With their wonderful grey-green waxy colours and absolutely symmetrical appearance, Echeverias must certainly be one of the most beautiful succulents on our planet. Add to that the ease with which they propagate and the minimal care they need, and you have a winner!
Echeverias are native to semi-desert areas of Central America, Mexico and north-western South America and although they do thrive in hot, desert conditions, with a bit of extra water you will have the biggest and most gorgeous plants that reward with lots and lots of flowers.
Most will tolerate shade and some frost, although hybrids, like this E. imbricata (or glauca), tend to be less tolerant. I often bring my most prized plants which are in pots, indoors for winterizing.
Echeveria imbricata planted in an old dog basket
Large Echeveria imbricata (10" in dia), sharing a concrete pot with some waxy-green Aeoniums. A shade-loving Aloe zebrina took hold at the base of the pot, probably a seed spread by birds.
The beautiful flowers of E. imbricata
Once they start flowering, there's no stopping them!
This succulent propagates by making lots of pups which can be separated and planted out to form new clumps and in a few months you could
have cultivated a beautiful collection! It is also easily propagated by taking a leaf and sticking it in some sandy soil, keeping it slightly moist until roots have formed, when a new little plant will emerge next to the leaf cutting.
A few Echeverias planted in front of some Phormiums soon spread to cover the whole area in a matter of two seasons.
