10 Interesting Facts about Genus Echevaria

If you are planning to start a succulent garden and are looking for the most interesting succulents, Echevaria should perhaps be your first choice. Succulents have nowadays become go-to houseplants, probably because of their ability to survive in adverse conditions and low-maintenance requirements.

Plants in the genus Echevaria look beautiful because of their amazing growth habit of forming rosettes of varying shapes and a wide range of colors including pink, blue and purple, stunning vibrant edges, and low maintenance requirements. Their leaves are plump and have a layer of tiny hair or waxy powder on their surface. You can grow Echevaria plants indoors as well as outdoors.

Let us take you on a tour of the world of Echevaria where you can know about 10 interesting facts about this genus.

Description of Genus Echevaria: Characteristics

Echevaria is native to semi-desert regions of Mexico, Central America and northwestern South America in high elevation areas where the soil is rocky, climate is dry and sunny, but only mildly hot.

It is a very large genus containing around 150 species and belongs to the family Crassulaceae which also contains other large genera like Sempervivum (the genus of the famous Hens and Chicks), Aeonium, Kalanchoe, Crassula and Sedum with which Echevaria shows close resemblance.

Echevaria plants have usually neat and compact growth habit and hence they are popularly grown in containers in which they usually spill over the edges and look very attractive. The USDA Hardiness Zones for Echevaria plants are 9 to 11.

Interesting facts

Who is Genus Echevaria Named After?

Atanasio Echeverria y Godoy was a Mexican botanical artist and explorer, after whom Genus Echevaria was named. His contribution to the field of botany in the 18th and 19th centuries is remarkable.

Fastest Growing Succulents

Echevaria is one of the fastest growing succulents. The plants in this genus grow up to 6 to 8 inches from just 2 inches in only 12 months.

Plump Leaves Change Color

The extremely attractive rosette-like growing pattern of Echevaria leaves is a major reason for the high popularity of this genus. Leaves are plump and characteristically round, oval or even lance-shaped. But they can even be flat or club-like, round or narrow, and their ends can be ruffled or pointed.

They come in an array of colors like purple, blue-gray and pink or even red, silver and sometimes even black. Even the edges of some plants have very eye-catching colors. For protecting them from the harsh sun in their natural habitat, the leaves are covered with tiny hair or powdery wax.

A wonderful fact about Echevaria leaves is that they change color as per the changes in light conditions. When the sunlight is intense enough, leaves of some species turn deep red or purple to protect themselves from UV radiation.

Attractive Growth Habit

As mentioned earlier, Echevaria plants have a neat, symmetrical and compact growth habit. They can grow either singly or in groups. Some plants produce offsets or “pups” around their base because of which they soon look full and very ornamental in pots. This too makes these plants highly popular.

Beautiful Flowers on Tall Stalks

You might be excited to know that most Echevaria plants flower, usually in spring and summer, although this may differ in some species, and flowers are very attractive, generally star- or bell-shaped, and standing on long, arching stalks. They come in an array of amazing colors such as pink, orange, red, yellow and white, and are another prime reason for the popularity of the genus.

Tremendous Variety in Shapes

As with their flower colors and leaf colors, Echevaria plants show a tremendous variety in their shapes too. When seen from above, they can look like roses, lettuce heads or an underwater coral!

So As in Sizes

Echevaria plants vary even in sizes. Sizes differ depending on species, but overall, the plants can grow up to 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20cm) tall and 4 to 12 inches (10 to 30cm) across. But some species can grow even 12 inches wide, while there are even some smaller species, like the pearl echeveria, also known as Mexican snowball (E. elegans), the wax rosette (E. xgilva) or plush plant (E. pulvinata) which are dwarf.

Ethereal Glow

Most Echevaria plants show another interesting quality – a neon pastel glow that makes them look almost otherworldly. This glow comes from the epicuticular wax (farina) coating, the same powdery wax coating on their leaves, stems and even flowers that protects them from the harsh sun.

You might have noticed this coating on some fruits too like plums, grapes and blueberries. It is made up of very minute crystals that are created on the plant’s cuticle and protects the plant not only from the harsh sun, but also from insect bites and diseases.

Plants with farina are called as “glaucous” which refers to the waxy film that you can corrode just with a touch. Glaucous is not the same as fuzzy, as you can’t rub off fuzz so easily.

You should remember that the farina is delicate and you should carefully handle Echevaria plants to avoid rubbing it off. Your skin oils can rub it off, and even some pesticides, particularly horticultural oil. Depending on the species, the plant can sometimes grow the farina again. However, it doesn’t often regain the original appeal. Hence, while moving or transplanting your Echevaria plant, be extremely careful.

