The Echeveria plant is an ornamental succulent from the Tolstyankov family. This genus includes about 1.5 hundred different species that grow in the regions of South and Central America. The flower was named after a Mexican artist who illustrated botanical books.
At home, Echeveria feels good and looks great, and with proper care it even pleases with flowers. Sometimes Echeveria is confused with a rejuvenated plant; both of these varieties are popularly called a "stone rose". Despite the external similarity, these plants are completely different. Echeveria is a houseplant that needs high air temperature and a certain level of humidity.
Description of echeveria
Echeveria is also called a stone rose due to the beautiful arrangement of the plant's thick leaves. The diameter of the succulent rosette can be up to 40 cm, but it develops very slowly. For a year, only a few fresh leaves and baby rosettes appear on the bush. The length of the oval foliage with a sharp tip ranges from 3 to 20 cm. The width varies from 1 to 15 cm. The color of the leaf blades can be gray-blue, green, red, burgundy or pinkish-purple. In different types of Echeveria, the leaves can be smooth or have a slight pubescence. The fleshy leaves of the succulent are quite fragile.
Like most succulents, Echeveria does not require special attention. Among the main conditions for keeping her bushes is a warm and sunny place. Echeveria blooms in the spring or summer, although some varieties of the plant can bloom in the winter. During this period, long peduncles with inflorescences of bell flowers appear on the bushes. Flowering can last up to 3 weeks.
The plant is very hardy. If the owners of echeveria need to leave, in bright light and after moderate watering, the flower will calmly stand without additional care for about 3 weeks.
Brief rules for growing echeveria
The table shows brief rules for caring for echeveria at home.
| Lighting level | The bright light of the southern (or southeastern) window is preferred. |
| Content temperature | In summer, the optimum temperature can be at room temperature - about 20-28 degrees, in winter about 10-15 degrees. |
| Watering mode | In summer, watering is carried out weekly, in winter - no more than once a month. |
| Air humidity | The plant does not need high humidity. |
| The soil | Light soils are suitable, as well as special substrates for succulents. |
| Top dressing | During the growth of the monthly, you can use the formulations for the cacti. |
| Transfer | Young bushes are transplanted every spring, adults - 3-4 times less often. |
| Pruning | The structure of the plant does not require pruning. |
| Bloom | Blooming at home can last from a couple of weeks to a month. |
| Dormant period | The dormant period begins in winter. |
| Reproduction | Baby rosettes, leafy cuttings, less often seeds. |
| Pests | Aphids, spider mites and mealybugs. |
| Diseases | Can be affected by fungal diseases due to improper care. |
Echeveria care at home
Echeveria care consists in following simple procedures, as well as in careful handling of the fragile rosette of the plant. The foliage of the flower has a very thin and easily damaged protective film, so it is better not to touch the succulent leaf blades unnecessarily.
Lighting
The natural habitat of Echeveria is sultry deserts, so you should not protect the flower from bright light. Bushes will grow best on southern or southeastern windowsills. A small shadow of Echeveria will also be able to transfer, but its outlet can stretch out in such conditions.
In summer, the succulent pot can be airborne. For a flower, you should choose a place sheltered from rains and winds.
Temperature
Echeveria prefers a fairly high temperature. In summer, it can rise up to 20-28 degrees. In winter, it is recommended to keep the succulent cool. At this time, the room should be no more than 10-15 degrees. The lower threshold for growing echeveria is considered to be 6 degrees Celsius. When growing winter-flowering species, a temperature of about 18-20 degrees should be created for them.
The delicate leaves of Echeveria react sharply to a strong cold snap, so the frosty air can significantly affect the decorative effect of the plant. Because of this, in winter, the flower should be protected from drafts while airing the room.
Watering
Abundant watering is not required for the bushes, on the contrary, Echeveria prefers rare and scarce moisture. To do this, use settled or rainwater, warmed to room temperature. In the summer, you can water the plantings about once a week, as the topsoil dries out. It should have time to dry out by about 3-4 cm. In winter, the number of waterings is reduced to monthly.
When watering echeveria, it is important to ensure that drops do not fall on its foliage, as well as inside the outlet itself. Stagnant moisture in these areas can lead to rotting of the bush. To avoid this, you can use bottom watering. Excess water from the pan must be drained: such plants perceive drought better than overflow.
Humidity level
The plant tolerates low humidity levels and can grow well even near batteries. This eliminates the need to spray the outlets.
Capacity selection
The root system of Echeveria is located close to the surface of the soil, so the bush will need a shallow, but wide enough capacity. Its size should exceed the diameter of the outlet itself by about 2 cm. It is important that there are drainage holes in the pot, otherwise, with stagnant moisture, the roots of the flower may begin to rot.
