Synonyms:

No synonyms are recorded for this species name.

Habitat:

Graptoveria Bashful is a nursery hybrid and doesn’t exist in nature, like all Graptoverias. The genera from which Graptoverias are obtained, namely Graptopetalum and Echeveria, are native, respectively, to Mexico and Arizona (southern USA), and South and Central America.

Description:

Graptoveria Bashful, like all Graptoverias, is a nursery hybrid, obtained through crossing of Graptopetalum and Echeveria. The precise species crossed to obtain Graptoveria bashful are actually unknown: it is an Altman Plants original hybrid of unknown parentage created by Renee O’Connell. Altman Plants is a very important nursery located in Los Angeles. Graptoveria bashful has the usual aspect of all Graptoverias: it is in fact a perennial plant made up of clusters of tiny rosettes of succulent leaves. The main feature of this particular hybrid are it being stemless and particularly small (maximum 15 centimeters in height and 7.5 centimeters in diameter for the rosettes), and its leaves. The latter, in fact, show a pretty mint green tinge that take on scarlet red blurs if the plant is exposed to direct sunlight and cold temperatures. Under the proper conditions, these red tinges may become particularly pronounced and the entire rosette might end up to look bright red. It’s precisely the vivid colour of its leaves, along with the scarce need in particular care, that make Graptoveria bashful so appreciated and sought after among succulent lovers. Flowers, instead, are not the most popular feature of these plants: they appear in Spring and are small, star-shaped, inconspicuous and born on elongated stalks. Being an hybrid, it won’t blossom so frequently, and it will produce unfertile seeds.

Cultivation:

Graptoveria Bashful requires plenty of light all year round. A complete exposure to direct sunlight will enhance its red tinges. Also cold makes it turn red: however, temperatures below 2ºC can damage the plant.
Water moderately, waiting for the soil to dry up completely before each watering. It is enough to water the plant once a week in spring and summer. In Winter, instead, irrigation should be suspended completely.
The ideal substrate should be well draining to avoid root rotting: a mixture of peat and pumice will do well.
Graptoveria Bashful doesn’t need frequent fertilization: it is sufficient to dilute the fertilizer with water during the irrigation once a year. Repotting will be probably necessary every Spring, as Graptoverias tend to spread and form multiple rosettes.

Propagation:

As seeds of hybrid plants are usually aborted or either, not fertile, the only propagation method that can be used is cutting. Any rosette that breaks off or any leaves that falls on the ground is capable to form new roots: so it won’t be difficult to realize a cutting. The easiest method it to take off one of the new rosettes that sprout usually in Spring and replant it in a new pot: it will put roots and thrive in a flash!

Curiosity:

Graptoverias are hybrids between Graptopetalum and Echeveria. Scientific names for nursery hybrids are usually preceded by the “X”. Here, for simplicity, we used the common names, removing the “X”.

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