Plants & Flowers
Published
May 4, 2023
Author
The Searles Gardening Team
An easy to grow plant for the rockery, hanging basket, pots, or garden. Echeveria generally is a ground cover perennial succulent, that flower every year. Often the most prominent feature of the Echeveria is the fabulous leaf colours, which in some varieties change colour in winter to become more pronounced. In summer they form dainty bell-shaped flower held high above the plant on slender stems in pinks, yellows, orange, and red.
There are over one hundred and fifty different types of Echeverias, with leaf colours ranging from chocolate brown to powdery silver in a compact rosette. For the best leaf colour, plant them in full sun. If grown exclusively in the shade their leaves often revert to green.
Being in the succulent family, Echeveria are not fond of being over watered, it is the main cause of the plant rotting and perishing. Originally a semi desert plant, they are a very water wise plant and only ask for well-draining soil and succulent friendly fertiliser. Searles Cacti and Succulent Specialty Mix can be used for ground or pot plantings. Blended from high grade ingredients, this unique formulation is specifically formulated to achieve a heavy mixture with an open texture to enable free drainage and circulation of air, plus feeding plants for up to 12 months.
Only a few pests to be wary of, mealybug being the most common of these. Treat the plant when you see the white fluffy, cotton like substance under the leaves with a spray of Searles Conguard. Apply three applications, two weeks apart, to kill adult mealybug and their offspring. Apply an instant release fertiliser, Searles Flourish Cacti & Succulent to regain their vigour when you treat the pests.
Echeveria, as with many succulents are incredibly easy to propagate from leaves and cuttings. They can spread readily in pots and gardens and carpet the soil to decrease weeds and cascade down pots and baskets. When in flower they are visited by bees and butterflies and make stunning mixed hanging baskets. The voluptuous leaves, in perfectly formed rosettes, in an array of colours, sit perfectly together. Echeverias are a plant who likes to be left alone and not demanding, yet striking. A worthy addition to the garden.