The soil
To grow echeveria, a fairly poor sandy soil is required. His reaction should be neutral. You can use ready-made succulent substrates or prepare the ground yourself. To do this, mix sand with turf and leafy soil (2: 1: 1) or sand with peat and loam (in the same proportions). To prevent the development of rot, charcoal can be added to the soil. Drainage must be laid at the bottom of the tank. The height of its layer should be about a third of the total size of the pot. Small pebbles, brick debris, clay shards or expanded clay are suitable for this.
Top dressing
Echeveria does not require frequent feeding. During the period of active development (spring-summer), the flower is monthly fertilized with compositions for cacti or succulents, using only half of the recommended dose.Overfeeding the plant is not worth it - excess nutrition has a bad effect on sensitive roots.
Transfer
Echeveria is usually transplanted in the spring, during this period the bushes begin to grow and tolerate movement more easily. Young plants need to change their capacity every year, adults 3-4 times less often. In the absence of transplants, you can simply replace the top layer of soil in pots.
The transplant process must be carried out very carefully. A few days before the procedure, the plant is not watered in order to transplant it from dry soil. The flower is pulled out of the pot along with a lump of soil, lightly shaking off the old earth. In this case, the roots of the plant should be examined, removing the affected or damaged parts. All sections are treated with a fungicide, and then sprinkled with crushed coal. When transplanting, the roots are straightened. All of them should be directed downward and not bend. From above, the flower is covered with fresh earth, tamping it only slightly. After transplanting, the bush is kept in the shade and not watered for at least a week.
Pruning
The structure of echeveria does not require pruning. The only sanitary procedure is to remove the drying bottom sheet plates. This keeps the outlets looking attractive.
Pruning can be carried out only if the shoots of the flower are too elongated during the winter. At this time, the top of the rosette is cut off, leaving only 3-4 cm from the ground level. This procedure rejuvenates the plant and stimulates the growth of fresh shoots. The cut off part is usually used for breeding.
Bloom
Most often, Echeveria bloom in spring or summer. Flowering can last from a couple of weeks to a month. During this period, a vertical or lateral flower arrow appears on the plant, on which small bell-shaped flowers bloom. They are located in inflorescences. In this case, the intensity and even the tone of the color of flowers directly depends on the abundance of illumination. If the plant is dimly lit, the flowers will be yellow, and in bright light, their color turns red or orange. Sometimes, after the wilting of the inflorescence, children appear at the ends of the peduncles.
Echeveria begins to bloom only in the 2nd or 3rd year of cultivation. To stimulate it, it is necessary to create the right conditions for the flower. Among them are a fairly long daylight hours (from 12 hours) and a low temperature (no more than 18 degrees). After a couple of months of keeping in such conditions, a peduncle should appear on the echeveria. When this happens, watering should be slightly increased, and the plant should be fed with a specialized fertilizer for flowering species.
Dormant period
The vast majority of Echeveria rest in winter. At this time, plantings require bright light and a low temperature of about 10-15 degrees. Watering is carried out once a month.
Echeveria breeding methods
Echeveria flowers give seeds only with artificial pollination. Their cultivation is not very difficult, but still indoor species are most often propagated using daughter rosettes or leaves.
Growing from seeds
Growing echeveria from seeds is considered the most difficult way to reproduce. During the flowering of the plant, the florist must pollinate the flowers on his own, then carefully observe the ripening of the seeds and collect them in time. Acidic soil is suitable for sowing seeds. The seeds are laid out on the surface of the earthen coma, and are not covered with anything. Then the container with seeds must be placed in a warm, sunny place (air temperature 25-30 degrees), the humidity must also be high. It is better to germinate echeveria seeds in a container with a transparent lid, and also equipped with good drainage. It is rather difficult to propagate a plant in this way, moreover, the result is often not happy, but if all the recommendations are followed correctly, you can grow many sprouts at the same time.
Leaf propagation
The lower leaf of the plant is carefully separated from the outlet and the cut is dried in the air for about 2.5 hours. After that, the leaf is immediately placed in a substrate suitable for echeveria, slightly pressing it into the ground.The soil is lightly sprayed with a spray bottle, and then the cutting is covered with a jar or glass and put in a warm place. The planting is aired every day, and when the soil dries up, it is moistened. In a few weeks, babies should form at the base of the leaf - from one to several pieces. Young plants are planted in their own pots after the cutting leaves are completely dry.
Reproduction by rosettes
One of the echeveria rosettes (root or apical) is separated from the plant with a sharp instrument. The lower foliage is removed and the cut is air-dried. After that, the rosette is planted in a substrate suitable for the flower. At a temperature of about +24, it should take root in about a month.
Diseases and pests
Echeveria is rarely affected by pests or diseases, most often problems begin due to errors in the maintenance of the flower.
