Echeveria succulents are an attractive, compact plant that has long been loved by gardeners. They are relatively easy to care for and is a good starter plant for beginners.
Echeveria succulent care guide helps to ensure you know the ideal growing conditions for this stunning succulent. For example, echeveria succulents thrive in warm temperatures between 60 and 90 degrees with a humidity level of about 40 to 50 percent.
In the echeveria succulent care guide, you will also learn what regions this plant is hardy in and what temperatures it can tolerate. It also provides you with the lighting, watering, and soil requirements for the succulent, as well as what diseases it is susceptible to and whether or not it is toxic to you and your pets.
It will also discuss how to propagate the succulent so that you increase the amount of plants you are growing, and also look into fertilization and whether or not this plant requires feeding.
An echeveria succulent care guide also provides you with all the information to ensure you have the best chance of success growing this succulent.
Other Names Of Echeveria Succulent
Echeveria are a rather large genus of succulents with about 150 different species. So it is only natural that they would go by other names besides echeveria.
Echeveria succulents are most commonly known as hen-and-chicks. This is because the manner in which new offsets develop around the parent plant makes it appear like chicks clustered around the mother hen.
Frost Tolerance And USDA Hardiness Zones Of Echeveria Succulent
Not all plants can tolerate cold temperatures and frost, and when you try to grow a plant in a cold climate that cannot handle these conditions, it will quickly decline and even die.
The actual USDA hardiness zones for Echeverias can vary slightly from one variety to another, but none of them are frost hardy. In most cases, Echeveria succulents are hardy in zones 9 to 12, and cannot handle temperatures below 40 degrees.
Echeveria store water in their leaves, and when the temperatures start to drop, the water can freeze, causing the plant to rot.
How Many Hours Of Sunlight Does Echeveria Succulent Need?
The amount of sunlight a plant needs varies from one type to the next. Trying to grow the echeveria in the wrong type of lighting can severely damage the plant’s foliage.
Echeveria succulents need at least six hours of sunlight every day. If these plants don’t get the proper amount of sun, they can start to stretch out, losing their desirable compact form. Additionally, not enough sun will cause the foliage to discolor and its growth to slow down.
Echeveria Succulent Needs Direct Or Indirect Sunlight?
While the amount of light the plant gets is important, you cannot overlook the type of light it needs. Direct sunlight is often much harsher and can often burn sensitive plants, while indirect light may not provide the plant with that abundance of sun that it needs. Let’s take a look at which the echeveria succulent needs.
The echeveria succulent needs indirect sunlight for the best results. Direct sun is too harsh for this plant, and can burn and scorch the foliage of the echeveria succulent. On the other hand, not giving the plant enough light can also have negative consequences.
Is Echeveria Succulent An Indoor Plant, Outdoor Plant Or Both?
Most plants are either an indoor or outdoor plant, and some plants can even grow both indoors and out.
Echeveria succulent is generally grown indoors since it isn’t cold or frost hardy. You can, however, bring the plant outside during the warm summer months. Just make sure to bring the succulent back inside when the temperatures start to fall.
If you live in USDA hardiness zones 9 to 12, you can grow the echeveria succulent outdoors year round.
What Are The Indoor Lighting Requirements?
Echeveria succulents are not too fussy, but they do need the proper type of lighting for healthy, strong growth.
If growing the echeveria succulent indoors, you will need to position the plant near a sunny window. South-facing windows typically do the best. Additionally, the echeveria succulent will need to be kept out of direct sunlight and receive at least 6 hours of light every day.
What Are The Outdoor Lighting Requirements?
The outdoor lighting requirements for the echeveria succulent is not hard to achieve. Just make sure to protect the plant from the harsh rays of the sun.
When planting outdoors, select a spot where the echeveria succulent will receive bright light while also being shaded from the harsh rays of the sun. A location that gets dappled light typically works best for this succulent.
What Soil Requirements Does Echeveria Succulent Need?
Succulents are particular about their soil, especially when you consider how prone they are to overwatering.
As with most other succulents, the echeveria succulent needs soil that drains well. The ideal growing medium for the echeveria succulent is sandy soil that is just a little acidic. There are commercially available succulent potting mixes that work well for this plant.
Alternatively, you can make your own by mixing equal parts potting soil, peat moss, perlite, and orchard bark.
How Much Water Does Echeveria Succulent Need?
It can be difficult to determine how much water an echeveria succulent needs, especially since they can tolerate drought conditions.
The amount of water your echeveria succulent needs varies on a wide array of factors. Thankfully, you can easily tell whether or not the plant needs watered by simply feeling the top two inches of soil and only water when it feels dry.
Is My Echeveria Succulent Overwatered, What Are The Symptoms?
Overwatering is a serious problem that can quickly kill echeveria succulents. Additionally, overwatering can lead to root rot, which there is no cure for.
The most common symptoms of an overwatered echeveria succulent are mushy leaves, leaf drop, discolored leaves, weak and limp stems, soil that is moldy with an unpleasant musty odor, and stunted growth. Another sign that your succulent is overwatered is that the soil will be extremely moist or soggy.
