Why people love it
If you picture “a succulent”, you’re probably picturing an echeveria. Echeveria elegans forms tight, symmetrical rosettes of powder-blue leaves with translucent edges. In strong sun and cool nights the tips flush pink. In spring it sends up arching stems of coral-and-yellow bell flowers.
Care in a nutshell
- Light is everything. Without enough sun, the rosette opens up and stretches toward the window. Bright, direct light keeps it compact.
- Water deeply, not often. Soak the soil until water runs out the drainage hole, then let it dry all the way.
- Keep water out of the rosette. Water the soil, not the plant. Water sitting in the center can cause rot, especially in cool weather.
- Don’t wipe the leaves. The chalky coating, called farina, is natural sunscreen. Once rubbed off, it doesn’t grow back on that leaf.
Watch out for
- Stretching (a tall, gappy stem): it needs more light. See stretching.
- Mushy, see-through leaves: too much water. See mushy leaves.
- Mealybugs hiding deep in the rosette. Look for white cottony fluff.
Fun fact: Echeveria is named after Atanasio Echeverría y Godoy, an 18th-century Mexican botanical artist.
