Echeveria rooting. Echeveria: growing and care at home. Echeveria humpbacked flower Echeveria Gibbiflora

She is echeveria, a plant of unusual beauty. According to various sources, there are from 120 to 150 species. Grow 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 an annual outdoors. It is more of a groundcover, 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 hemp. Echeveria planted in decoratively arranged stones will look beautiful and original. It goes well with other ground cover plants, without oppressing them and not growing much.

Planting in a flowerpot should be done only by these plants, because due to their short stature, other plants will close the echeveria and the decorative effect that the flower bed owners are counting on may not work.

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

Location and lighting

Echeveria is a plant of the succulent species, its homeland is semi-desert, therefore it is necessary, for a better condition, to bring the conditions of care closer to natural ones. First of all, ensure sufficient lighting. Sunlight is simply necessary for echeveria, so you should not push it into the shade or partial shade. On clear warm sunny days, if there are conditions, it is better to take the flower pot outside or on the balcony. If there are no such conditions, then put a flower pot on the most illuminated window sill in the apartment.

It should be noted that light shading of echeveria also tolerates painlessly. True, in this case, the plant will begin to stretch in height. Usually these are dense green, plump 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 wax coating or densely pubescent.

pot size

Pots for cuttings are taken in small sizes, 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 to drain water and ventilate the soil. 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 is not difficult even for a beginner grower. First of all, you need to prepare a small pot with well-draining soil. It can be simple coarse-grained river sand, sand-pebble mixture. Add some good potting soil, mix everything and the soil is ready for planting. Proportions can be taken one to one. The main thing is that the substrate has a neutral or slightly acidic reaction.

If it is not possible to prepare the substrate yourself, then it can be purchased at a gardening store. They sell soils for various types of indoor plants. For planting echeveria suitable soil for cacti.

Transfer

It is best to transplant echeveria in the spring. So the flower will more easily endure stress and it will have enough heat and light to resume growth. It is necessary to transplant a plant with a completely dry clod of earth. Therefore, watering must be stopped, long before transplantation. After removing the transplanted flower from the pot, it is necessary to lightly tap the earthen ball so that the old earth crumbles. Care must be taken not to damage the roots of the plant. When transplanting, the plant must be taken carefully so as not to damage the upper pubescent layer or wax coating, which gives the flower an original look.

At the same time, carefully inspect all the roots and remove any broken or rotting roots. Sections and broken parts of the plant must be treated with a disinfectant solution (fungicide) and sprinkled with charcoal or crushed activated carbon.

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

Top with soil, compress very carefully, trying not to damage the roots of the plant. In order for the plant to more easily endure the entire procedure, it is necessary to shade echeveria for a week or ten days and not water at all.

Only very young plants are transplanted annually; an adult plant should be transplanted 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 echeveria into it. Watering problems may occur. But this is an easily solved problem. It is just necessary to pour a thick layer of decorative drainage on the bottom, and only then the soil mixture. Watering should be accurate and moderate, since an almost enclosed space creates its own microclimate, ventilation is minimal, and therefore 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 top dressing

Echeveria does not require frequent feeding. Enough one or two dressings for the summer season. You can water a lightly 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 wrinkling and raising the leaves up, you can slightly moisten the soil - the plant lacks moisture, you have dried it out a little. Accordingly, if the leaves are easily separated from the outlet, and the color of decay appears at the base of the flower, it means that the plant has been poured, the roots are rotting. In this case, watering must be stopped completely for a while. Check if water stagnates after watering in the pan.

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 strong moisture. In this case, it is better to underfill than to overfill.

In winter, our rooms often suffer from dry air, so many flowers also lack moisture, and they require spraying and more frequent watering. But not echeveria. In addition, she simply does not tolerate such a procedure as spraying. Even if water gets inside the socket during watering, the plant may rot. It should also be taken into account that the ingress of water on the leaves of the plant can cause them to burn (in the summer) or change their color and a beautiful wax coating on the plant may disappear. Therefore, the watering procedure must be approached responsibly, and carefully ensure that water does not fall on the leaves of the flower.