When root rot occurs, the chances of your plant surviving are rather slim. You can try to save the plant by removing it from its pot, getting rid of all the soil, including the soil from around its roots, removing dead, damaged, and rotted roots, and then reporting the plant in a container with fresh soil.
Is My Echeveria Succulent Underwatered, What Are The Symptoms?
Most succulents, such as the echeveria, can handle drought-like conditions, but that doesn’t mean they still cannot be underwatered.
The most common signs that you are underwatering your echeveria succulent are wrinkly or shriveled leaves, discolored foliage, poor growth and extremely dry soil that pulls away from the pot. The plant will need to be soaked for about 20 minutes to fix the issue.
The good news is that the echeveria succulent typically bounces back after implementing proper watering techniques.
How Much Fertilizer Does Echeveria Succulent Need? What Kind?
Echeveria succulents are not heavier feeders, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t feed the plant every now and again.
Fertilize the echeveria succulent once a month during its growing season with a 15-15-15 liquid fertilizer diluted by half its strength. Alternatively, you can water the plant every month with diluted fish emulsion or manure compost tea.
To help prevent damage to you and your echeveria succulent, make sure to read and follow all the application instructions and warnings printed on the fertilizer label. Furthermore, you should stop feeding the succulent in the fall and winter months when it goes into its dormant period.
Avoid over fertilizing the echeveria succulent as this can cause serious health problems for your plant. If you have over fertilized, you will need to flush the excess nutrients out of the soil. This is done by placing the plant in a tub or sink and then running water into the pot for several minutes. This process, which is known as leaching, may have to be completed several times before all the excess fertilizer has been flushed out of the soil.
We at Plants To Trees first published this article on November 8, 2022. Copyright protected.
Echeveria Succulent Diseases To Be Aware Of
Echeveria succulents are not immune to diseases, but knowing which ones can infect the plant, as well as what to look out for, can help you prevent the problem from becoming a serious one.
The most common diseases that affect echeveria are fungal diseases, such as root rot and leaf spot. These diseases are caused by a fungal pathogen and are associated with incorrect watering. You can prevent these fungal diseases by not overwatering the succulent and using soil that drains well.
Additionally, only water the echeveria succulent at the base of the plant and not over head. Watering above the plant can cause soil to splash up on the leaves, which can spread spores or pathogens that cause fungal and bacterial diseases.
Are There Different Types Of Echeveria Succulent?
There are several different types of echeveria succulents available, and each type differs at least a little from the original plant. Let’s take a look at the different types of echeveria succulents available.
Echeveria is a diverse genus of succulents, boasting 150 different species and over 1,000 cultivars. Painted echeveria is one of the more unusually-looking types of echeverias with its green leaves adorned with red vertical stripes.
The Topsy Turvy echeveria is another unquiet-looking echeveria, producing blueish-green leaves that are shaped like a spoon and roll downward.
No matter which variety of echeveria succulent you choose, they all have pretty much the same care requirements.
How To Propagate Echeveria Succulent
Succulents are typically considered one of the easier plants to propagate, and echeveria is no different. Keep reading to learn how to quickly propagate this succulent.
Echeveria succulents are propagated by cutting a piece of the leaf from the parent plant. Plant the leaf cutting, cut side down, into well-draining soil and then water thoroughly. Set the cutting in an area where it will receive bright, indirect light and then care for it as you normally would.
It can take several weeks and even a few months before roots start to form. Dipping the cutting in rooting hormone before planting can help speed up the rooting process.
The article owner is Plants To Trees dot Com and this article was first published on November 8, 2022.
Is Echeveria Succulent Toxic To Humans?
Even if you don’t plan on ingesting any part of the echeveria succulent, it is still a good idea to familiarize yourself with its toxicity level, as well whether or not this succulent is toxic to humans.
Echeveria is not considered toxic to humans. In fact, out of the 150 species in this genus, none of them pose a risk to humans. With that said, however, you should go nibbling on the echeveria since it will damage the plant.
Is Echeveria Succulent Toxic To Dogs?
While cats are often thought of as the curious ones, dogs can be just as nosey and mischievous as their feline counterparts. And houseplants are often their target of investigation. That is why it is important to know if a plant is toxic to dogs before deciding to grow it indoors.
Echeveria succulents are not toxic to dogs and are safe to have in homes with canines. Even though these succulents don’t pose a serious risk, they can still cause your dog to experience gastrointestinal distress if they ingest them.
Is Echeveria Succulent Toxic To Cats?
Cat parents around the world are starting to learn just how dangerous some of the most common houseplants can be to their cats. Because of the chance of serious health complications, it’s always best to research whether or not it has a possibility of harming your kitty.
Not only is echeveria succulents not toxic to cats, but they are often included on lists detailing safe houseplants for cats. With that said, however, you should still not allow your cat to bother the plant since it can damage the succulent and could potentially cause them to have an upset stomach.
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PlantsToTrees.com is the owner of this article and we first published this on November 8, 2022.