Everything you need to know about the Echeveria houseplant. Echeveria - how to grow Echeveria stone rose from seeds

Echeveria- one of the most beautiful and most amazing succulents belonging to the Crassulaceae family. Interestingly, this flower received its name in honor of Atanasio Echeverria Codoy, a Mexican artist who illustrated books about the flora of Mexico.

Homeland of the plant is Central and South America - Peru, Mexico. In nature, Echeveria prefers flat and mountainous areas, where the scorching sun shines in the summer and the winters are mild, warm, without significant frost.

Description of Echeveria and its features

Echeveria is often called "stone rose"- a plant whose diameter does not exceed 15 cm, has the shape of an original attractive rosette of thick, fleshy leaves collected in a spiral.

The leaves themselves, depending on the type of echeveria, can be either pale light green, almost whitish, or green, with a bright burgundy border, or completely burgundy.

But even with such a variety of shades, they are united one feature— the presence of a protective coating on the surface of the sheet. It may be a waxy coating of grayish-white color or a thin velvety fluff.

This protection protects the leaves of the plant from the scorching summer sun or from the winter cold. Under the influence of the sun plaque thickness increases slightly, giving the leaves a smoky bluish tint.

Succulent flowering most often occurs in the spring-summer period, but some varieties of echeveria can produce flowers in winter. The flowers are formed at the end of the peduncle, which, depending on the species, can reach a height of 90 cm. Flowering, which requires a lot of sun to maintain, is abundant and long-lasting.

Varieties of Echeveria

Currently, there are more than 150 species of “stone rose”, many of which were the result of the work of breeders who obtained new plant species through interspecific crossing. The most common types found in home floriculture are:

(Echeveria agavoides) - this plant forms stemless, star-shaped rosettes from its fleshy leaves. The variety is interesting for its yellow-pink flowers that appear on the succulent in the summer.

(Echeveria glauca) - distinguished by original foliage of a grayish-bluish hue with a pink frame around the edge.

(Echeveria elegans) is the most common decorative type of echeveria. It is a perennial herbaceous plant with a thick stem. The initially erect stem of the succulent becomes lodged with age and can take root. Numerous leaves are almost white, with translucent edges and a pointed top. This species produces orange-red flowers with a yellow tip, which are collected in racemes.

(Echeveria derenbergii) - this species is distinguished by many lateral leaf rosettes located on long creeping stems. Light green leaves with a bluish coating have a reddish edge. Flowering is long-lasting, with yellow-red flowers collected in a spike-shaped inflorescence.

(Echeveria gibbiflora) is a small bush with an erect, slightly branched tree-like stem, at the top of which there is a dense rosette with large leaves. The edges of the leaves are wavy, the apex is pointed. The flowers are light red, collected in a spike-shaped inflorescence. This type of echeveria is interesting due to its varietal diversity.

Echeveria"The Pearl of Nuremberg"(Echeveria “Perle von Nurnberg”) is a hybrid variety of humpbacked Echeveria with pinkish-gray leaves. Does not bloom at home.

(Echeveria laui) - has a loose, leafy rosette. Thanks to the abundant wax coating, which gives the plant a special decorative appearance, the leaves have a smoky gray tint.

Features of home care

Echeveria as typical representative of succulent plants, grows slowly, but lives long. In order for it to always please with its unusual appearance, it is necessary to bring the conditions of its maintenance as close as possible to natural ones, especially since caring for the plant is quite simple and not burdensome.

Lighting and choosing a place for a plant

Good lighting is one of the main conditions for normal growth of stone rose. The pot should be placed on sunny windowsills, and the windows can be oriented to any side of the world, with the exception of the north.

Echeveria is not afraid direct sunlight, which means it does not need shading.

In summer, it is advisable to take the pot with a stone rose out into the fresh air - a balcony or veranda, not forgetting to protect the plant from rain.

Temperature

In the summer, echeveria will feel comfortable at a temperature of +18 - 25 degrees. Winter for many species of this plant is rest period, so it is quite enough to provide +10-15 degrees in the room. But this does not apply to species that bloom in winter; they should always remain in a well-lit, warm place.

Watering and fertilizing

Watering a succulent necessary regularly, but not abundantly, it is better to wait until the top layer of soil in the flowerpot dries about 3 cm deep. In winter, watering is reduced to a minimum, watering approximately once a month, especially if the room is not very hot.

For watering You need settled water at room temperature. It is important to ensure that when watering, water does not get into the plant’s outlets, otherwise rotting may begin. Like other succulents, echeveria prefers air with low humidity, so spraying the “rose” and giving it a shower is not recommended.

Starting in early spring, stone rose needs feeding.

In winter, the plant is not fed.

Echeveria transplant

Young specimens are replanted annually, in the spring, adults - only as needed. Doing so need to be very careful, since the plant is easily damaged.