Temperature

In summer, the optimum temperature for echeveria is considered to be a temperature of 27 ° C. In winter, the temperature threshold can vary between 8-15 ° C, and the plant is also able to 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 under the influence of frost.

Humidity

Echeveria belongs to the species of succulents, which, as you know, is characterized by its southern origin, representatives of this species are able to accumulate moisture in the leaves and trunk and stay without watering for a long time, respectively, this plant is very critical of an excess of moisture. Therefore, for a stone rose, lower watering (into a pan) is more preferable, since moisture entering the outlet can lead to plant rotting. With lower watering, on the contrary, the flower consumes as much moisture as it needs for full and healthy development. At the same time, like every living creature, echeveria needs life-giving moisture, therefore, it is necessary to choose 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.

pruning

The stone flower is characterized by rapid progressive growth, therefore, to maintain a decorative shape and a neat appearance, the plant must be cut periodically. 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 enable new fresh shoots to germinate 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 the rest of the trunk, leaving 2 cm, cut the cut with crushed wood or activated charcoal and leave 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, overfilling Echeveria can lead to rotting of leaves and roots. And this causes a disease such as gray rot. By reducing watering, the plant should cope with this trouble.

One of the main pests of this flower is the root bug. It can be brought into a pot with purchased soil or when preparing the substrate yourself.

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

To do this, sprinkle the soil in a thin layer on a baking sheet and turn on the oven at 100-120 degrees. The ground 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 heat, excessive overheating of Echeveria can still do harm. The flower can get sick with a felter. Cotton lumps form on it, which must be removed with a cotton swab moistened with alcohol.

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

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

It is also necessary to take into account that with the natural aging of the plant, the lower leaves die off and fall off on their own. Therefore, before taking cardinal means for the prevention and treatment of 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 (it can, depending on the species, occur at any time of the year), but still, most representatives of the species bloom in spring or summer. The flowering period itself is about 2-3 weeks. Buds of yellow or orange color are formed from the outlet. The flowers are shaped like 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 engage in this method of cultivation. Echeveria is usually propagated in summer. In an adult, with a well-developed rosette, plants cut off the required number (not to the detriment of 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 the air for about ten hours and buried in a specially prepared substrate. It can be bought at a gardening store after consulting with the seller. If this is not possible, take a light sand mixture.

The following breeding method is the easiest, while 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 at rest in winter, therefore, in the period from October to February, the watering regimen of the plant should be changed. Echeveria should be watered moderately at this time - once a week or once every 10 days - this will be enough. Moreover, watering should be very moderate, and even then, only when the earth lump dries up. At the same time, 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 please their owners with beautiful flower buds.

Plant toxicity / Useful properties

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

In case of a cut or burn, you need to cut or grind the leaves or a whole rosette, and apply to the wound. Change the bandage every two hours.

It is very good to apply a cut leaf to inflamed or festering wounds. Echeveria has astringent 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 of rosettes of this flower significantly reduces and normalizes the emotional load in excitable and nervous people.

It is possible to find recipes for the use of echeveria juice for colds, bronchitis and a cough of unknown etymology that does 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 is good for exacerbation of chronic pyelonephritis. Patients drink the juice of this plant diluted with water.

But is it really necessary to consult with specialists.

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

The main thing is to observe all the necessary conditions for its cultivation and watering. Whether it's a simple planting in a separate pot or a large designer composition in a summer cottage using decorative stones, flowerpots and other plants.

Reproduction of echeveria leaves
Petr Lapshin

As you know, many representatives of the Tolstyankov family easily reproduce by leaves. For varietal echeveria, graptoveria and other hybrids, propagation by leaves is the main method of distribution. In the present material, we illustrate the process of such reproduction on the example of a large batch of leaves of three species of Echeveria (Echeveria shaviana, Echeveria cv. Perle Von Nurnberg, Echeveria X desmetiana) and a biologically similar "tacitus" (Graptopetalum bellum).

The leaves are separated from the outlet, dried, create conditions for rooting, after which the leaf forms a small new outlet, from which a new plant grows. It usually takes 3-6 months.

