How to cultivate Echeveria
How to cultivate Echeveria
The genus Echeveria (Echeveria DC., 1828) is characterized by succulent plants of the Crassulaceae family.
The genus originates and is present in the arid and semi-arid areas of the American continent, from south-west Texas, Central America and the northern part of South America.
This genus is more present in Mexico where there are over a hundred endemic species.
The genus Echeveria is characterized by plants with flat and fleshy leaves, arranged in a rosette; the stems in adulthood branch out producing a large quantity of seedlings which can be detached from the mother plant to generate new seedlings.
About 170 species belong to the genus Echeveria, including:
– Echeveria agavoides – with very stiff and fleshy leaf rosettes, pointed at the apex which takes on a reddish color. The flowers have a red color edged with yellow;
– Echeveria coccinea – is a branched plant with a rosette at the apex of the branches composed of thin and slightly potted leaves, its flowers are red with a yellow margin;
– Echeveria derenbergii – characterized by rosettes with short leaves edged with red; this plant forms little bushes and is very suitable for growing in pots. The flowers are orange;
– Echeveria elegans – has concave leaves and covered with a whitish patina that serves as a protection, the flowers are coral-pink;
– Echeveria pubescens – plant with green rosettes covered with a light silver hair, the flowers are red or orange.
In this card we will see how to cultivate Echeveria both in pots and in the ground following the pedological and climatic needs of this kind of plants.
For cultivation Echeveria need very porous substrates composed of fertilized earth mixed with very coarse sand and a part of coal dust; in this way a very draining and at the same time fertile substrate is obtained.
These plants must be grown in areas with good lighting and, for many species in full sun. For some species, pay attention to the winter temperatures that can damage the tissues of these plants and therefore should never fall below 4 ° C.
In any case, one of the reasons why Echeveria is appreciated, as well as for the colored outside, is the ease with which it can be cultivated. Moreover, as mentioned, it is possible to cultivate both in pots and in planters, almost always, without differences in results, but also in the open ground.
Furthermore Echeveria adapts to many soils and is suitable for rocky ones.
As far as water is concerned, it should be remembered that watering must be regular during the summer while in winter these will be completely suspended or reduced if the temperature is kept above 4 ° C.
In the management of plants it must be taken into account that the stems in the winter period tend to lengthen so that in the spring period they must be cut to allow the plant a new luxuriance. The multiplication can happen very easily by cuttings, but also by seed. The seeds planted in the spring in light soil should be kept at a temperature of 21 ° C.
The flowering of these plants starts from spring onwards, sometimes even in the height of summer, they are on top of long stems and have a bell-shaped shape. They are odorless and can be, as mentioned, yellow or orange, or even pink or red, single or in clusters.