In this echeveria care article, you’ll learn all you need to know about about how to care for this amazing plant indoors, including background information, best types to buy and some trouble shooting tips.
Echeveria (pronounced ech – [ch as in cheese] – e [as in egg] – veria [as in Maria]) is an umbrella term for a large genus of flowering plants from the Crassulaceae family, native to the semi-desserts of Central America, north-western South America, and Mexico.
These are some of the most popular succulents and a common choice for floral arrangements, artwork, terrariums, and gardens. Some even use them as decor for wedding cakes.
Their growing popularity is mostly because of their impressive rosette shape, beautiful leaves, and long list of colours which make them similar to flowers.
But, there’s also another reason why you may consider them as an indoor plant – they’re not overly demanding in terms of care.
Plant enthusiasts and gardeners love them because they’re low maintenance and have an ability to withstand periods of neglect.
They can grow in size from several inches only up to 12 inches-this depends on the variety.
No matter if you’re a green thumb or not, choosing an echeveria for your office or home is never a bad idea.
It’s a succulent that loves a lot of light in order to grow optimally.
Otherwise, they can become leggy and elongated. This is why it can be beneficial to place them outdoors during the summer months.
Interestingly, when you place it indoors, this succulent can help you purify the air-according to NASA research, succulents are beneficial in removing toxins from the air.
Good to Know:
If you have dogs, cats and small children, don’t worry about having an echeveria around-it’s non-toxic; however, they should not be consumed!
How to Care for an Echeveria Plant
Light
Echeverias will thrive when they get the needed amount of light.
We’re talking about some 4 to 5 hours of bright and direct light on a daily basis. A south window will do just fine or any other window that gets the most sunlight in your home or office.
In the summer months, knowing the importance of daily lightness and brightness, it’s a great idea to take it out on the porch or on the balcony.
Temperature
The best temperature for most succulents is around 70 degrees F.
This succulent will grow happy and healthy when it’s in a hot, but dry area.
Most succulents can’t tolerate drafts and cooler temperatures, as well as excessive humidity which can cause them to rot.
The average home temperature will be enough for an echeveria-but remember not to place them where it will be too humid for them, for example, in a bathroom.
Echeveria Watering & Humidity
In order to properly care for your echeveria, you need to pay attention to watering.
Like most other succulents, this one also doesn’t want too much water. So, it’s always a better option to give it less water, rather than overwatering it, because of potential root rot.
When the soil has completely dried out, this is when you should water it well, that is, until water is coming out of the drainage holes.
Since it doesn’t like overly humid areas, keep it out of high humid places like bathrooms.
Soil
When planting an echeveria, make sure you’ve chosen a well-draining and porous soil that will prevent surplus moisture which can negatively affect the roots.
This means a standard cactus potting mix will suffice. You can always make your own soil-combine 3 parts of regular potting soil, 2 parts coarse sand, and 1 part perlite.
Feeding
Feeding isn’t a requirement to be able to grow a healthy echeveria as they can grow in a soil poor in nutrients.
This also makes them prone to being burned from fertilizing or over-fertilizing. Although, occasional feeding in spring and summer may help them grow. But, always do it sparingly.
Choose a fertilizer for succulents or cactuses or a liquid fertilizer that’s diluted 2 to 4 times more than usually.
Repotting
Echeveria doesn’t need to be frequently repotted-only when they’ve outgrown the current pot.
To repot the plant, remove it only when the soil is entirely dry. Tap out the surplus soil from the roots and set it well into new soil and a bigger container.
The best time to repot is in the spring as the plant will be entering the growth phase.
How To Propagate Echeveria
With this plant, propagation is fun and easy-to-do. You can do it in two ways, i.e. through separation or through leaf cuts.
Propagate using the offsets shooting out of the main stem.
If you choose to propagate through leaf cuttings, divide one leaf from the main stem-jiggle it from side to side until it comes off.
Then, put it flat on a pot of soil in a bright area, but not directly exposed to sunlight.
In 2 to 3 weeks, you’ll notice roots. This is when you should begin watering it, but not excessively.
In a month or so, you’ll notice a tiny rosette on the leaf’s end. As the time goes by, the old leaf will die and the new succulent will become independent.
Best Types of Echeveria
Echeveria Elegans/ Mexican Snowball
This award-winning evergreen echeveria and has tight rosettes of pale-silver-green and spoon-shaped leaves.
It’s an awesome pick for rock gardens, ground cover or green roofs or pots.
Echeveria Lola
This otherworldly-like variety was created by hybridizer Dick Wright in the 80s.
The rosebud shaped succulent has green leaves with shades of pink, lavender, and light blue with a thick layer of pearlescent farina.
Echeveria Laui
This is a slow-growing succulent that’s a popular decorative plant thanks to its pink color.
It’s a variety that is a stunning addition to individual pots or rock gardens, borders, and beds.
Echeveria Agaviodes
This stemless succulent can grow up to 5 inches in height and has dense and solitary rosettes with triangular leaves.
The leaves have an impressive apple-green color and reddish edges in bright sunlight.
It may also flower in summer-the flowers are orange or pinkish-red.
Other Echeveria Care Tips
This plant doesn’t need pruning. However, in case it becomes elongated or leggy due to poor brightness, you may need to prune it to ensure it looks good and stays healthy.
Believe it or not, there are more than a hundred types of echeveria and everyone can find one that suits them the best.
Trouble Shooting- Common Issues
Problem: wilted and drooping leaves
Cause: Poor watering habits.
Solution: Don’t over- or under-water the soil. Do it only when it’s entirely dry and ensure a good drainage system.
Problem: tiny black flies over the soil’s surface.
Cause: Fungus gnats- tiny black flies very similar to mosquitoes.
Solution: Use yellow sticky traps and make sure you’re not keeping the soil overly wet. Increase the ventilation around the plant to prevent them from appearing again.
Problem: soft, discolored, and dry foliage
Cause: Too much heat- probably it’s placed near a radiator or a vent.
Solution: Move away the plant from the heating source and keep giving it enough natural light.
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