For landing best fit flat wide containers with a well-equipped drainage system. A drainage layer of clay shards, expanded clay or pebbles should occupy about 1/3 of the pot.

Stone rose prefers a neutral, low-nutrient loose substrate, which can be based on a ready-made specialized mixture for succulents. It is necessary to add coarse river sand, fine crushed stone or brick chips and crushed charcoal to prevent the occurrence of root rot.

Reproduction

Echeveria reproduces quite easily. To get a new instance, use:

• leaf cuttings;
• apical rosettes;
• seeds.

Reproduction techniques the cuttings and apical rosettes are very similar. The material cut from the mother plant is slightly dried, and it is recommended to treat it with charcoal. After 8-10 hours, the cuttings or rosettes are planted in a suitable light substrate for rooting.

If propagation is successful, rooting occurs within a week, however, not all types of echeveria are easily propagated by leaves, so more reliable option is the use of daughter sockets.

Propagation by seeds- a more labor-intensive process and is not used as often. To do this, at the beginning of March, seeds are sown in the prepared soil, and the entire container is covered with a transparent film or glass.

The necessary conditions for seed germination - frequent spraying of the substrate and maintaining the temperature under the film at 21-23 degrees. The first shoots will appear in two weeks. Slightly grown seedlings are planted in small containers with a special substrate of sand and leaf soil.

When the plant reaches a diameter of 3-4 cm, it is transplanted into a permanent pot. with "adult" soil.

Diseases and pests

Echeveria, thanks to its reliable wax or fleecy protection, is extremely rarely damaged. Sometimes brown spots appear, indicating.

The biggest troubles that may arise, are associated with improper care of the plant. Thus, due to excessive watering or an imperfect drainage system, the development of gray rot, a sign of which is softening and easy separation of the leaves from the stem.

If the leaves are wrinkled and the rosette of the plant seems to be compressed towards the middle, Echeveria needs urgent watering.

About the history, types and features of caring for echeveria (stone rose) at home, watch the video:

Echeveria is very decorative and looks great in combination with other succulents, especially if a stone is added to the composition. This plant is a great option for room decoration or to create a botanical garden or alpine slide.

Growing succulents has become a fashionable hobby of the time. These plants belong to the Tolstyankov species, and the most famous representative is the cactus, a long-time resident of apartments. Echeveria is better known as "stone flower". The variety of shapes and colors of this type of plant made it a desirable inhabitant of window sills and greenhouses.

Description of Echeveria

The plant's habitat is the rocky plateaus of Mexico and South America. Its huge leaves in natural conditions become a source of moisture for the natives. The plant received its name in the classification in honor of the artist, illustrator of books on the animal and plant world of Mexico A. Egeveria.

In nature, the plants are stunted or have short stems. At home, depending on the lighting, you can grow a long trunk and various shapes. The leaf, 3 to 15 cm wide and 25 cm long, stores large reserves of water and, like all succulents, can go without watering for a long time. Echeveria leaves are adapted to both heat and cold. They are covered with a waxy coating and become bluish-white in summer, reflecting the sun's rays. The leaves withstand slight cold snaps due to the fleecy blanket on top, which becomes thicker in winter.

This type of succulent blooms at any time of the year, but more often in spring and summer, since during flowering it needs maximum lighting. There are more than 150 varieties of indoor plants, and most often only a few are bred, due to the availability of propagation.

Among them are:

1. almost without a stem with a collected rosette of leaves of different shades, pointed at the tips. Blooms in late spring.
2. Echeveria Derenberga has creeping shoots, and rosettes of leaves are collected in cones reminiscent of spruce. The fleshy leaves are spade-shaped and up to 4 cm long.
3. Echeveria graceful has no stem, the leaf looks like a spoon, only the shape is back ovoid.
4. Echeveria bristles I is one of the most common varieties for home breeding. It has longer leaves and blooms profusely, throwing out a 30-centimeter peduncle.
5. Echeveria cushion-shaped I represent a low shrub, with leaves densely pubescent with white hair.

Any bush of this plant becomes a welcome acquisition for lovers of stone flowers.

Echeveria care at home

In order for the plant to develop well at home, it is necessary to fulfill the maintenance requirements close to the living conditions:

• illumination;
• temperature in winter and summer;
• fertilizers;
• soil composition;

In addition, you should know the main signs and diseases of plants. An important feature is the development of the root system and methods of propagation of this type of succulent.

One of the main conditions for the well-being of a plant is lighting. Echeveria is not afraid of sunlight and can be placed on all windows except northern ones without shading. If there is insufficient lighting, you may not wait for flowering. Even during the dormant period, not all varieties need shading. In summer, plants will be happy to be in the fresh air, on an open veranda or balcony. In any case, there should be an umbrella over the place where the succulents grow to protect the leaves from unexpected clouds. When water gets in, the leaves lose their decorative effect.

