They are a small clumping plant with leaves growing in a rosette surrounded by baby plants, known as offsets. Over the years, many hybrids have been developed, giving an enormous range of colours and leaf shapes.

Echeveria are shallow rooted and require very well drained, open soils.
If your soil is heavy clay, build a rockery and back fill it with a sandy soil. Echeveria will fill the spaces between the rocks like water flowing down the hill. Play around with different colours and forms to create patterns in the garden.

Pots are best for areas with high summer humidity. They don’t need a deep pot, more a broad shallow ceramic or concrete pot. They can also look great around the rim of a pot containing another plant as long as the watering regime of the two plants is about the same.

Keep fertilizing to the minimum. Too much nutrient will cause the plant to put on masses of weak, luscious growth at the expense of colour and form. Use a small quantity of an organic pelletized fertilizer or a slow release (6-9 month) fertilizer when re-potting. This should be adequate for a full year’s growth.

While the flowers are attractive, the development of a flowering stalk on some of the larger hybrids will draw the plants energy away form the rosette. Remove this stalk as it develops to maintain a compact healthy plant.

Propagation can be through several methods. Viable seeds are produced by most of the plants. This is a slow method with unknown results that is, however, preferred by breeders looking for new hybrids.

Striking of new plants by removing the offsets from the mother plant is the fastest and surest way the home gardener can obtain new plants. Allow the offset to dry for a few days before potting.

If larger quantities are required, leaf and stem sections can be used. Sections of the flowering stalks with leaves propagate more readily than leaves from the main rosette. Once again allow the cut section to dry out or heal for a few days then place lightly in a striking mix. I prefer to mix about equal quantities of course river sand with general potting mix for this stage. Place the pot or tray of cuttings in bright but not direct sunlight. Do not water until the first roots develop.

These plants are not frost hardy, but they are extremely drought tolerant. During last year’s dry winter and spring, many specimens received no water for close to 6 months. The plants reduced in size and then flourished as soon as the rain started up.

Mealy bugs are the biggest insect threat for Echeveria. They are more of a problem on potted plants grown in doors or in well protected conditions. You can remove small infestations by hand but bigger infestations will need to be treated with a systemic pesticide or by changing the growing conditions of the plant. Avoid oil sprays as they can damage the leaf.

Echeveria are great, easy care plants for beginner gardeners. Kids love the shape and colours available, while learning propagation techniques.