Great Ease of Maintenance

Echevaria plants have another intriguing characteristic which makes them so popular and it’s the ease of their maintenance. These succulent babies don’t need too much attention or care. You just need to give them a fast-draining potting mix that should get dried up, up to a few inches of surface before your next thorough watering.

Obviously, your plant should be in a container with good drainage hole/s. If it doesn’t have them, keep a watch on whether the plant is looking thirsty, like a slight puckering of leaves, and if only you see it, water the plant.

The plant will also need plenty of bright, sometimes even direct light. But remember that it doesn’t like to be exposed to direct midday sun for prolonged periods which can cause leaf scorch. So, bright but indirect light is more preferable.

Simple Growing Requirements

Soil: Your Echevaria plant will need a porous, well-draining soil which should be slightly acidic with pH of around 6.0. As mentioned above, you can use a common potting soil or a potting mix specially designed for cacti and succulents. You can even make your own mix with two parts of coarse sand and one part perlite.

Pot: Your plant’s pot should be ten percent wider than its diameter, and a bit deeper than its root ball. The pot should essentially have good drainage holes.

Where will you place it?: Inside your home, place the plant in a location that receives bright, direct light, e.g. a south- or east-facing window. You can even supplement with artificial lights. Out in the garden, plant it in an area where it can get at least 4 to 6 hours of direct sunlight.

Temperature and Humidity: Echevaria loves hot, arid conditions. Cold climate can damage the plant. So also, excessive humidity is harmful as it can cause root rot.

Average indoor conditions can often be enough, while in the outdoors, it can tolerate temperatures from 35 to 95-degree F. ideally, it should be 65 to 80-degree F in spring and summer, and a little cooler in winter.

Watering: Echevaria plants are extremely drought tolerant and love dry conditions. Only when you see the soil completely dried out, water your Echevaria.

Avoid wetting leaves and never overwater. But water weekly or once in two weeks depending on temperature and soil conditions during summer. Hold on watering during winter as growth is slow then.

Repotting: Echevaria plants don’t need frequent repotting. Only when the plant outgrows its current pot, repot it in a slightly larger pot. Spring being its active growth season, you should repot it during spring.

To repot, gently remove your plant from its pot and gently brush away old dirt for healthy root growth in the new soil. Also remove any dead or rotten root. Before repotting, make sure, the new soil is dry. After repotting, don’t water the plant for minimum one week.

Food: Echevaria plants are not particularly foodies, but they appreciate a bit of fertilizer frequently during the growing season. A food specially formulated for cacti and succulents is preferable. Read and follow the directions well.

A general plant fertilizer may also do, but make sure you dilute it by half or a quarter. Then once the fall steps in, stop feeding your plant.

Winter Care: Echevaria succulents don’t need a lot of winter care. You should just reduce watering and provide some protection from frost. While growing indoors, make sure you never place them near heating vents or drafts.

Great Versatility

Another interesting fact about Echevaria plants is that they can be used and displayed in many corners of your home, whether it’s indoors in container gardens, dish gardens, living walls, green roofs or succulent gardens, or outdoors in rock gardens.

Larger Echevaria plants like red echeveria (E. coccinea), E. gibbiflora and copper roses (E. multicaulis) are very commonly seen in Mexican and Southwestern American gardens. Echevaria plants are also used in traditional medicines and also make amazing wedding favors.

Yes! They have medicinal properties and can treat a range of ailments including skin conditions, digestive problems and inflammation. However, it should be noted that there is no enough scientific research available regarding this.

Safe from Deer and Rabbit

Is your area frequented by deer and rabbit and so, are you worried that these animals will consume your lovely Echevaria plants? Don’t worry! Deer and rabbit don’t favor Echevaria plants and so, they are safe in your garden.

Not Invasive

The good news is that Echevaria plants are considered non-invasive. These plants are slow-growing and remain fairly compact. Plus, you can easily control them.

Extremely Easy Propagation

Echevaria plants are not at all hard to propagate as they effortlessly produce pups or offsets, which you can separate from the parent plant and plant them elsewhere to get an expansive collection without an additional cost. Echevaria plants can even be easily propagated from seeds and cuttings.

Major Species

Echevaria Blue Wave: This extremely beautiful Echevaria succulent is named so because of its bluish or pinkish blush along its leaves’ wavy edges. It’s a popular choice of Echevaria lovers as it grows relatively quickly and attains around 30cm width. You can see the best pink shade when it’s positioned in part sun.

