Synonyms:

There are not synonyms for this plant

Habitat:

P. ‘misty charm’ is a hybrid created by Charles Uhl in the USA. The plant was created by crossing Pachyphytum coeruleum with Pachyphytum oviferum.

Description:

P. ‘misty charm’ is a beautiful hybrid belonging to the Crassulaceae botanical family. The plant grows in tufts and can reach up to 20 cm in height and 10 cm in diameter. The stem is firstly erect and then prostrate and branches from the base. The leaves are arranged around the stem and are numerous and very close. The leaves are rounded, fleshy, elliptical, bluish green in color covered with a white powdery pruina. The leaves can change color depending on climate conditions and can turn from bluish to lavender. Blooming occurs during the spring and the blossom are borne at the top of the apex. The flowers are star-shaped and the petals are yellow-green with red hues in the center; the stamens are bright yellow. The mix of colors makes this plant unique and wonderful, very sought after by collectors.

Cultivation:

The plant has a slow growth rate but it easy to cultivate. The plant needs a full light sun exposure but is recommended to avoid direct sun-light in the hottest periods. The minimum temperatures that the plant can withstand are 8° C, below this temperature it begins to suffer so it needs to be placed indoors in the coldest periods. The soil should be mixed with pumice, clay and loam to allow the drainage and prevent the root rot, the plant is prone to it indeed. Using a perforating pot, you can drain excess water. Watering can be done regularly in Spring and Summer: during the vegetative period you can water the plant (every 7 days), checking that the soil is completely dry before watering again; in winter you should stop the watering to allow the plant to enter dormancy. About fertilization, for this plant is sufficient to fertilize moderately during the growing season with the specific fertilizers for succulents and stop fertilizing during the winter. If the pot starts to be too small for the plant you can repot the plant in a pot 2 cm wider. Repotting should be done early in the growing season with fresh new potting soil. Be careful to red spiders and mealy bugs.

Propagation:

Propagation can be done by cutting or by seed. By cutting you can make the cut during the spring and then let the cutting dry; after a few days the cut surface will dry and a callus will form, then place the cutting in a mixture of sand, soil and pumice. To increase the success of propagation you can make two or more cuttings at the same time. For cuttings it is recommended temperatures around 20 °C. By seed it is very simple to propagate the plant, it is enough to sow the seed in a sandy loam soil and keep it with a high level of humidity and at temperature of 14 C°.

Curiosity:

In spite of the name, which literally means “big plant” (from the Greek “pachys” large and “phytos” plant), they are medium or small size and can reach 15 to 60 cm in height, according to the species. The specific epithet ‘misty’ is for the shifting colours of the leaves from pale blue to pale grey and ‘charm’, in reference to the beauty of an encased gemstone or jewel.

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