The leaf must be separated from the mother plant as a whole so that no part of it remains on the stem, since Crassulaceae already have reproduction buds at the base of the leaf and if it is damaged, then plants from the leaf usually do not develop. In some species, the leaves are separated very easily (in our case, these are E. Perle Von Nurnberg and E. X desmetiana), in others they are held very firmly (E. shaviana and G. bellum) and when you try to separate them, the base usually remains on the plant and such a leaf can take root, but does not form a rosette. For such plants, it is necessary to use a sharp tool in order, nevertheless, to pick off the entire leaf and keep its base intact. The echeveria leaf has short “wings” on the sides, which partially cover the stem, and if one of them is damaged, then the leaf is easily separated further.

The leaves were taken from "Dutch" plants at the end of March. For E. shaviana, E. X desmetiana and G. bellum, these were the lowest (oldest) and middle leaves in the rosette, which constituted the growth of the previous season, approximately 20-40 leaves from each rosette. For E. "Perle Von Nurnberg", young adult leaves were taken, 3-4 pieces each. from a plant. The total number of leaves for this experiment was approximately 5000 for E. shaviana, 500 each for G. bellum and E. "Perle Von Nurnberg" and 70 for E. X desmetiana.

Leaves of G. bellum

Leaves of G. bellum, E. "Perle Von Nurnberg", E. nodulosa, E. atropurpurea, Graptoveria cv. Debbie

After separation from the mother plant, the vegetative planting material of almost all succulent plants must be air-dried (3-30 days) to dry the damaged tissues. Otherwise, when in contact with wet substrates, there will be a high percentage of decay. After separation, the leaves were stored for about a week in bulk in a layer of 2-4 leaves in the light (in the shade) at a temperature of 15C at night and 25-30C during the day and low relative humidity. In E. shaviana and E. X desmetiana, during the first week, mass drying of a part of the leaves, approximately 15-20% of the total, was observed. Apparently, these were the oldest leaves that were not able to give rise to a new plant. In E. "Perle Von Nurnberg" primary leaf loss was less than 10%, in G. bellum no noticeable leaf loss was noted.

To root succulent plants, they are not placed in water and do not create high humidity. Because of this, many of them easily rot. Planting material is rooted immediately in the ground or in some loose mineral, but not organic substrate: sand, perlite, vermiculite, etc. Peat is not recommended because of the large number of microorganisms living in it and to which succulents are not resistant. The leaves are laid out on the surface of a moist loose substrate, without sticking or burying their base. In our case, we used coarse quartz sand (fraction 1-2 mm) and perlite (fraction 1-3 mm) as a substrate. The substrate was poured in a layer of 2–3 cm into cuvettes with a hole in the bottom to drain excess water. The leaves were laid out sideways, close to each other. They did this solely because of the need to place a very large amount of planting material in a reasonable area. In the usual case, it is sufficient to lay the leaves upside down on any loose substrate into which the roots can penetrate.

Dishes with leaves are placed in diffused light: not in the sun, but not in the dark either. In our case, we placed cuvettes under fluorescent lamps. Illumination was 2000-3000 lux, 16-hour photoperiod, temperature was about 25C, relative air humidity was low.

The leaves usually root within 2-3 weeks. After that, within 1-2 months, they lay small rosettes, which begin to develop slowly. There are usually 2-3 sockets, sometimes more. In some cases, a leaf can immediately form a rosette without rooting. The mother leaf, if the conditions are unfavorable or it was old, can die at any stage: without rooting, with roots but without a rosette, or at the stage of a rosette that has just begun to develop. If the rosette is so small that it cannot develop on its own or does not have its own roots, it dies.

The appearance of rosettes at the leaves usually occurs after 2-3 months. The primary roots of a rosette-leaf pair belong to the leaf, and the rosette uses not only them, but also the supply of nutrients and the photosynthetic potential of the mother leaf. After the rosette forms its own roots, the mother leaf dies after a while. If the leaves were rooted in a poor substrate: sand or perlite, immediately after the death of the mother leaf, it makes sense to transplant them into ordinary soil (for succulents).