The color deepens to almost red in winter. Echevaria Blue Wave is a very easy-to-grow succulent and hence is perfect for beginners and children’s projects. It requires very little care.

It’s also long-lived and will cheer you up for many years to come. Requirements are almost the same as other Echevaria plants like well-draining soil, bright indirect light and watering when the soil is completely dry.

Echevaria prolifica: As the name suggests, this Echevaria species is outstandingly prolific and evergreen and is known as Prolific Echevaria. Its leaves are plump and pale silvery green in color, and have very attractive pink edges and pointed tips.

The compact clusters of bright golden yellow flowers appear in spring on 6-10 inches (15-20cm) long stalks and make this Echevaria still more beautiful. This Echevarria too is ideal for beginners and children as it offsets readily and quickly forms great ground cover or fill out containers. It needs very little care and can be turned into eye-catching floral arrangements and container gardens.

Echevaria gibbiflora: This Echevaria species is famous for being the largest of all Echevaria species and is one of the parent plants of most of the large, cabbage-head echeveria hybrids. Today this species comes in the form of so many hybrids that it’s hard to correctly recognize them all or trace back their origins.

They also highly vary in size, shape, color and form based on their parentage. Some prominent Echevaria gibbiflora hybrids are E. imbricata (the earliest known), E. ‘Perle von Numberg’ (is considered one of the most beautiful echeveria hybrids), E. Mauna Loa, Frank Reinelt, Dick Wright, Harry Butterfield, and more.

Echevaria lola: E. lola is known for its stunning rosette-shaped foliage, that makes it a highly desirable indoor succulent. If rightly grown, it produces spikes of cheery pink blooms that dangle delicately over the leaves. This plant grows 4 inches (10cm) tall and 6 inches (15cm) wide.

Echevaria purpusorum: Commonly known as Urbinia, E. purpusorum is considered as one of the most attractive and colorful echeverias. It’s known for its speckled leaves. It’s a slow-growing species growing up to 6 inches (15 cm) in height and width. Its flowers are reddish-orange and make the plant a great show-stopper.

Echevaria hortencia: This exceptionally beautiful Echevaria is deep burgundy/purple in color. It grows quite large and blooms almost all year around if allowed. Its leaves are large, thick, round and somewhat ruffled, and can be around 12 inches wide. They are quite hardy too.

Echevaria minima: Perhaps the smallest in echeverias, Echevaria minima grows up to 4 inches wide. This Mexican species has glaucous leaves with bright red tips that become most prominent in winter. It’s an extremely cold-hardy species and also tolerates high heat in summer.

Echevaria Rainbow: This is a horticultural cultivar and doesn’t occur in nature. It’s a rare, highly sought after variegated form of Echevaria ‘Perle Von Numberg’. It has a bright pink center that turns cream to blue-green in the lower leaves. Its colors can change from season to season.

You should remember that the variegation is not stable in this cultivar and it’s not guaranteed that it will last in the new growth. But it’s an easily growing succulent. It needs a well-draining potting medium and full morning sun to partial shade. It grows well in 40% shade cloth. Remember not to leave water in rosettes for too long as it can lead to rot and fungal growth. This plant is a summer grower.

Echevaria atropurpurea: Commonly known as chapetona, siempreviva and purple echeveria (atropurpurea means dark purple), Echevaria atropurpurea is a perennial succulent and endemic to Central Veracruz and the tropical deciduous forests of Mexico. It’s famous for being fast growing and having beautiful red to yellow flowers. It’s threatened by habitat loss at present.

It grows around 77cm tall and 7 to 21cm across. Its rosette of leaves can range from green to purple. It blooms from November to February and flowers are lovely pink to salmon orange to red/orange with a dark green base. It produces numerous brown seeds.

Echevaria lilacina: Commonly known as Ghost Echevaria or Mexican hens and chicks, Echevaria lilacina can grow up to 15 cm (6in) in height and has silvery-grey spoon shaped plump leaves in the form of symmetrical rosettes of 12-25cm (5-6.5in) of diameter. This drought-tolerant species is slow-growing and produces lovely pale pink or coral red flowers on small short arching racemes atop reddish stems of around 15 cm. it blooms from late winter to early spring.

Conclusion

Echevaria is a fabulous succulent genus that contains many beautiful species that are amazing in looks and have very attractive flowers. Most of these species are easy to grow and maintain too, and hence are ideal if you’re planning to start a succulent collection or if your child needs to do a school project. Also, most of these species can be grown indoors as well as outdoors. All in all, echeveria is a genus that is perfect if you want to create a green corner of your own in your house or yard.