Echeveria Care Indoors, Propagation, Common Problems & Solutions
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Echeveria require bright light with some sunlight, average warmth and humidity, and moderately moist, rich, well-drained soil coupled with regular feeding in the growing season.
Echeveria are easy to grow and propagate succulent plants which form a rosette of short, beautiful, tightly packed leaves on short stems and the flowers are on short stalks (cymes) arising from the compact rosettes of leaves.
The leaves are covered with a white bloom, short hairs or a waxy coating making these plants a sight to behold which place these plants among the best plants for a study table or even perfect gift plants for mother's day.
The succulent leaves store water and allow these plants to survive well in drought conditions which makes Echeveria some of the best plants with low water needs for home growing.
Echeveria species are polycarpic that is to say they may flower and set seed many times over the course of their lifetime.
Echeveria Plants bear numerous offsets (pups) at the base of the plant which give the plant the name hen and chicks although this name may also refer to other genera like Sempervivum.
Botanical name: Echeveria
Family: Crassulaceae
Subfamily: Sempervivoideae
Origin
Echeveria is a large genus of flowering plants, native to semi-desert areas of Central America, Mexico and northwestern South America.
Varieties
Many gorgeous hybrids of Echeveria have been developed and there is a wide selection to choose from. Their leaves are 1-3 inches long and each popular species or variety has its own distictive feature. Some Echeveria Plants are low-growing, flattened rosettes and others grow as rosette-topped trees.
Some common varieties include Echeveria harmsii (Plush Plant ), Echeveria derenbergii (Painted Lady Echeveria), Echeveria desmetiana (Peacock Echeveria), Echeveria amoena and Echeveria carnicolor. Check out these popular Echeveria succulents ideal for indoor growing.
Are Echeveria toxic?
Echeveria are non-toxic to humans and pets as indicated by ASPCA. They are among the pet friendly plants ideal for the home, office and other suitable places.
Related Plants
Echeveria are closely related to Sempervivum (Houseleeks) which form mats of tufted, rounded leaves with pointed tips in rosettes and Aeonium (Tree Houseleeks) which bear succulent, glossy, spoon-shaped leaves typically arranged on a basal stem in a dense spreading rosette.
Where to Buy
If you are looking to add Echeveria to your collection, you may acquire these plants online from Etsy (Link to Etsy).
How to Care for Echeveria Indoors
To care for Echeveria indoors, provide bright light with 4-6 hours of direct sunlight, warmth of 16-280C, humidity of 50-55% and moderately moist, well-drained soil coupled with fortnightly feeding in spring and summer.
Echeveria Plants do not not require regular repotting as they have a small root system. Pruning is necessary to keep the plants neat and tidy as well as discourage pest and disease infestations. Keep reading for more on these growing conditions and how to provide them.
Light Requirements
Does Echeveria need sun or shade?
Echeveria grow best in bright light with 4-6 hours of direct sunlight. Do not expose the plants to too hot direct sunlight before acclimating them as they can get sun scorched.
Too little light will result in a leggy growth, yellowing and leaf loss. Therefore, where natural light is not sufficient, you may use full spectrum grow lights to increase it.
Rotate the pot regularly to ensure that the plant receives light on all sides for even growth and prevent lopsided growth.
Watering
How often should I water Echeveria?
Water your Echeveria liberally in spring and summer and allow the top 2-3 inches of soil to dry out between waterings. Keep the soil moderately moist and avoid overwatering to prevent rotting, yellowing and leaf drop.
Cut down on watering in fall and winter to maintain the soil barely moist as growth is reduced at this time. However, do not allow the soil to dry out completely to avoid wilting, drooping, yellowing and leaf fall.
Use room temperature water to avoid cold shock which can result in stunted growth and leaf loss. Ensure that the water is free of chlorine and other dissolved chemicals to prevent staining and browning of leaf tips and edges.
Confirm that the pot has a drainage hole and the soil is fast-draining to prevent waterlogging which can lead to rotting and death of the plant.