Leaves E. "Perle Von Nurnberg" with children

Leaves of G. bellum with babies

Land for succulents should be something like this: 1 part street, forest, garden, gray soil + 1 part grassroots black structureless highly decomposed peat (or any purchased "land for indoor flowers") + 1 part coarse sand or any other baking powder: perlite, vermiculite, fine expanded clay, brick or foam chips, etc. It is not advisable to plant in pure peat or in purchased "soil for flowers", even if the package proudly says "land for cacti", because. there is usually solid peat in which succulents easily rot. Pots initially take small ones, about 5-7 cm in diameter. Water after the soil looks dry.

Plants in summer under favorable conditions develop quite quickly: in a month you can get a rosette with a diameter of about 3 cm, in another month 5 cm. 5.5 cm, 5-10 rosettes per pot. The diameter of the rosettes was 0.5-1 cm. Some of the rosettes had roots, and some were without roots. They rooted for about 1 week in diffused light. As soon as rooting took place, the active growth of young plants immediately began.

In some cases, each leaf can give more than one rosette. It depends on the variety, the condition of the mother plant and the conditions in which the leaves are located during reproduction. We have E. Perle Von Nurnberg gave 1 outlet, E. X desmetiana 1-2 each, E. shaviana and G. bellum - 2-3 outlets.

Leaves of E. X desmetiana with children

Echeveria babies in pots with a diameter of 5.5 cm

Echeveria babies in pots with a diameter of 5.5 cm

Photos taken in March and June 2008 in the collection of Petr Lapshin in Moscow

Echeveria is a perennial herbaceous plant that belongs to succulents. Among the people, he has another name - a stone rose. Green succulent leaves, collected in a dense squat rosette, really resemble an outlandish flower that can grow even on rocky ground.

Echeveria belongs to the Crassula family. Its homeland is hot Mexico, where in nature the plant can reach quite large sizes. In total, there are about 170 species of these succulents.

In indoor floriculture, the following types of echeveria are popular:

• Brilliant. A beautiful plant, bright green pointed leaves have a red border around the edge.
• Humpbacked. Young leaves are bright purple, the rest are grayish green.
• Graceful. A plant with green oblong-rounded, thick leaves collected in a dense rosette.
• Echeveria Sho. The leaf plate is not as juicy as other varieties, it has a wavy edge. In appearance, the plant resembles a head of cabbage, most of the leaves of which fall off in winter.
• Black Prince. The species has red-brown leaves, blooms in August and requires bright lighting.
• Echeveria agave. Green-red leaves are pointed at the end. The more light the plant receives, the brighter the red color.
• Lau. The succulent rosette is large, about 20 cm in diameter. The leaves are beautiful, bluish-white, juicy, their length is 6 cm, width 3 cm. Flowers - up to 1.5 cm, orange.
• Crimson. The stem grows up to 70 cm in height, the leaves with soft pubescence are located not in the rosette, but over the entire surface of the stem, the underside and edges of the leaf plate are red.
• Echeveria Derenberg. It looks like rounded Christmas tree cones with green leaves instead of scales.
• Cushion. The leaves are juicy green, velvety, with white hairs. The pubescence of the stem is dense, red-brown, the flowers are orange-yellow.
• Miranda. The leaves, pointed at the ends, can have a different shade - bluish, pink, yellow. In appearance, the plant resembles a lotus flower.
• Echeveria Chihuahuensis. It has a dense rosette of bluish-green leaves with a sharp tip, which is colored red.
• Echeveria purpusorum. Hard leaves of a triangular shape are collected in a dense basal rosette, have a brownish-green color.

A composition of several types of echeveria with different leaf colors in one flower pot looks beautiful.

Growing Features

Echeveria are grown indoors because they do not tolerate freezing temperatures. In central Russia, these plants are sometimes used in the open field, as annuals, to decorate alpine hills.

In room conditions, it is important for echeveri to create comfortable conditions so that it grows and develops normally.

Planting and transplanting a flower

Soil for Echeveria is made from peat so that it grows faster. If you want to get a small plant, you can grow it in gravel.

