Synonyms:

No synonyms are recorded for this name.

Habitat:

Echeveria “Black Knight” is a chlone and thus doesn’t exist in nature. Echeverias, in general, are from Mexico and South America, where they grow usually in very dry, rocky habitats, at variable altitude ranges.

Description:

Echeveria “Black Knight” is a mutated form of the specie “Echeveria affinis”, and not a hybrid with the latter as a crossing parent. It is a small succulent plant, consisting in a cluster of rosettes or either a single rosette, of completely black, leaves, shaped like rabbit’s leaves and slightly mucronated (“Mucronated”, in botany, means “sharply pointed”. It differs from the regular form “E. affinis” because, in the latter, the central part of the leaves stay bright green while, in “Black Knight”, the leaf is completely black. This peculiarity is the main reason why E. “Black Night” is so sought after among succulent lovers. Another beautiful characteristic of this succulent is its flowers: they are borne in a cluster-like inflorescence called “raceme”, at the top of an elongated stem (much taller than the entire plant), covered in conic, pointed, ricurved bracteas (bracteas, in botany, are leaf-like structure that grow at the axiles of inflorescences or in various point of them, depending on the species). Flowers are bell-shaped, 2 centimeters long, with the calyx-shaped corolla divided in 6, triangular lobes. They are of an attractive reddish pink, very bright, that make a beautiful contrast with the dark tinge of its leaves.

Cultivation:

Echeveria “Black Knight” is not difficult to grow. Here below are our cultivation tips:

Put it under direct sunlight, to make it take on more intense tinges and to make it more healthy.
The minimum tolerated temperature ranges usually from 7 ° C to 10-11° C. To stay safe, grow your Echeveria “Black Knight” in a pot, so that, in Winter, you’ll have only to put it indoors.
Water regularly in summer and stop completely in winter, unless you notice the leaves shrivel: in that case, resume watering though out of season. There must not be stagnant water in the rosette! Let the water drop directly on the ground, and don’t wet the leaves.
During spring and summer you can fertilize once a month diluting with water at half the doses a product specifical for succulent.
The soil should be well-draining, possibly with a good mineral part.
Repot every season, in Spring, if possible, and anytime you see that the plant outgrows its pot. 

Propagation:

The propagation of Echeveria “Black Knight” can be made either by seed or by cuttings. Given the high rooting capacity of the cuttings, however, it is advisable to use this method for the propagation. Another easy way is to take off the small rosettes sprouting laterally.
Unlike other succulents, with Echeverias, cuttings can be left in full sun or at least in a very bright environment. The recommended temperature is around 20° C.

Curiosity:

The name “Echeveria” comes from Atanasio Echeverria, naturalist, botanist and Mexican artist of the late 1700s who painted and cooperated on the discovery and cataloging Mexico’s natural flora.

Official Web Site:
www.giromagi.com

Italian Blog:
www.giromagicactus.com

Tips:
Read our advice