Echeveria also called as Courantia, Oliveranthus, Oliverella, Urbinia, is a genus in the Crassulaceae family. They are some of the most popular succulent types because the leaves grow out from a central point, called a rosette. This gives the plant a flower or rose-like appearance.
Echeveria also called as Courantia, Oliveranthus, Oliverella, Urbinia, is a genus in the Crassulaceae family. They are some of the most popular succulent types because the leaves grow out from a central point, called a rosette. This gives the plant a flower or rose-like appearance.
IDENTIFY ECHEVERIA PLANT
Echeveria is native to semi-desert areas of Central America, Mexico and northwestern South America. The habitat in which they grow is mainly tropical. But this is important they mainly grow from altitudes of 1000 meters to 4000 meters. Only a few have an epiphytic existence in the wetter lowland tropical areas.
It is an evergreen or deciduous, rosette-forming, slow growing desert succulent which usually doesn’t exceed 12 inches (30 cm) in height or spread. They are popular with collectors of succulent plants for their compact symmetrical leaf rosettes and for the prominent stalked inflorescence (flower cluster), which usually rises high above the leaves.
The usually broad fleshy leaves have waxy, velvety, or powdery surfaces and are often iridescent and sometimes red-edged when in bright sunlight. There are some echeveria species with blue, silvery-green, light purple, light pink, gray, or light red leaves.
Because of their low-growing nature and stylish look, echeverias make great houseplants. Indoors, echeveria’s tidy growth makes it perfect for decorating window sills, desks, and tabletops. Outdoors, enjoy these plants in container gardens, as well as low-water landscape beds and borders. Because they’re so drought tolerant, you can practically plant them and forget them.
ECHEVERIA PLANT CARE AND CULTURE
Cultural information should only be used as a guide, and should be to be adapted to suit you. Your physical location; where you grow your plants, how much time you have to devote to their care, and many other factors, will need to be taken into account. Only then can you decide on the cultural methods that best suit you and your plants.
Light:
Echeveria grow well in full or partial sun. It do best at a southern, eastern or western exposure. When the plant doesn’t get enough light, it starts growing tall, become stretched and lose their color, their leaves are sparse around a long, thin stem. This means the plant is reaching for light. If you grow the plant on a windowsill, turn the plant occasionally to ensure that all sides of your plant get enough sun.
In the middle of summer, keep it bright but skip the very hot, and burning western sun, which can fry them. Also, the dramatically changing amount of the sunlight is a stress source for your plants. If you are going to move your outdoor succulents to the interior places, do it gradually.
Although excess water is what most often kills it, it also likes having a lot of light, but not scorching direct sun, as when behind a window. If the foliage gets sunburned, the best thing to do is behead the plant, and grow a new one, taking off the damaged leaves.
Temperature:
Echeveria plant make the great floor covering plants for the rock gardens. However, if kept outside, they will require a temperate climate all year long. They are very tender to cold and sudden drop in the temperature, in particular among the other succulents. But if you live where winters get real, you can still enjoy these beautiful succulents by growing them in interior pots instead, or move them to indoors for the freezing winters. The biggest concern about growing the plant, like many succulents, indoor spaces is that they will not get as much sunlight as they do outside.
During the spring and summer months, your indoor succulents need temperatures of between 65 and 80°F (18-27°C). During the winter, a few degrees lower will be ideal. You can grow the plants outside if you have warm summers of at least 19°C or 20°C.
Substrate and growing media:
Echeveria require a well-draining, porous growing medium to help keep excess moisture away from the roots. Standard cactus potting mixes are sufficient for the plants, which can be found at most nurseries and garden centers.
When choosing an echeveria to grow in a pot or container, it is important to choose the right size. As a rule of thumb for all succulents, choose a pot that is just larger than the root ball. This helps to ensure soil doesn’t stay too damp. Don’t place your plant in a pot without the drainage holes on the bottom.
You may repot your plant just after purchasing it if you’ve purchased it while it wasn’t flowering. After that, an annual repotting in spring with soil mix amended with sand will surely extend the lifespan of your plant. Re-potting in spring in a pot that is slightly larger than the previous will extend the lifespan of your plant. To repot the plant, ensure that the soil is completely dry before removing it from its potting container. Carefully remove the excess soil from the roots before placing the plant in its new pot.
