Synonyms:

× Echephytum
× Pachyrantia
× Urbiphytum

Habitat:

Pachyveria ‘Orpet’ has garden origin.

Description:

Pachyveria ‘Orpet’ is a wonderful hybrid belonging to the Crassulaceae botanical family. The plant is stemless and thornless and forms a dense rosette of leaves which can grow up to 12 cm in diameter. The leaves are fleshy, flat, obovate to spoon- shaped, curved towards the apex, pointed at the apex and bluish green in color with pink edges and tips. The epidermis can take on silver-blue green to reddish hues depending on climate conditions. The stem is covered with a whitish pruina that gives the plant an opaque appearance. Blooming occurs in summer and blossom are borne by long stalks (up to 15 cm) that arch when ripe. The flowers are bell-shaped, small, yellow petals with pink margin, very beautiful and very suitable for wonderful plant compositions.

Cultivation:

This is a fast growing plant, easy to cultivate. The plant needs a direct sun-light exposure all the year, this will change the color of the leaves making it very attractive. Be careful to long exposure to direct sun-light because it can cause burns and burnt spots. Temperatures below 7 ° C can damage the plant so it is best to shelter it or place it in a cold greenhouse during the winter. Too low temperatures can cause the stem or leaves to break due to water freezing inside the tissues. Temperatures between 10 and 15 °C allow the plants to enter vegetative rest which is essential for the flowering of the following year. Plants should not be placed inside the house where average temperatures of 20 degrees prevent vegetative rest. The soil should be a well-draining and porous soil, so you can use a standard cactus soil or a mix of fertile soil and sand. The pumice should always be placed on the bottom of the pot. Remember to use a perforating pot to drain excess water. Watering can be done regularly during the vegetative period. During the vegetative period you can water the plant every 5 days with half a glass of water, checking that the soil is completely dry before watering again; in winter you should stop the watering to allow the plant to enter dormancy. Decrease the amount of water if the plant is kept indoors or if the pot is smaller than 12 cm. The plant is used to growing in poor soils, for this reason it does not need abundant fertilization, it is sufficient to fertilize once in spring and once in summer. 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; it is usually done every 1-2 years. Be careful to red spiders and mealy bugs.

Propagation:

The easiest and fast method of propagation is to use suckers sprouting at the base of the plant as cuttings but leaf cuttings is also possible. 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. For leaf cutting you can cut some healthy leaves and plant it in a pot with sand and loam. Place the pot in a warm and bright environment and in 1-2 months the cuttings will be ready to plant. To increase the success of propagation you can make two or more cuttings at the same time. It is advisable to use rooting hormone at the base of the cut to energize root development. For cuttings it is recommended temperatures around 20 °C.

Curiosity:

Pachyveria is a hybrid between Echeveria and Pachyphytum. That’s the reason why in front of its name there is often an “X” just as there is for other hybrids.

Official Web Site:
www.giromagi.com

Italian Blog:
www.giromagicactus.com

Tips:
Read our advice