The most difficult thing about keeping echeveria at home is to ensure the temperature regime. If in summer 22-27 0 it is not difficult to create, in winter in indoor conditions it is difficult to find a bright place with 6-8 0. At higher temperatures, the stem stretches. If this is not critical for the owner of the succulent, then the guest tolerates a temperature of 18 degrees well.

Watering is important in caring for echeveria at home. In this case, it is better to dry out the plant than to give it excess water. If there is a lack of water, the leaves will wrinkle and then fill up again. When overwatered, the plate will soften and rotting may begin. In summer, watering is moderate, the soil should dry out by 2/3 in height, and the leaves will wilt slightly. When watering, you should avoid letting water droplets fall on the plants. Most often, bottom watering is used, through drainage holes. In winter, watering is reduced by half, watering a little depending on the condition of the plants. Excessive moisture will lead to the death of the succulent.

The composition of the soil should be as close as possible to natural. The soil is thin, with a predominance of sand and stone chips, acidic from the peat substrate. You can buy ready-made soil for cacti and add the ingredients:

• coarse sand;
• crushed charcoal;
• brick chips;
• vermiculite

You can make an acidic composition yourself by mixing top and bottom leaf humus, and add a little vermicompost for nutritional value. After disinfecting homemade or purchased soil, add the listed fillers to it.

The dishes for caring for echeveria are wide and flat, in which the roots are located horizontally. The composition of the soil is such that young growing specimens need frequent replanting. An adult plant is moved to a new bowl as needed. In any case, they try not to injure the bush when replanting. During the warm season, adult plants are fed once a month with special liquid fertilizers for succulents.

The dry air of an apartment heated in winter by radiators with hot water is favorable for the plant. No spraying or moisturizing is required when caring for echeveria at home.

Echeveria propagation

The plant propagates by seeds, leaf blades or the upper parts of the rosette. Seed propagation is used by breeders to obtain new decorative properties. In practice, echeveria is propagated vegetatively.

The taken leaf is dried for several hours and then deepened. Rooting occurs within a few days, new mini plants will be created, which will subsequently bloom in 2-4 years. If propagated by an apical rosette, flowering can be obtained in the same year.

Bloom

Different varieties of echeveria bloom in their own season. You can assemble a collection so that flowering becomes continuous. The main condition is the intensity of the light flux. Therefore, experienced flower growers often organize. The flower emerges from the axils of the leaves and is naked and leafy. Sometimes it hovers above the plant at a height, in other cases it clings to the bush. The flowers are pollinated well, and the resulting box contains viable seeds.

Benefits of the plant

Creating a garden of succulents on your window has a beneficial effect on the room. The air is enriched with oxygen and ozone, humidity increases, and clothing sparks less. In general, the living inhabitants of the windowsill evoke positive emotions.

Echeveria is perhaps the best option for home growing if the conditions are such that there is little space but plenty of sunlight. Plant several species in one wide flat pot or florarium - and they will create an attractive composition that will decorate a minimalist interior and will not require complex care.

Stone Flower

In the century before last, the book “Flora of Mexico” was published, illustrations for which were made by the artist Anastasio Echcheverria. And among the other flowers, this one stood out - it looked like a stone rose. In modern books on botany it is now named after the artist - echeveria (echeveria).

Echeveria belongs to the genus of succulents of the Crassulaceae family. Its dense leaves are collected in a low rosette from 5 to 30 cm in diameter. In nature, there are about 200 species of this plant; the main difference from each other is the shape of the leaves and their covering.

The leaves in the rosette can be either flat or convex, with a waxy coating or fluff that protects from the sun and frost. In addition, species of echeveria with purple leaf color are quite common.

Since the homeland of the plant is Mexico with its bright sunny days, almost all wild species are short with a short stem. In an apartment without a suitable light regime, echeveria can stretch out and lose its decorative effect.

Very often, Echeveria is confused with a similar related plant, Juvenile, whose homeland is Europe, the Caucasus and Asia. It is also called stone rose. Outwardly, it can indeed be difficult to distinguish them, but juveniles are much more frost-resistant and can be grown outdoors, unlike echeveria, which dies at temperatures below 6 degrees. Also, juveniles, compared to echeveria, have practically no stem.

Types of Echeveria and their main differences

Among the miniature species (up to 10 cm), the following common varieties can be distinguished:

• Echeveria graceful - a light green rosette of leaves and a peduncle of the same color with red-yellow flowers.
• Echeveria Derenberga - blooms with beautiful orange flowers, and its leaves attract attention with their red edging.
• Echeveria bristlecone is a miniature plant whose leaves are covered with white bristles.

