small two- to four - inch container filled with a lush dirt mix .

Place in shining , collateral light but do n’t pee until new roots have developed , usually in two to three hebdomad .

A vertical image of a Echeveria ‘Melaco’ growing in a small ceramic pot set on a wooden surface.

Allow the leaf to step by step dry out out and crumble away on its own – do n’t pull at it as the offset roots are easily disturb .

Once root is well established , plant out or mess up and post in a location with bright , indirect light source .

To forestall sunburn , allow carving and offsets to indurate off for two or three weeks in indirect light before placing in full sun .

A close up of a bottle of Dr Earth Succulence Plant food isolated on a white background.

How to Grow Echeveria

To thrive , echeveria needs well - draining , holey filth with a slightly acidic pH of 6.0 in a full Lord’s Day location .

These plants need dry condition and they can develop fungal infections in gamey humidness , excess rain , and wet grunge . And some variety may benefit from light shade to protect them from intense afternoon sun .

Fill containers with cactus potting mix , or work it into garden beds to a depth of six to eight inch .

A close up horizontal image of a succulent echeveria plant covered in a dusting of frost.

Or create your own blend using one part holey materials like perlite , two part guts for drainage , and two part of organic matter for nutrient and a lofty tilth – this guide has our recipe tomake your own pot soil for succulent .

Create a shallow planting situation and nestle the root in place so that the crown is at or just below the territory credit line . You require to avoid having the lower farewell sitting on the soil .

Water lightly to settle in place if the soil is very ironical .

A close up square image of Echeveria ‘Blue Curls’ growing in a small pot.

These desert charmer are easy to produce , but guardianship must be occupy to avoid overwatering .

They have shallow source design to chop-chop imbibe H2O and ca n’t come through in wet soil , which quickly conduct to issues like ancestor hogwash .

And although they ’re highly drought tolerant , they still require regular diligence of water supply for the best functioning .

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In garden beds , allow the grime to dry thoroughly between water program .

In container , aim to keep the dirt barely moist during the growing time of year , watering tardily and profoundly during hot , dry conditions and allow the top one to two in of grime to dry out between applications .

Also , urine carefully and do n’t allow excess pee to sit in the center of rosette – this vitiate the waxy out cuticle and can make cushy tissue rot .

A square image of a number of Echeveria elegans plants growing in small black plastic pots.

For container plant , choose glassless potswith large drainage holes in the bottom – terra cotta and glassless ceramic kitty help to imbue up redundant wet , protect the radical from overwatering .

I like to add together a layer of pebbles over the muddle to check the soil drains freely , then fill with a lush stain blend .

Catchment saucers under potted flora should be promptly discharge of water so it is n’t reabsorbed into the ground .

A close up of the bluish-red foliage of Echeveria ‘Perle von Nurnberg’ growing in a small pot.

Indoor Plants

To grow indoors twelvemonth - round , echeveria require shining light , preferably with direct sunshine in the good morning – a south- or due west - facing windowpane is perfect .

In spring and summer they do well with eight to 12 hours of light , and in wintertime six hours of bright spark is necessitate to keep their rosettes heavyset .

If you do n’t have enough lifelike light uncommitted , consider adding agrow lightto prevent plants from extend out due to low luminance .

A close up square image of Echeveria ‘Truffles’ growing in a small pot set on a gray surface.

Keep the soil scarce damp in spring and summer but grant it to dry out totally between water applications in winter .

feed as outlined in the Pruning and Maintenance discussion section below .

Most echeveria plants do n’t require frequent repotting , but if they do become overcrowded , replant in springtime into a container that ’s two to four inches larger in diameter .

A close up horizontal image of a succulent garden with Echeverias in a wooden planter.

Add a layer of small pebbles over the holes to improve drain if desired and meet with fresh succulent potting soil .

Wait until the soil is wholly ironic then gently remove and transplanting with a small trowel , keeping the rootball integral .

Water gently but deeply to settle .

Growing Tips

These easy - care plants require piffling sustenance or tending , with the big exit come from overwatering .

These succulent evergreen can take some disregard , but a minuscule tending help them to shine .

Pruning and Maintenance

Echeverias rarely require pruning but the heyday stem should be thin out back close to the cornerstone after flowering is finish .

And any discredited growth , or bottom leave behind that eventually die off , can be snipped and remove as needed .

Should your plant life rise leggy from a lack of sun , they can be top to encourage Modern growth along the stem . Prune in spring at the start of the growing season .

utilise clean , sharp garden shears to reduce the stem to a more attractive height , cutting just above a set of leaves , then move plants into a sunny location .

And do n’t toss the top part – utilise it to spread new plants .

Although they ’re not great feeders , echeveria can do good from a twice yearly program of fertilizer in spring and fall .

To fecundate , apply a quarter - strength app of a low - N formula or one that ’s plan for cactus and succulents .

Dr. Earth Succulence Plant Food

Dr. Earth Succulence Cactus & Succulent Plant Food has a 1 - 1 - 2 NPK expression and isavailable at Arbico Organics .

We discuss fertilizing succulents in detail here .

Echeverias are not cold hardy , and they do n’t cope well with hail or wet conditions either .

If you have dry , warm winter within their hardiness range , they can be left alfresco in bed or containers .

If your wintertime are tight and ardent , they may survive in soil with first-class drainage , but excess body of water tend to mar and damage the waxy leaves and induce gentle tissue decompose .

For rain protective cover , transplant bedding plant into pots and move container into a sheltered site , such as under eaves , on a porch , or in a carport .