1. Drainage is placed at the bottom of the pot.
2. Baking powders are added to the peat for planting - gravel, perlite, vermiculite, sand.
3. Echeveria loves bright light very much, it does not need to be shaded from direct sunlight, but immediately after planting it is gradually accustomed to bright light.

For transplanting, suitable soil for cacti or succulents with the addition of a small amount of coarse sand. This interesting plant needs lower and upper drainage, which can be made from pebbles or sand, the upper drainage should be a centimeter thick.

You can plant interesting compositions of echeveria and other succulents in one flower pot, and decorate them with small stones.

Echeveria care at home

On the leaves of echeveria there is a protective cover - a waxy grayish-white coating or pubescence. It protects the plant from direct sunlight, so Echeveria does not need to be shaded on a hot afternoon on the southern windows. In winter, the plant should be placed on a south or southeast window, where there will be enough sunlight. Without it, the plant will stretch out and lose its attractive compactness. If there is not enough light in winter, you can organize the backlight.

Echeveria leaves contain a supply of moisture, which allows the plant to go without watering for a long time, but it loves moisture.

• In summer, the plant is watered about 1 time per week, the soil should dry out 3 cm deep between waterings.
• In winter, you can water once a month if the room temperature is cool, about + 15 ° C. In a hot room, water as the topsoil dries out.

Excess water from the pan after watering is drained. Echeveria does not need high humidity and leaf spraying. Types of echeveria with dense white hairs on the leaves need to be watered less often.

Feed the plant with fertilizer for succulents once a month. Start top dressing in early spring, adding them to the water for irrigation.

Echeveria has faded - what to do next?

During flowering, the plant throws out a tall peduncle with brown, yellow or red bell flowers. Echeveria blooms in spring or summer. Flowering does not last long - 2 or 3 weeks.

If the seeds are not needed, immediately after flowering, the peduncle is cut off - the ripening of the seeds will deplete the plant's strength. When the echeveria has faded, they surround it with care, feed it with fertilizers for succulents, make sure that it has enough moisture and it is light.

Plant propagation

Echeveria can be grown from a leaf in spring or summer.

1. The leaf is carefully broken off from the plant, lubricating the broken place with charcoal.
2. It is dried for several days, and then placed on a moistened substrate.
3. Soon a sprout of a new plant with small roots will appear from the base of the leaf.
4. After it takes root and grows, it is transplanted into a separate container.

It is difficult to grow a plant from seeds, because they are dusty, very small. They are sown in February in a mixture of earth and sand. Fresh seeds germinate at 15 to 20°C in 2 weeks. The plant is also propagated by daughter rosettes, rooting in the soil mixture.

Diseases and pests - how to treat?

With excessive watering, the base of the rosette of leaves may rot. If yellow or brown spots appear on the leaves, this is a sign of a fungal disease. The affected plant is treated with a fungicide. All rotten parts are cut off, the sections are sprinkled with activated charcoal, and the plant is transplanted into fresh soil.

The plant is resistant to pests. Its thick leaves are not so easy to bite through.

Some species of Echeveria are affected by mealybugs. Sick plants are sprayed with "Fitoverm", "Aktellik" or "Aktara". Processing is carried out at an air temperature of 22 - 24 ° C. Repeat spraying with an interval of 7 days 2 or 3 times.

Potential Growing Problems

Growing problems can occur with improper care of the plant:

• with a lack of lighting, the internodes are strongly extended, the trunk is exposed between the leaves;
• the plant can get sick with a fungal disease or simply rot if water gets into the rosette of leaves during irrigation and stays there for a long time;
• from water droplets on the leaves, sunburn may appear if the plant is on the southern windowsill;
• shredding and drying of the leaves can be caused by insufficient watering.

The echeveria flower is an unpretentious plant and, with proper care, you can grow its most exotic species. The plant decorates the room all year round with an unusual type of leaves, and just like a money tree, it attracts prosperity and well-being to the house.

It is worth starting breeding in the spring or in the hot summer period, so that echeveria grows more intensively. But in winter you can plant a plant.

In winter, the plant takes root better and adapts to temperatures.

How to choose and prepare the land for planting?

