Family: Crassulaceae
Habitat: Central and South America
Cultivation: The Echeveria requires high temperatures and full sun exposure, it is however not a plant that needs specific soils. Just choose one well-draining to let the plant grow well. When you water, be careful not to leave standing water inside the rosettes formed by the leaves.
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.

ECHEVERIA KEY FEATURES

Widespread because robust and decorative, Echeveria are succulents, immediately recognizable due to the shape of the leaves: fleshy, ovoid, more or less elongated depending on the species. They are arranged in compact rosettes, that make them look like a perpetual flowering, they differ much in color: the most common are green-gray or light green but it is possible to see all shades of green and some red tone. Generally they are covered with a light fluff, usually not very conspicuous (with the exception of some varieties). In over 150 species, belonging to this genus, it is found a great variety even in size than that in the color: the rosettes in fact can be wide from a few centimeters up to even about 15-20cm. and the plant  can vary from 20-30 cm up to a meter in height approximately. The stem tends to become wood gradually advancing with the age of the plant; they are plants that live many years. The flowering is very lively, and very long: from early spring until the end of the summer. The flowers sprout from stems that start from the center of the rosette. They are generally bell-shaped and have showy colors: red, orange, yellow – even with very marked differences between the center of the petal and its margins.

VARIETY AND TYPES

Today the species of Echeveria are many thanks to the vastness of the territory of origin.

We list some of the most common or special:

Echeveria affinis – The rosettes are very large (about 10 cm in an adult plant) and sprout directly from the soil: the stem is very small. A single rose can be the protagonist of the vase. The flowers are bright red.

• agavoides – It has red flowers edged with bright yellow. The rosettes reach 15 cm in diameter, are light green, but with ends that go to red.
• coccinea – is very branched, while the leaves of the rosette are quite thin compared to other Echeveria. The flowers are red, edged yellow.
• derembergii – The rosettes become very high and give the impression of small bushes. Since the color of the leaves depends on their age and on the sun exposure (either for the shades of green and for the possible presence of pinkish edge), on the same rosette there can be color variations.
• elegans – Very widespread, the leaves are covered with a light silver fluff and their lanceolate shape ends in a bit of reddish color, almost like a small thorn. Strongly affected by the low temperatures.
• lilacina – Even in this variety the leaves are covered with a silvery hairs. The flowers are pink or orange and sprout from the stems that can reach 30 cm high.
• pulvinata – The leaves are rather elongated and very thick, in certain cases they can veer towards red on the ends. The flowers are flecked, red and orange.
• setosa – The leaves are covered with a dense hair that distinguishes it from other Echeveria and gives the name to this variety.

Here are some:

• E. derenbergii
• E. agavoides crestata
• E. agavoides Romeo
• E. albicans
• E. apus
• E. apus crestata
• E. black Prince
• E. bryan rose crestata
• E. chihuahuensis
• E. clara
• E. compacta crestata
• E. emerald ripple
• E. gibbiflora
• E. gigant mexican ice
• E. gigantea
• E. gigantea Green
• E. globulosa
• E. holly gate
• E. lauii
• E. lilacina
• E. lindsayana
• E. lola
• E. moranii
• E. multicaulis caerulea
• E. perle von nurnberg
• E. perle von nurnberg compacta
• E. pulvinata frosty
• E. pulvinata frosty crestata
• E. purpusorum
• E. purpusorum crestata
• E. ramilette crestata
• E. runyonii topsy turvy variegata
• E. runyonii topsy turvy
• E. rusberry ice
• E. ryunionii
• E. setosa rundelli
• E. subrigida
• E. subsessilis BLUE

TIPS FOR GROWING

The Echeveria is developed in high temperature range areas, in harsh environments such as the highlands of Mexico and some regions of South America, they are very strong and are well suited to difficult and rocky grounds. However, in our latitudes, we especially recommend the growing in pots, which allows you to place the plants in the shelter when temperatures are rigid. To plant directly in the ground, however, it is advisable first to check what is the best variety according to the characteristics of your area.

Let’s see how to take care of an Echeveria.

• Exposure to sunlight is the best either for the health of the plant, and for the development of brighter and more intense colors.
• According to the variety, the minimum supported temperature can vary from 7 ° C to 10-11 ° C. With rare exceptions, therefore, we recommend to grow the succulents in pots in order to put them under shelter during the winter.
• The watering may be more abundant in summer and totally absent in winter (unless you notice the leaves shrivel: in that case, resume watering even out of season). But there must not be stagnant water in the rosette! Therefore you should directly water the ground, leaving dry the rosettes. If you can not achieve this effect with a watering can, try to water by immersing the pot in water.
• The Echeveria is not demanding in terms of soil and fertilizing: just fertilize once a month, during spring and summer, with a product for succulent.
• The soil should be well-draining, possibly rich in aggregates.
• It is good to repot every season, in early spring.
• The reproduction of the plant can be made either by seed or by cuttings. For their ease of rooting, however, it is advisable to use the leaf cuttings or suckers (in this case, small rosettes / branches that sprout laterally).

Unlike other succulents, with Echeverie the cuttings can be left in full sun or at least in a very bright environment. The recommended temperature is around 20° C.