In areas where they might get icing nipped , deal them with an old sheet orfloating row coverfabric .

Most species are Robert Lee Frost tender . develop outside of their hardiness range of mountains , they should be move into a coolheaded , dry environment for the wintertime . Bring indoors when temperatures dribble to 55 ° F .

If needed , pot up garden plant to move indoors , cleaning plants of any utter or damaged foliage and checking for insects first .

localize in a emplacement that pose a few hr of bright light each twenty-four hours . Echeveria goes sleeping over winter and prefers a cool way in the kitchen stove of 50 to 65 ° F .

Water slenderly once a calendar month , but only after the dirt has exhaustively dried .

In spring after all danger of frost has passed , move them back outdoors and harden off in dappled sun for seven to 14 days before moving into a full sun location .

Echeveria Species and Cultivars to Select

There are a vast array of varieties to select from in multiple colour , shapes , and sizing . Here are some favorites to start you out .

Blue Curls

famed for its wavy leaves , ‘ Blue Curls ’ ( E. gibbiflorax ) is beautifully colour with fleshy puritanic green leaves edged in pink , plum , or scarlet that deepens in semblance during saltation and fall .

‘ Blue Curls ’

Spires of flowers in hot pink to orange produce from a unmarried rosette that develop up to 12 inches marvellous and wide – a fascinating look for containers , tabletop plantation owner , and poof or succulent gardens .

Container plants areavailable at Walmart .

Doris Taylor

Also known as woolly rose , E. pulvinatax ‘ Doris Taylor ’ is delightful with its fuzzy , thick leaves of silvery salvia unripened and bold , spiked clusters of orange and yellow blossom .

plant grow three to five inch tall with a diameter of up to eight inches and make a bighearted choice for carpet bedding in mete , container , and garland arrangements .

‘ Doris Taylor ’

Two- or four - inch root plants areavailable from the Succulents Box storage via Amazon .

Elegans

A classic in succulent garden , E. elegansshowcases beautifully formed little potato of frosty sage green leaves .

In summer tall flower staunch are cover in humble tube-shaped flowers , blood-red red at the base with sunlight yellow tips .

E. Elegans

Growing six to eight column inch marvellous and wide , this mintage bring on small offsets and makes an graceful selection for container , ground cover , and rock gardens .

Container plants areavailable at Nature Hills .

Perle Von Nurnberg

Striking for its soft pastel coloring , ‘ Perle Von Nurnberg ’ ( E. gibbaflora‘Metallica ’ xE. potosina ) features rosette of frosted aqua gray with tones of garden pink and plum that deepen in full sunlight .

Multiple flower spires originate inflorescences of tubular flowers with a coral pinkish exterior and bright yellow-bellied interior .

For a subtle but dramatic statement , mass plant in borders , containers , life walls , or gravel gardens . The ample rose window grow up to 10 inches tall with a width of eight inch and grow multiple get-go .

‘ Perle Von Nurnberg ’

Small industrial plant in 2.5 - in pots areavailable from Hirt ’s Gardens via Walmart .

Truffles

A true charmer with wavy , cabbage - similar leaves in cool shades of frigid amobarbital sodium to frosty plum tree , E. shaviana‘Truffles ’ has marvelous wands of great - pinkish blossom that bloom in the summer ’s passion .

Plants reach a ripe height of four to six inches with generous six- to eight - in rosette that work well in container , rockeries , and piss - wise gardens .

‘ Truffles ’

‘ truffle ’ isavailable at Nature Hills .

Looking for More alternative ?

Be indisputable to curb out our supplementary guide , “ 27 of the Best Echeveria Varieties . ”

Managing Pests and Disease

Echeveria are largely pest free , but sapsucker like spider soupcon and mealybug can present themselves .

Spider miteslook like teensy spider and thread white webs between and underneath leaves . They show up in hot , dry precondition and can make white spots , yellowing , or discolored leaves that eventually drop off .

Mealybugslook like little snowy chiton on the foliation and prefer warm , humid environment . They also have leaves to draw in , yellow , and fell off .

Both pests can be dispatched withgarden - friendly good bugslike ladybugs or predatory wasps , or horticultural soap can be applied to battle persistent plague .

Fungal issues like theme rot and soft tissue rot come and scatter in humid or wet conditions . see out ourguide to deal rot in succulentsfor more information .

To annul rot problems , control plants are spaced for rich air circulation in high-pitched - humidness region . And it ’s all-important to institute in well - draining grime and keep off overwatering .

Best Uses

The huge variety of echeveria cultivar makes them suited for many setting , and they ’re particularly effective in mass groupings .

They can be planted on their own or mixed with cacti and other succulent to add unique colour and involvement to water - wise borders , rug eff outline , container , and sprite , gravel , rock , xeriscape , or zen garden .

They also make an excellent tabletop accent or centerpiece and summate a distinctive touch to terrariums , living walls , and garland .

Quick Reference Growing Guide

Desert Delights

With their endearing symmetrical rosette in polar or burnished colors , plus colorful flower spikes , echeveria is a true desert joy that ’s a gross plant for low - water garden and xeriscapes !

They add alone appeal when massed in border , planters , or rock gardens , and container cultivation is a fast and easy way to fetch these rime - tender sweethearts indoors for winter .

But do n’t overdo it with the kindness . With their first-class drought tolerance , holdwaaayback on the water because they shine in skimpy , arid precondition .

And for moreinformation about growing succulent , check out these guides next :

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Lorna Kring