Watering:
Watering is the most important aspect of proper care. Like most succulents, they do not require much water. During the blooming, 1 to 2 waterings a week, only when the soil has dried well. Apart from the blooming season, 1 to 2 waterings a fortnight. In winter, light watering 1 time a month is largely enough. Allow the soil to become dry between waterings. Under cool temperatures, keep both the soil and foliage dry. Humidity is not an issue as they are dry land plants that can tolerate wide swing with little difficulty.
You should water the plant once in a while, but pouring a big amount. Keep water running through the soil until it is completely wet and let the soil drain all the water inside. They do not like to stay in a wet soil. Repeat this watering process if needed. After you water your plant, you should wait a long period of time in order the plant use all the water storage inside its body.
If you notice that leaves are falling off, are wilting, turning yellow, or turning brown, it could be an issue with watering. Too much watering or too little watering can all affect the health of your plant.
Fertilizer:
Echeveria have low fertilizer needs coming from areas of low fertility where most soil has washed away. Adding a flower plant fertilizer will help extend the blooming and increase its beauty. Feed once a month with a dilute solution like a 15-15-15 or lower in summer when temperatures are warm and light is high. Reduce or eliminate fertilizer in winter or to control size.
Pruning:
Little need for pruning except in old plants. Plants can be pruned back when height is excessive for a particular growing situation, tops can be cut out and side branching will develop, eventually forming a full plant. Remove wilted flowers regularly (deadheading). This step isn’t mandatory but it will help stimulate the plant to produce new flowers.
Rest period:
Echeveria grow mainly in Spring and Summer and nearly cease growing in Autumn and winter (their dormant period). They usually have a problem period in April and May where they transition from the growing period, to the dormant period. Fungal problems become more prevalent as the older leaves start to shrivel be reabsorbed and die back for winter. If the plants have had too much water in Autumn the lower old leaves will not shrivel but die and begin to rot this can spread to other leaves ultimately to the stem where it can take over the plant.
Propagation:
Echeveria produces small suckers at the base of stems, and these can be replanted and take root easily. The plants can also propagated by leaf cuttings, and by seed if they are not hybrids.
BUY ECHEVERIA PLANT AND RELATED PRODUCTS
SOME SPECIES AND CULTIVARS OF ECHEVERIA WITH CARE TIPS:
- Echeveria agavoides - Lipstick echeveria
- Echeveria Apus - Apus Echeveria
- Echeveria Autumn Flame - Autumn Flame Echeveria
- Black Prince Echeveria - Echeveria Black Prince
- Echeveria cante
- Echeveria Chroma
- Echeveria colorata - Colored Echeveria
- Echeveria Crimson Tide - Crimson Tide Echeveria
- Echeveria Cubic Frost - Cubic Frost Echeveria
- Echeveria Dark Moon - Dark Moon Echeveria
- Echeveria derenbergii - Painted lady Succulent
- Echeveria elegans - Mexican snow ball
- Echeveria Fireglow - Fireglow Echeveria
- Echeveria Galaxy Blue - Galaxy Blue Echeveria
- Echeveria gibbiflora
- Echeveria Gorgon's Grotto - Gorgon's Grotto Echeveria
- Echeveria harmsii - Plush Plant
- Echeveria Hercules - Hercules Echeveria
- Echeveria laui
- Echeveria lilacina - Ghost echeveria
- Echeveria Lola
- Echeveria longissima
- Echeveria minima - Miniature Echeveria
- Echeveria multicaulis - Copper rose
- Echeveria Neon Breakers - Neon Breakers Echeveria
- Echeveria nodulosa - Painted Echeveria
- Echeveria Orion - Orion Echeveria
- Echeveria pallida - Argentine Echeveria
- Echeveria peacockii - Echeveria desmetiana
- Echeveria prolifica
- Echeveria pulidonis - Pulido's echeveria
- Echeveria pulvinata - Chenille plant
- Echeveria purpusorum
- Echeveria Red Velvet - Red velvet Echeveria
- Echeveria rosea
- Echeveria runyonii
- Echeveria Sahara - Sahara Echeveria
- Echeveria secunda
- Echeveria secunda var. glauca - Blue Echeveria
- Echeveria shaviana - Mexican hens
- Echeveria subcorymbosa
- Echeveria unguiculata
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