Tight rosettes of thick, water-filled leaves that rise to barely 8 inches once the summer flowers appear: echeveria is a Mexican succulent grown above all for its particularly appealing leafage. Excess water is what most often kills it, so give it light, very well-drained soil and it will keep unfurling new leaves for years.
| Name | Echeveria |
|---|---|
| Family | Crassulaceae |
| Type | Succulent plant, perennial |
| Height | 8 inches (20 cm) with flower |
| Propagation | Pups, leaf props |
| Exposure | Well-lit |
| Soil | Light, very well-drained |
| Flowering | Summer |
The care it calls for is minimal, but these simple practices will make each echeveria look even nicer.
This plant is suited to mild climates, and should preferably be cultivated indoors if you fear frost. Indeed, the slightest frost would kill it.
It’s a great idea to grow Echeveria indoors: it doesn’t need much care and keeps unfurling leaves at a regular and satisfying rhythm.
Extra important: make sure your pot has a hole for excess water to drain out. Cute pots must be drilled through underneath.
If planting outside, prefer full sun exposure.
Echeveria produces small suckers at the base of stems, and these can be replanted and take root easily.
For succulent leaf propagation, gently rock or twist the leaf side to side until it detaches cleanly, since a leaf missing part of its base is unlikely to sprout roots or pups.
Although caring for echeveria is relatively straightforward, a few tips will help you grow a very nice, long-living plant:
The lifespan of an Echeveria plant can range anywhere from 3 years to several decades depending on the variety, care, and growing conditions.
Make sure you always have a few leaf props going from your favorite variety if ever it unexpectedly dries up or mushes out!
When an echeveria doesn’t get enough light, it starts growing tall. Leaves are sparse around a long, thin stem. This means the plant is reaching for light.
The only way forward is to ensure the plant has enough light, and then behead the Echeveria to give it a fresh start.
Once the problem of your echeveria lacking light is solved, you can behead the succulent:
You can use the leaves from the remaining stem to prepare cuttings, as a form of leaf propagation. The slang for this is called “leaf props“.
In any case, it is important to wait for the soil to have dried well before watering, in which case it is also better to water once rarely with a significant amount instead of many moderate sessions.
BE CAREFUL! Leaves from succulents are loaded with water. If they start collapsing, it’s a sign that they need more water.
Echeveria stores its own water in its leaves, so the watering rhythm changes with the season and with where the plant lives. Use this table to decide before you pick up the watering can.
| Period | Watering frequency | Condition to respect |
|---|---|---|
| Blooming season, indoors | 1 to 2 waterings a week | Only when the soil has dried well |
| Outside the blooming season, indoors | 1 to 2 waterings a fortnight | Wait for the soil to have dried well |
| Winter, indoors | Light watering once a month | Largely enough at that time of year |
| All year, outdoors | No watering at all | Rainfall covers the plant’s needs |
Whatever the season, one generous soaking of dry soil beats several small sprinklings.
Almost every echeveria wants the same light and the same gritty, free-draining compost, so the choice comes down to leaf colour, rosette shape and how much room the plant will take on a windowsill. The varieties below are the ones most often found on garden centre and supermarket shelves.
| Variety | Leaf colour | Rosette form | Size band | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ‘Black Prince’ | Deep maroon to near-black | Narrow, tapering leaves | Small to medium | Contrast in mixed bowls |
| ‘Blue Curls’ | Blue-green, pink edges | Heavily ruffled leaves | Large | Solo display pot |
| ‘Blue Bird’ | Chalky powder blue | Broad, cupped rosette | Medium to large | Sunny patio pot in summer |
| ‘Violet Queen’ | Grey-green, violet cast | Star-shaped, pointed | Small to medium | Massed in trays |
| ‘Pink Frills’ | Blue-grey, pink flush | Crimped, wavy edges | Small to medium | Shallow bowls |
| ‘Purple Pearl’ | Dusky purple-grey | Rounded, cupped leaves | Medium | Year-round houseplant |
| ‘Ruby Blush’ | Green with red margins | Furry leaves, shrubby stems | Medium | Shrubby pot, winter flowers |
| ‘Doris Taylor’ | Silvery green, felted | Woolly, open rosette | Medium | Indoors, keep leaves dry |
| ‘Perle von Nürnberg’ | Grey-lilac, pink flush | Broad, pointed leaves | Medium | Feature pot indoors |
| ‘Lola’ | Pale blue-grey, pink tips | Very tight, symmetrical | Small | Small pots, gifts |
| ‘Topsy Turvy’ | Silvery blue | Leaves curled back, spiky look | Medium | Sculptural single pot |
| ‘Afterglow’ | Powdery lavender, pink edges | Wide, open rosette | Large | Statement container |
| ‘Neon Breakers’ | Purple-pink, bright margins | Frilled, wavy leaves | Small to medium | Colour in a windowsill group |
| ‘Lipstick’ | Apple green, red tips | Stiff, triangular leaves | Small to medium | Bright windowsill |
All there is to know about echeveria
Native to Mexico, echeveria is a very beautiful succulent with particularly appealing leaves.
With its reduced need for care, it poses practically no difficulty to the caretaker.
Although excess water is what most often kills it, it also likes having alot of light, but not scorching direct sun, as when behind a window. This would cause echeveria sunburn.
You can set it in a pot or a garden box, along edges or on rocky ground.
Amending the soil with organic fertilizer will favor blooming, so you must take care not to provoke this during the Echeveria’s dormant state, from mid-autumn to late winter.