Among the high ones, the most common are:

• Echeveria crimson - distinguished by a strong stem, at the top of which there is a rosette of pubescent leaves, blooms with red flowers with yellow edges.
• Echeveria humpback flower - the stem is very strong and can grow up to 65 cm in height.

The most frost-resistant is Echeveria glaucosa.

In addition to these species, nature and man have created other beautiful forms of echeveria.

Photo gallery: Elegant Echeveria and other popular varieties

In adulthood, Echeveria humpback flower grows up to 65 cm in height. Echeveria crimson is distinguished by its large size and two-color leaves Echeveria bristlecone - a cute rosette of leaves with white fluff Echeveria Derenberg leaves have red edges. Echeveria Runyon's leaves have intricately curved leaves. Echeveria graceful is also called elegans Echeveria blue will withstand even light frosts

Home growing conditions - table

Planting after purchase and replanting

When purchasing a plant, choose healthy bushes, with a compact rosette, without signs of elongation or the presence of diseases. Since sellers grow the majority of plants in peat mixtures, it is best to immediately transplant echeveria into loose and light soil for succulents after purchase.

The root system of echeveria is superficial, so there is no need for deep pots - it is better to take a wide flat container. There must be drainage holes and/or a drainage layer of pebbles, broken bricks or expanded clay at the bottom - at least 2 cm.

It is better to use light soil for cacti and succulents, or prepare it yourself from 3 parts turf soil, 1 part sand and 1 part fine expanded clay.

Be sure to disinfect the soil, for example, pour boiling water over it and cool.

Young plants are replanted every spring, using the same soil, and the pot is only 1–2 cm wider.

During transplantation, you can propagate the plant by cutting off the lateral daughter rosettes and mature leaf blades.

Florarium with a mix of echeveria, juveniles or other succulents

A composition of several miniature succulents in a florarium will look very beautiful. You can make it yourself or buy it ready-made. As part of the composition, you can use not only echeveria of different types, but also cacti, Kalanchoe, crassula, and young.

Operating procedure:

1. Disinfect the glass container with alcohol.

   If the container and soil are not disinfected, the plants will be at risk of fungal infections, which develop very quickly in the limited space of the florarium.

2. Place a layer of fine drainage on the bottom (a quarter of the height of the container), then the same layer of soil, compact it a little.
3. Place the plants on the ground. Sprinkle the roots with soil and tamp down gently.
4. Place pre-boiled and cooled decorative pebbles, sand (you can buy colored sand) or pebbles for aquariums on top of the ground.
5. Decorate the composition with figurines or plant decorative elements.
6. Place the florarium in a place with bright light. Water less often than succulents in open pots, avoiding over-wetting the soil.

Care

Light and temperature

The most important factor for growing is sunlight. There should be a lot of it in summer and winter, otherwise echeveria will lose its decorative effect.

The plant is quite undemanding to temperature. In winter, it is advisable to lower the temperature to 15 degrees, but it can withstand lower temperatures, down to 6 degrees Celsius.

In summer, it is advisable to place echeveria on the balcony in direct sunlight - it is not afraid of burns due to a waxy coating or pubescence of the leaves.

It is worth feeding the stone rose once a month in spring and summer, using fertilizers for cacti and succulents according to the instructions. No fertilizing is needed in autumn and winter.

Watering and fertilizing

Although echeveria is a succulent, it must be watered frequently in the summer, preferably using the bottom watering method, through a tray, trying not to get any drops on the leaves. In winter, when the temperature in the room drops and there is a lack of light, watering is reduced to once a month or less.

Echeveria is fed only in spring and summer with liquid complex fertilizer for cacti and succulents.

Dormant period and flowering

Echeveria does not have a clearly defined dormant period; in winter it simply grows more slowly. But if you want to encourage flowering, be sure to give your rock rose a fall/winter rest with cool temperatures and little to no watering. Echeveria blooms mainly in summer, producing one or more peduncles with bell-shaped flowers.

If you do not collect seeds, remove the peduncle after flowering so as not to deplete the flower.

If the stem is stretched or the leaves are wrinkled, we eliminate errors in care

What to do if a flower is affected by diseases or pests

Echeveria is very rarely affected by pests, but in most cases it is a mealybug, which damages the leaf blades and eats up the roots of the plant. Insect colonies look like dirty cotton wool on the leaves. They are removed with alcohol-soaked cotton swabs or washed off with soap suds. In difficult cases, the plant and soil are sprayed with insecticides, for example, Aktara and Fitoverm are suitable.

If you overwater your succulent or there is a fungal infection in the soil, it will begin to wither and rot.. You can save the plant at the initial stage of infection by using Fitosporin or Trichodermin according to the instructions, but, unfortunately, it is usually possible to detect it only when it is no longer possible to help.