A soil substrate of a suitable composition can be obtained by mixing sand with humus or peat in a ratio of 3:1 or 4:1. You can use regular river sand without any additives.

Ways to propagate at home

Reproduction is carried out in several ways: seeds, leaf cuttings, tops and rosettes.

seeds

Seeds need to be sown at the end of winter in the soil (the proportion of sand and peat is 1: 1). Be sure to cover the container with seeds with a film. The required temperature is 20-22 degrees. It is advisable to regularly spray and ventilate. After the seedlings sprout (about 2 weeks), they need to be transferred to pots with a mixture of earth and sand (2: 1).

You can learn about the basic rules for propagating echeveria with seeds.

leaf

Rosettes

Young rosettes appear in the axils of the leaves of mother plants in the form of buds, that spread like strawberry whiskers.

1. The daughter outlet must be separated from the adult plant and treated with chopped charcoal.
2. Dry for half a day.
3. After that, it is required to be placed in large, wet sand for rooting.
4. After a while (about a month), it will give roots and begin to grow as an independent plant.

tops

To get as many babies as possible, you need to choose an echeveria that begins to stretch. How to root a plant with the tip? A sharp object is required to carefully cut off the top of the plant, and it is desirable that the cut be at an acute angle.

Be sure to leave a few leaves. The top must be planted in sand in order for the succulent to give roots.

How to place in open ground?

Planting in open ground is possible, but it is necessary to plant only in well-warmed soil.

The vegetative propagation method is more suitable for planting echeveria.

The place should be lighted, moistened and cleared of weeds. Care must be taken to ensure that other plants do not interfere with the growth of Echeveria.

The distance between the processes must be selected large enough so as not to be seated in the future. After planting in open ground, it is necessary to water.

Aftercare

You can completely forget about the daily care of a succulent if you provide favorable soil conditions, plant it in a sunny place.

The plant does not need to be watered or fertilized. It is only necessary to carry out weeding and remove dead sockets.

What to do if the plant does not take root?

Echeveria is a hardy plant. With proper care, it very rarely gets sick and is affected by pests.

Due to violations in care, gardeners may face the following problems:

• Growth retardation and leaf shrinkage. The reason is the lack of moisture and nutrients. It is necessary to transplant the succulent into a larger container.
• The rosette of leaves is wrinkled. The reason is the lack of water. It is necessary to transplant echeveria to a less hot place.
• Leaves and stems turn black, it is worth reducing the number of waterings and increasing the temperature in the room. Be sure to remove the dead parts.

Echeveria have an unusual appearance and original inflorescences. Therefore, they are widely used for interior decoration. They can be planted both singly and included in compositions of succulents using stone.

Echeveria (Echeveria), or echeveria, belongs to the Crassula family, a genus of succulent plants. Among flower growers, such names as "stone rose" and "stone flower" are common. The birthplace of the flower is South and Central America, the arid regions of Peru and California, Mexico. The appearance of the succulent is impressive, but is it so difficult to care for it? You will learn about this from the article. We will also talk about possible problems in growing.

Outwardly, echeverias look like sculptures molded from dough or clay.

All types of echeveria are distinguished by the presence of a short stem, sometimes it is completely absent, or the plant occupies a “lying” position. At the ends of the shoots, dense rosettes (from 3 to 40 cm in diameter) flaunt, formed from even, fleshy and watery leaves. Leaves can be:

1. sedentary;
2. regular;
3. growing in a spiral.

The shape of the leaves is spatulate, sometimes there are belt-shaped and broadly lanceolate. The plate is flat, one-piece. They can be shiny (from a wax coating), with a fine fluff, densely located to each other. All these signs indicate that Echeveria is well able to defend itself from the scorching sun.

During the flowering period, one large peduncle appears in the rosette of leaves on the side or in the center, naked or covered with leaves. Echeveria flowers are usually bell-shaped, small. They have 5 petals up to 1.5 cm long. The color can be yellow, yellow-red, orange. Flower color depends on growing conditions. If the bud developed in sunny weather, the flowers will be bright, red, if in cloudy weather - yellow.