- The socket begins to stretch due to lack of light.
- Echeveria leaves wither due to too little watering.
- Yellow spots appear on the foliage due to stagnant liquid at the roots or fungal diseases.
- Brown spots on foliage are caused by fungal diseases.
- The rosette rots at the base due to excess moisture in the soil.
- Darkening of stems and foliage is a consequence of too cold air or waterlogged soil.
Among the pests of echeveria are aphids, spider mites and mealybugs.
Types and varieties of echeveria with photos and names
Echeveria laui
The most distinctive of all types. Under natural conditions, this species can be found in the vastness of Mexico, where, in conditions of high temperatures, it grows in rocky gorges. The leaves are collected in a rosette, the stem is short or practically absent. The leaves themselves are wide and oval, up to 6 centimeters long and 3 cm wide. The leaves are covered with a waxy film, like the flower stalks. The flowers are small, dark pink in color.
Echeveria graceful (Echeveria elegans)
A low (up to 5 cm) plant with a thick stem. Echeveria elegans forms lateral baby rosettes. The foliage is light green and has a bluish bloom. The length of the leaf reaches 6 cm, and the width is about 1 cm. The flowers are reddish-orange and have a yellow top.
Echeveria carnicolor
The species is distinguished by small oblong leaves. Echeveria carnicolor gets its name from their slight pinkish tint. The flowers of such a plant are red.
Echeveria glauca
Wax-coated spoon-shaped leaves of this species have a gray-blue color and are complemented by a pinkish border. Echeveria glauca produces bright yellow-orange flowers.
Echeveria Black Prince
Hybrid form, characterized by a reddish-brown foliage tint. Echeveria Black Prince forms rosettes about 15 cm wide. Flowers are colored dark red or orange.
Echeveria white-haired (Echeveria leucotricha)
The rosette is located on a short stem. Its diameter in Echeveria leucotricha is up to 15 cm.The foliage from the inside has a bulge. Her color combines a green background with brownish edges. On all sides, the leaves are covered with a thick light fluff. The length of the leaf plates reaches 10 cm, and the width is up to 3 cm. The peduncle can reach half a meter in height, and inflorescences of reddish-brown flowers are located on it.
Echeveria brilliant (Echeveria fulgens Lera)
This species is well bushy. Echeveria fulgens Lera forms shoots with baby rosettes on the tops. The length of the foliage is about 10 cm, and its width reaches 4 cm. The color of the leaves is greenish-burgundy, with a glossy waxy surface.
Echeveria Derenbergii
The species forms tight rosettes about 6 cm across. Echeveria Derenbergii produces a gray-green foliage with a pinkish tint to the tips. The length of the leaves is about 4 cm, and the width is about 2 cm. The size of the peduncles reaches only 6 cm; yellowish-orange flowers bloom on them in the leaf axils.
Useful properties of echeveria
Echeveria brings not only beauty to the house: this plant has a good effect on the composition of the air in the room, contributing to its enrichment with ozone, oxygen and air ions, although many such plants will be needed to feel the effect. It is believed that Echeveria helps to create an atmosphere of calm and harmony in the house.
Echeveria foliage has a disinfecting effect and can be useful for suppuration, burns or scratches. The sap and parts of the plant are used in folk medicine.
Something in the description of this plant and similar stone rose (rejuvenated) is wrong. On the one hand - oh, so popular, etc. etc. On the other hand, the reproduction of a plant is very difficult, care is either simple or difficult (not to understand). A plant for masochists, or what? Or do such "experts" describe the plant that at least stand, at least fall?
From childhood I remember one-to-one similar plants were, for some reason, in a local cemetery, in the north of the Pskov region, where the climate is by no means Mexican, they grew exclusively in the sand, did not freeze in winter, did not die in summer from lack of water or from excess water. The name only was different - immortelle, and the appearance is one-to-one, as described here.
And another question - why do you need an almost detailed questionnaire in the comments? address, mail. Is it too little to pay off the paid comments then? why waste time on trifles. Do you need a discussion, or personal data of visitors, so that later they "bomb" with advertising?
Better yet, block comments altogether to draw in only one direction. Yes, also, block the ability to copy text from the site page as copyright.
Come on. In Pskov, you saw hare cabbage.
In the cemetery, it was rejuvenated, they also call a stone rose a rose, and also a tenacious one. They really winter well in the middle lane, and they live worse in the apartment. Here we are talking about other plants, echeveria. As for me, not the easiest to care for. If they have little light (and in winter they certainly have little) and a lot of water, then they stretch out and become ugly. She may not die, but there will be little beauty in her. The whole ease of care is that you can forget to water it. Leaves reproduce easily, but for a long time. In general, everything was written incorrectly about seeds.