Reproduction

The simplest and most reliable method of propagation is to separate the lateral daughter rosettes from the mother bush during spring replanting. They are cut off with a sterilized knife, the sections are sprinkled with activated carbon, dried and planted in the ground the next day.

How to propagate echeveria from leaf or apical cuttings

If for some reason a stone rose does not form “babies”, it is propagated by cuttings: apical and leaf. The scheme of actions in these 2 cases is similar:

1. Cut off an older leaf from the mother bush as close to the trunk as possible, or cut off the top and free it from several lower leaves.

How to germinate seeds

When growing echeveria from purchased seeds, problems usually do not arise either.

1. Plant the seeds in a mixture of sand and peat, deepening them no more than 4–5 mm.
2. Water with a spray bottle and cover the container with film.
3. Place the greenhouse in a warm, bright place with a temperature of 20–25 degrees. Periodically spray the soil with water and ventilate for half an hour every day.
4. After 2 weeks, sprouts usually appear.
5. In the phase of 2–3 true leaves, the seedlings are transplanted into separate pots.

Flowering of echeveria during seed propagation occurs in 3–4 years.

Echeveria is a succulent of the Crassulaceae family. The plant has dense, juicy, fleshy leaves that form a rosette. Small bell-shaped flowers are a distinctive feature of the plant; by them you can easily distinguish Echeveria from other similar succulents. Most common in Mexico, often found in California and Texas, and also in some Latin American countries.

Common types of echeveria and photographs of them

There are more than 150 species of echeveria, including both the smallest representatives of the genus and those reaching the size of a shrub about 70 cm in height. Below are the most popular varieties for home breeding.

A bush-like plant with a short or absent stem, on which rosettes of pointed, elongated light green leaves with a reddish tint are formed. In May-June it blooms with yellow-red flowers. Inflorescences 30-40 cm long grow from the center of the rosette.

The shoots of this species are long, creeping, at the tips there is a rosette of light green leaves with a white coating, reddish at the edges. Rosettes are from 3 to 6 cm in diameter. It blooms from mid-spring to late June with red-yellow flowers on small inflorescences growing from the central leaves of the rosette.

The photo shows a graceful Echeveria

A plant with a thick straight stem, fleshy cupped leaves with a small thorn at the tops form a dense rosette up to 15 cm in diameter. The inflorescences are branched, the flowers are bell-shaped, bright pink or red, yellowish at the ends. Blooms in late spring - early summer.

A succulent with a shortened or missing stem. Rosettes are formed by numerous dense, fleshy, pointed leaves, densely covered with light bristles. During the flowering period it produces long inflorescences, numerous, red-yellow flowers.

Low shrubs. Rosettes with a few thick cup-shaped leaves, pointed towards the top and pubescent on the underside. Red-orange dense flowers with fluff appear in March-April.

Herbaceous perennial. The rosettes are large - up to 20 cm in diameter, with large gray-green leaves. It blooms with large orange flowers with a waxy coating. The plant develops very slowly.

Caring for an echeveria plant at home

The plant does not require special attention

The plant is completely unpretentious, and with proper, simple care it rarely gets sick and is quite resistant to pests. Handle the leaves of the plant carefully - they are very fragile.

Lighting and location selection

The succulent loves light very much and easily tolerates direct sunlight. It grows best on south-facing windows. But in the spring it is better to accustom plants to the sun gradually, especially young plants. In the warm season it prefers open air.

Optimum temperature for growing echeveria

The plant tolerates hot, dry months well, but it is better to provide a temperature of 22 to 27 ° C. In winter they are kept in a bright room at a temperature of 8-15°C. Varieties that bloom during the winter months are kept warm.

Air humidity

Spraying is not required for this plant.

Echeveria does not require spraying and prefers dry air. At high humidity, the bluish waxy coating on the leaves disappears, protecting the plant from disease and sunburn. Leaves of non-hairy species are wiped with a damp soft cloth to avoid pest damage.

Watering a flower

In the hot season, water 1-2 times a week, the top soil layer should dry completely. After watering, excess water is drained from the pan. Water carefully; if water gets into the outlet, the plant may begin to rot. By the end of autumn, watering is reduced to once a month; in winter, watering is done 1-2 times per season.

Composition of soil for echeveria

Suitable soil mixture for succulents. They also make a substrate from coarse sand, leaf and turf soil, one to one. Charcoal and broken bricks are added to the mixture.

Fertilizers

When fertilizing echeveria, it is important not to overdo it, otherwise an excess of fertilizers can lead to damage to the roots.

Starting in March, they begin to feed fertilizer for succulents and cacti in a half dose no more than once a month. Excess feeding leads to damage to the root system.

Echeveria plant blooming

Most often, echeveria blooms in May-June for 2-3 weeks. The best conditions for the formation of inflorescences are a temperature of 15-18°C and daylight hours of 12-13 hours for 50-60 days.