Common types of echeveria

In some species, the leaves have an unusual bright color.

We will learn about the most famous types of echeveria stone roses among flower growers.

1. Echeveria agavoides (Echeveria agavoides) . The stem of this succulent species is shortened or absent. The leaves are thick, fleshy, collected in small loose rosettes in the form of a ball. In shape - spatulate and oval with a sharp point at the ends. In color - light, almost white at the base and dark red at the edges. Wax on the surface. Blooms in late spring - from the center of the rosette produces a lot of peduncles with red-yellow flowers.
2. Echeveria Lau (Echeveria laui). The most impressive of all. The rosette is stemless, consists of a small number of wide oval leaves, densely covered with wax. Outwardly glossy flat and long (up to 6 cm) leaves resemble a sculpture molded from clay. Peduncles have many small leaves, the flowers are small, also completely covered with wax. From under a thick layer of plaque it is difficult to see the real color of the petals - bright pink or red. Many people confuse this type of succulent with echeveria young - a garden plant that tolerates low temperatures perfectly and has nothing to do with room echeveria. Although, both plants are popularly called "stone rose".
3. Echeveria derenbergii (Echeveria derenbergii) . The shoots creep, the sockets are in the shape of a cylinder, from the side they resemble fir cones. The leaves are wide, with pointed ends. In color - light green, appear white due to wax. Leaf margins are brown-red. The plant blooms from April to June. Produces several short peduncles. The number of flowers is from 3 to 5, the color is orange.
4. Echeveria cushion (Echeveria pulvinata) . There are few leaves in the rosettes of this succulent. All of them have fluff, very fleshy (up to 1 cm in thickness), elongated, pointed at the ends. They are shaped like an inverted egg. Light green in color with red edging. Flowering occurs in mid-spring. One long (up to 30 cm) peduncle with large red-orange flowers is produced.
5. Echeveria graceful (Echeveria elegans). The stem of the plant is short or absent altogether. One central outlet is in a horizontal position, several more grow vertically on the sides. The leaves are long and wide, strongly concave inward. The color is light green, the border is translucent. Covered with white wax. Peduncle releases in May-June. It is long, with large yellow flowers.
6. Echeveria bristly (Echeveriasetosa) . Rosettes of dark green leaves are densely pubescent, have the shape of a ball. The plates are wide, long, have a triangular top. The succulent blooms in late spring, releasing a long peduncle. The flowers are red-yellow, the petals are also abundantly covered with bristles.

Home Care Rules

Despite the external complexity and inaccessibility of the echeveria plant, caring for it at home does not require much effort.

Temperature

In summer, the flower feels comfortable at the usual temperatures for this season in the range of 22-27 degrees. In winter, it is desirable to provide coolness, not higher than 6-8 degrees. So the echeveria will retain its appearance, the sockets will not stretch and become loose.

Lighting

All succulents love bright light and are not afraid of sunlight, because they already have natural protection in the form of an abundant wax coating. The south side of the room is perfect for growing. In summer, you can take Echeveria to fresh air, the main thing is to protect it from rain.

Watering

Water the plant should be moderate, because. in nature, it grows in drought conditions. Between waterings, you need to make sure that the soil dries well. If the flower does not have enough moisture, it will signal this with shriveled leaves.

The usual method of watering in this case is not suitable - you need to make sure that moisture does not get on the leaves and does not wash off the wax coating. It is more expedient to use the bottom watering, filling the pot pan with water. The main thing is to drain the water in time when the soil is completely moistened.

Don't worry too much about humidity either. Echeveria tolerates dry indoor air well. Do not spray it or water it from the shower - this will harm the leaf cover.

Fertilization

Echeveria flower does not need frequent feeding. You can add liquid fertilizer for succulents once a month during the growing season. It is better to add them to the water for irrigation.

Does it need to be transplanted?

Young plants need an annual transplant, this should be done in the spring. Echeveria is transplanted very carefully, trying not to erase a thin layer of wax. With a sharp, alcohol-treated knife, dry roots are cut off, capturing 2-3 cm of healthy ones. The cut points are sprinkled with activated charcoal. Adult succulents need transplanting very rarely - once every 2-3 years.

