Do you want an easy houseplant that is also very decorative? Then the Echeveria might be something for you! The Echeveria is a succulent or succulent plant. Succulents generally require little care because they can create a water reserve themselves. Even in someone who sometimes forgets to pour, they usually survive. Echeverias are loved for their beautiful, soft colors and their rosette shapes. They are especially decorative as a set, a combination of several different types.
- Whence the name Echeveria?
- Description of the Echeveria
- Pitch
- Grooming
- Repotting
- Propagate
- Some popular Echeveria species
Whence the name Echeveria?
The plant genus Echeveria gets its name from Anastasio Echeverria, an 18th century Mexican painter and draftsman. At the time, the king of Spain sent a scientific expedition to Mexico to study new plant species there. Those new plants were painted and drawn by Anastasio Echeverria.
Description of the Echeveria
The Echeveria is a plant genus that belongs to the family of the Crassulaceae, a succulent family. The plant genus Echeveria has about 150 species and originates from Mexico and Central America. Echeverias are succulent plants. Succulents or succulents can store water themselves to survive dry periods. They can store that moisture in the stems, roots or leaves. With the Echeveria, the water reserve is in the leaf, which is clearly visible in the thick, fleshy leaf shape. The color of the leaves varies according to the species. Some varieties have gray-green leaves, others have lilac or reddish leaves. The most characteristic feature of the Echeveria is its shape: the leaves make spirally implanted rosettes, which is very decorative. The Echeveria is a low plant, the height can range from 5 cm to about 20 cm. Most species do not have a trunk, but there are also bushy species with a trunk. The flowering time for most varieties is in the spring. The flowers are on stems that do not grow from the center of the plant and are yellow, orange, white, pink or red.
Pitch
The Echeveria likes a light place. Direct sunlight is not a problem, on the contrary, it creates more intensity in the color of the leaves. A spot with partial shade is also possible. In summer it can be placed outside in a sunny spot, but some varieties cannot tolerate wet feet. In case of a lot of rain you have to protect them. The ideal temperature at night is between 10 ° and 13 °, during the day between 20 ° and 22 °. The Echeveria is resistant to dry room air. In winter, the temperature should be lower, from 5 ° to 10 °, and then the plant also needs less light. During this rest period it can prepare for flowering.
Grooming
As with all succulents, the rule also applies to the Echeveria: better too little water than too much! The plant has the advantage that it also survives in someone who occasionally forgets to water. He can create a moisture reserve in the leaves. Also very useful when you are traveling for a few weeks, he can manage on his own! During the growth period, from March to October, the Echeveria can use some water, but always let the root ball dry completely before the next watering. The potting soil should be a bit sandy so that it drains the water well. In winter you have to be very sparing with water to give the plant a rest period. Be careful not to pour on the leaves, as this can damage the wax layer on the leaves and if water remains in the rosette, the plant will rot. During the growth period you can feed with cactus food once a month.
Repotting
Repotting should be done in the spring and only once every 3 years. Mix some sand with standard potting soil to make the soil more permeable.
Propagate
If the plant has made shoots, you can cut off those side rosettes and pot them. Another method of propagation is leaf cuttings. Cut a leaf off the plant, very carefully so that you do not damage the leaf base because new shoots will emerge. After you have let the leaf dry for a few days, you can pot it in potting soil to which a lot of sand has been added.
Some popular Echeveria varieties
- Echeveria agavoides: with its broad, gray-green leaves it looks a bit like an agave. The leaf grows up to 6 cm long and has a spiny tip. The flowers are red-yellow.
- Echeveria elegans: the rosette can be up to 15 cm wide and has thick bluish leaves in the shape of a spoon, sometimes with a violet-colored edge. The flowers are pink with a yellow tip.
- Echeveria pulvinata: the leaves are light green and hairy with a red edge. They grow to a rosette about 15 cm wide. The flowers are red.
- Echeveria derenbergii: broad, gray-frosted leaves with a spiky tip and red edges. The rosette has a diameter of approximately 7 cm. In drought the leaves bend inwards, making the plant spherical. The flowers are orange.