Transfer

Young individuals are replanted every spring, adults are not touched unless necessary, only the top layer of soil is replaced. For the shallow root system of the plant, low and wide pots are suitable. There must be a good layer of drainage at the bottom. Before planting, the soil mixture is steamed or calcined to prevent the growth of bacteria.

How can you propagate echeveria?

The succulent has high vitality and is quite easy to grow at home. Echeveria is propagated through seeds, leaf cuttings and rosettes.

How to grow echeveria from seeds

The seeds are sown in a sand-peat mixture (1:1) at the end of winter and covered with film. Keep at a temperature of 20-22°C, regularly sprayed and ventilated. The seedlings emerge in about two weeks; they are transferred to small pots with a mixture of leaf soil and sand (2:1). When the diameter of the rosette reaches 3 cm, the grown plants are transplanted into a suitable sized container with a substrate for adult individuals.

Propagation of indoor Echeveria flower by leaf

Echeveria reproduces by seeds, leaves and rosettes

In succulents, the propagation buds are located at the base of the leaf, so it is important to carefully separate the leaf completely from the mother plant. The echeveria leaf is attached to the stem by so-called “wings”; if one of them is carefully picked off with a knife, the leaf is easily removed with all its parts.
The separated leaf is dried in air for 2-3 weeks to eliminate bacteria and avoid rotting of the new plant. And after this, the leaf cuttings, without burying them, are placed on a damp substrate with the top side facing out. The pot with the leaf is kept in diffused light at 20-25°C.
Within 2-3 weeks the leaf takes root, and after another month a small rosette appears. At this time, the succulent is transplanted into mature soil.

Propagation of Echeveria plant by rosettes

Not all types of echeveria support propagation by leaf cuttings; in this case, a rosette is used. It is carefully separated from the mother plant, the cut site is treated with charcoal, dried for 10-12 hours and planted in damp sand or substrate. The advantage of this method is that a plant grown in this way will produce flowers faster.

Echeveria diseases and pests; Features of treatment and care for indoor flowers during this period

If the echeveria develops slowly and has small leaves, there is either a lack of soil moisture, or it is necessary to replace the pot with a more spacious one.
Due to lack of lighting, the leaves turn pale, the grayish coating disappears and the rosettes stretch out. If there is not enough watering, the rosette shrinks, the leaves of the plant wrinkle, if there is too much water, they soften, rot and are easily separated from the stem. In case of heavy damage, cut off healthy parts of the plant and root them.
The appearance of yellow-brown spots on the leaves indicates a fungal disease. The plant can be affected by spider mites, rootworms and root-knot nematodes. Appropriate medications are used for treatment.

If you decide to propagate this plant yourself, we recommend watching the video, in which you will clearly see all the stages of propagation.

She's the same echeveria, an unusually beautiful plant. According to various sources, there are from 120 to 150 species. Grows freely in Mexico. Often found in an area stretching from Texas and California (northern) to Peru (south).

In our latitudes it is grown as a houseplant or annual outdoors. It is more of a ground cover plant, a succulent.

Landing

Echeveria looks good in summer cottages when planted annually on an alpine hill or in a separately located decorative snag or flowerpot in the form of a stump. Echeveria planted in decoratively arranged stones will look beautiful and original. It combines well with other ground cover plants without overwhelming them and without growing too much.

Planting in a flowerpot should be done only with these plants alone, since due to their short stature, other plants will cover the echeveria and the decorative effect that the owners of the flowerbed are counting on may not work.

This flower looks good when planted individually, that is, one plant per pot. Gradually it will grow and surprise you with its beauty, and the unusual waxy coating and various shades of its scales will give the whole plant an unusual charm.

Location and lighting

Echeveria is a plant of a type of succulent, its homeland is semi-desert, therefore it is necessary, for better condition, to bring the conditions of care closer to natural ones. First of all, provide sufficient lighting. Sunlight is simply necessary for echeveria, so do not push it into the shade or partial shade. On clear, warm, sunny days, if conditions exist, it is better to take the flower pot outside or onto the balcony. If there are no such conditions, then place the flower pot on the brightest windowsill in the apartment.

It should be noted that echeveria also tolerates light shading without pain. True, in this case the plant will begin to stretch in height. Usually these are dense green, thick scales attached to each other. They form a rosette-shaped rosette, which is why people often call this flower " stone rose" or " stone Flower"The leaves are usually covered with a waxy coating or densely pubescent.

Pot size

Pots for cuttings are taken small, 8-10 centimeters. Since the root system does not grow very extensively, almost flat decorative containers can be used for planting.

Several holes should be made in the bottom of the vessel for water drainage and soil ventilation. It is very important that after watering the water does not stagnate in the pot, otherwise the roots will begin to rot, and this can lead to the death of the entire plant.