How to grow echeveria

Echeveria is grown in flat wide pots.

The soil requirements for planting a plant are simple - the substrate must be loose, neutral and low-nutrient. A special soil for succulents, which can be bought at the store, is well suited. At home, you can add coarse river sand and brick chips to it.

The container for growing should be wide and necessarily shallow - the roots of plants of the Tolstyankov family do not deepen, but spread over the surface. The larger the area that the roots can occupy, the better the flower will grow.

First, a large layer of expanded clay is poured into the pot (about ¼ capacity) to ensure good drainage and protect the roots from rotting. Then the soil is poured, echeveria is placed on it and the resulting voids are filled. The first week the plant does not need to be watered, you need to give time to the roots to take root.

reproduction

Echeveria succulents can be propagated in the following ways.

seeds

The method is considered the most difficult, not everything can work out the first time. But if successful, you can grow several sprouts at once. You can buy seeds in the store, or you can collect them by hand. To do this, during the flowering period, you need to carefully monitor the flowers, pollinate them yourself and not miss the moment of seed ripening.

After collecting the seeds, they need to be spread out on the surface of the soil in containers and placed in a warm, bright place, covered with a film. It is better to take a transparent container, first make a layer of drainage, and then fill it with soil. After the appearance of sprouts with three leaves, the seedlings swoop down in separate containers.

Top rooting

In an adult plant, the lower leaves become unviable, fall off, exposing the stem. The top begins to lean downward, worsening the appearance of the plant. In this case, you can cut it off, dry it for 1-2 days and root it in another container. The requirements for the pot and soil are standard, as when planting. The only moment - you need to cover the container from above with a transparent cap, put it in a warm, bright place and maintain high humidity.

Leaves

The most effective propagation methods are rosettes or leaves.

The actions in this case are no different from the previous two methods. The leaves are dried, planted immediately in the soil, covered and provided with conditions - light, warm, humid. Leaves take root for quite a long time - up to 3-4 weeks.

Bloom

Echeveria usually blooms in spring or early summer. To achieve a large number of flowers, it is important to provide the desired temperature and daylight hours for at least 12-13 hours.

Diseases and pests

When growing echeveria, you should not be afraid of various diseases and pests, because. they hit these succulents very rarely. The reason is good protection in the form of a wax coating and bristles. But some problems may still arise.

First, it is rot and fungal diseases. The roots become soft, the stem turns black, the leaves turn yellow and fall off. If the problem is not noticed in time, the plant will die. Only an urgent transplant can help. Rotten roots and leaves are removed with a sharp knife, the cut points are treated with fungicides. The pot is washed and boiled. Subsequently, you need to carefully monitor the care and prevent non-compliance with the irrigation regime, stagnation of water at the base.

Classic succulent pests:

1. Mealy mites. They can appear if dead leaves at the base are not removed in time. Signs - the appearance of dirty white pellets on the leaves. Over time, they spread to the entire plant, the leaves turn yellow and fall off. For treatment, rubbing with a soap-alcohol solution is used, then treatment with insecticides.
2. Root worm. It affects the roots of the plant, sucking juices out of them. The problem can be seen when transplanting. The old pot is thoroughly washed, sterilized. The roots are also washed with hot water. To prevent further damage, insecticides are added to the water for irrigation.

Other problems

Some growing problems can arise from improper care.

Although the process of growing echeveria is simple, problems cannot be avoided. Some problems that may arise:

1. The appearance of black spots on the leaves is a consequence of the ingress of drops of water and the erasure of the wax coating.
2. Blackening of the stem and leaves - abundant watering and non-compliance with the temperature regime.
3. The leaves are deformed - as a result of improper use of insecticides, applying a large amount of fertilizer or watering with too hard water.
4. The sockets are loose, the stems are elongated, the leaves are light - this is the result of a lack of light and heat.
5. The leaves become smaller - the plant is cramped in a pot, you need to transplant it.

Price

You can buy echeveria in a flower shop. The cost for a pot with a young plant varies from 500 to 2500 rubles, depending on the type.