The soil

Transplanting echeveria will not be difficult even for a novice gardener. First of all, you need to prepare a small pot with well-draining soil. It can be simple coarse river sand or a sand-pebble mixture. Add some good potting soil, mix everything and the soil is ready for planting. The proportions can be taken one to one. The main thing is that the substrate has a neutral or slightly acidic reaction.

If you cannot prepare the substrate yourself, you can purchase it at a gardening store. They sell soils for various types of indoor plants. Cactus soil is suitable for planting echeveria.

Transfer

The best time to replant echeveria is in the spring. This way the flower will withstand stress more easily and will have enough warmth and light to resume growth. It is necessary to replant the plant with a completely dry lump of earth. Therefore, watering must be stopped long before transplanting. After removing the transplanted flower from the pot, you need to lightly tap the earth ball so that the old soil crumbles. You must try not to damage the roots of the plant. When replanting, the plant must be handled carefully so as not to damage the upper pubescent layer or waxy coating, which gives the flower its original appearance.

At the same time, carefully inspect all the roots and remove any that are broken or have begun to rot. Cuts and broken parts of the plant must be treated with a disinfectant solution (fungicide) and sprinkled with charcoal or crushed activated carbon.

Carefully place the plant prepared in this way into a pot. It is necessary to straighten all the roots and make sure that they all look down and do not bend towards the top edge of the pot.

Cover the top with soil and squeeze very carefully, trying not to damage the roots of the plant. To make the plant endure the whole procedure more easily, it is necessary to shade the echeveria for a week or ten days and not water it at all.

Only very young plants are replanted annually; adult plants need to be replanted as needed. One transplant every 3-4 years is enough.

Such plants look very beautiful in spherical aquariums. If there is such an opportunity, then it is better to transplant the echeveria into it. There may be problems with watering. But this is an easily solvable problem. You just need to pour a thick layer of decorative drainage onto the bottom, and only then a soil mixture. Watering should be careful and moderate, since in an almost enclosed space its own microclimate is created, ventilation is minimal, so watering should be extremely moderate.

After such a quarantine, you can begin to slightly moisten the soil. The main thing is not to water abundantly, otherwise the roots of a plant weakened by transplantation may rot and the flower will die.

Fertilizers and fertilizing

Echeveria does not require frequent feeding. One or two feedings per summer season are enough. You can water with a weakly diluted succulent or cactus fertilizer once a month during the summer months. It is necessary to periodically inspect the plant and monitor the condition of the leaves. When you wrinkle and lift the leaves up, you can slightly moisten the soil - the plant does not have enough moisture, you have dried it out a little. Accordingly, if the leaves are easily separated from the rosette, and the color of decay appears at the base of the flower, it means that the plant has been overwatered and the roots are rotting. In this case, watering must be stopped completely for a while. Check if the water does not stagnate in the pan after watering.

Watering

A very important moment in the life of echeveria is watering. This southern flower comes almost from the desert, so it does not tolerate heavy moisture. In this case, it is better to underfill than to overfill.

In winter, our rooms often suffer from dry air; accordingly, many flowers also lack moisture and require spraying and more frequent watering. But not echeveria. In addition, she simply cannot tolerate such a procedure as spraying. Even if water gets inside the outlet when watering, the plant may rot. It is also necessary to take into account that getting water on the leaves of a plant can cause them to burn (in summer) or change color and the beautiful waxy coating on the plant may disappear. Therefore, you need to approach the watering procedure responsibly, and carefully ensure that water does not get on the leaves of the flower.

Temperature

In summer, the optimal temperature for echeveria is considered to be 27°C. In winter, the temperature threshold can fluctuate between 8-15°C, and the plant can also tolerate a short-term decrease in this indicator to 5°C. However, do not forget that echeveria is a heat-loving plant and the appearance of the leaves may deteriorate when exposed to frost.

Humidity

Echeveria belongs to a species of succulents, which, as is known, is characterized by its southern origin. Representatives of this species are able to accumulate moisture in the leaves and trunk and remain without watering for a long time; accordingly, this plant is very critical of excess moisture. Therefore, bottom watering (into a tray) is more preferable for stone roses, since moisture getting into the rosette can lead to rotting of the plant. With bottom watering, on the contrary, the flower consumes as much moisture as it requires for full and healthy development. At the same time, like every living creature, echeveria needs life-giving moisture, so it is necessary to select certain days for watering and adhere to the established regime, exceptions are made only when the temperature in the room drops, in which case watering should be reduced. If your flower is located in a cold place, then soil moisture should be minimized, since dampness and cold are two factors that are undesirable for this plant, and together can lead to its death.

Trimming

The stone flower is characterized by rapid progressive growth, therefore, to maintain its decorative shape and neat appearance, the plant must be periodically pruned. In addition, a complete cut of the entire top of the flower is allowed, leaving only a “stump” 3-4 cm high above the ground, you will give the opportunity to sprout new fresh shoots and “rejuvenate” the plant. In addition, the cut top can also be used; you should break off all the cuttings, leaving only a neat small rosette, cut off the remaining part of the trunk, leaving 2 cm, treat the cut with crushed charcoal or activated carbon and leave it to dry for a week in a glass, after which the rosette can be planted in soil for succulents.

Pests and diseases

As already mentioned, overwatering echeveria can lead to rotting of the leaves and roots. And this causes a disease such as gray rot. By reducing watering, the plant should cope with this problem.

One of the main pests of this flower is the root mealybug. It can be placed in a pot with purchased soil or when preparing the substrate yourself.

To avoid this trouble, when planting and replanting a plant, for prevention, it is better to steam the soil prepared for the procedure or bake it in the oven.

To do this, spread the soil in a thin layer on a baking sheet and turn on the oven at 100-120 degrees. The soil is calcined for half an hour, then cooled and it is suitable for planting.

Another disease that can affect echeveria is powdery mildew. It manifests itself with systematic, abundant watering.

Although this plant loves warmth, excessive overheating of echeveria can still cause harm. The flower may become infected with feltworm. Cotton lumps form on it, which must be removed with a cotton swab moistened with alcohol.

For prevention or at the first signs of a plant disease, it must be treated with special means.

Advice on application, dilution and processing can be obtained from sales consultants in specialized stores or you can study the instructions yourself.

It is also necessary to take into account that with the natural aging of the plant, the lower leaves die and fall off on their own. Therefore, before taking drastic measures to prevent and treat echeveria, it is necessary to take into account all the nuances and only then make a decision.

Bloom

The type of plant determines the time of its flowering (depending on the species, it can occur at any time of the year), but most representatives of the species bloom in spring or summer. The flowering period itself is about 2-3 weeks. Yellow or orange buds form from the rosette. The shape of the flowers resembles bells. Breeders can change the flowering period by adjusting the length of daylight hours. Echeveria is a short-day plant.

Reproduction

Growing echeveria seeds is a long and painstaking process. Only fanatics of indoor floriculture can practice this method of cultivation. Echeveria is usually propagated in the summer. In an adult plant with a well-developed rosette, the plants cut off the required number (without harming the main plant) of leaves. The cut must be treated with charcoal (you can take crushed charcoal tablets). The cut leaves are slightly dried in air for about ten hours and buried in a specially prepared substrate. It can be purchased at a gardening store after consulting with the seller. If this is not possible, take a light sand mixture.

The following method of propagation is the easiest, and echeveria will bloom already in the first year of planting: it is necessary to cut off the regrown top of an adult, well-developed plant, also sprinkle the cut with charcoal, dry it for about 8-10 hours and then plant it in a prepared pot.

Rest period

Most types of echeveria are dormant in winter, so from October to February you should change the plant's watering schedule. Echeveria should be watered moderately at this time - once a week or once every 10 days - this will be quite enough. Moreover, watering should be very moderate, and even then, only when the earthen ball dries out. In this case, a flower that is in a dormant period is best kept at a temperature of 8-10 ° C, but with sufficient natural light. It should be noted that some species of this plant do not enter a dormant phase in winter and can delight their owners with beautiful flower buds.

Toxicity of the plant/Beneficial properties

For some reason, not much is known about the medicinal properties of this plant. Meanwhile, this plant has excellent disinfectant properties.

For a cut or burn, you need to cut or chop the leaves or a whole rosette and apply it to the wound. Change the dressing every two hours.

It is very good to apply the cut leaf to inflamed or festering wounds. Echeveria has stretching properties, relieves pain during suppuration, so it is necessary for furunculosis. Fresh leaves are applied periodically.

Even the ancient Aztecs noted the refreshing and tonic effect of this plant. They also noticed that an infusion from rosettes of this flower significantly reduces and normalizes emotional stress in excitable and nervous people.

It is possible to find recipes for using echeveria juice for colds, bronchitis and coughs of unknown etymology that do not go away for a long time.

There is an opinion, not confirmed by doctors, that echeveria tincture is useful for kidney disease. It is known that drinking diluted juice helps with exacerbation of chronic pyelonephritis. Patients drink the juice of this plant diluted with water.

But is this really so, you need to consult with specialists.

In conclusion, I would like to say that this unusually beautiful and original flower will not cause much trouble in caring for, replanting, or ridding it of diseases. And its uniqueness attracts the attention of everyone who sees it on your windowsill or in a garden composition.

The main thing is to comply with all the necessary conditions for its cultivation and watering. Be it a simple planting in a separate pot or a large designer-designed composition in a summer cottage using decorative stones, flowerpots and other plants.