Take care not to wet the center of the rosette as it can lead to rotting; you may water from the bottom instead.
Temperature & Humidity
Echeveria thrive in a warmth of 16-280C during the growing season. Keep the plants away from sources of drafts as they can cause reduced growth, yellowing and leaf drop.
Echeveria prefer a humidity of 50-55%; they have no need for extra humidity. Make sure that there is good air circulation to minimize fungal diseases infestations.
Fertilizer
Feed your Echeveria Plants with a succulents fertilizer every 2 weeks in spring and summer. Withhold feeding in fall and winter to prevent fertilizer burn as growth is slowed at this time.
Occasionally leach out excess salts by running a stream of water through the soil until it comes out through the drainage hole. Let it run for 5-10 minutes to get rid of as much salt as possible.
Potting Soil
The best potting medium for Echeveria should be rich in organic matter, loose and fast-draining to avoid waterlogging. It should be loose enough to allow water to drain out fast enough. Most Cactus and succulents mixes are perfect for these plants.
Repotting
Echeveria have a small root system so frequent repotting is not necessary. Repot at the beginning of the growing season (spring to early summer), only when it becomes crowded in its current pot.
Use a pot 1 size larger and one that has a drainage hole to prevent the soil from getting soggy as it can lead to rotting. Use a shallow pot and be careful not to bury the stems to prevent rotting. Check out these succulents pots on Amazon.
Pruning
Pruning Echeveria entails removal of dead or diseased leaves to maintain the plant neat and tidy as well as discourage pests and diseases.
If the plant becomes straggly with a nice rosette sitting on top of a long woody stem; cut off the rosette, allow it to dry (callus) in dry potting soil and it will root and grow into a new plant.
The woody stem can also be used for propagation where plantlets will form at the top of the stem. These plantlets can be seperated from the stem when about 4-6 leaves have formed and grown in their own pots.
Echeveria Propagation
Echeveria Plants are propagated from offsets (pups) which form at the base of the plant or from leaf cuttings. Propagate at the beginning of the growing season (spring to early summer) for faster establishment.
1. Propagating Echeveria from offsets (pups)
- Select an offset which has several leaves as it is more likely to root and establish faster.
- Carefully seperate the offset from the mother plant by cutting with a sharp sterilized knife or pair of scissors.
- Allow the offset to dry (callus) for 1-3 days before potting to prevent rotting.
- Pot the offset in its individual pot in moist, free-draining soil. Ensure that the pot has a drainage hole to prevent waterlogging which can lead to rotting.
- Position the pot in a warm, well-lit place away from direct sunlight to avoid scorching.
- Water sparingly, only when the soil is dry until the new plant is well established.
- Allow the offset to be well established before transplanting it into a pot one size larger after which you can begin routine care.
2. Propagating Echeveria from leaf cuttings
Echeveria leaf cuttings root easily thus there is no need for a rooting hormone.
- Take leaf cuttings from a healthy plant while ensuring that you are using the complete leaf as leaves whose base is broken may not root.
- Allow the leaf cuttings to dry (callus) for 1-3 days to prevent rotting.
- Lay the leaves on moist soil and do not allow the cut end to touch the soil to prevent rotting.
- Place the set up in a warm, well-lit place away from direct sunlight to prevent scorching.
- Maintain the soil moist through out by light misting. Roots will grow from the cut end into the moist soil and soon after, new plants will develop.
- Carefully lift the new plants and pot in individual pots while taking care not to damage the delicate roots.
- Maintain the soil slightly moist until the new plants are well established after which you can begin routine care.
Echeveria Problems & Remedies
Echeveria problems are yellowing leaves, leaf fall, wilting & drooping, leggy growth, brown leaf tips, pests and diseases among others. Keep reading for more on these problems and how to fix them.
Yellowing leaves
Why is my Echeveria turning yellow?
The main causes of yellow leaves on your Echeveria are insufficient light, soggy soil, inconsistent watering, drafts, nutrients deficiency or aging.
How to fix it
Insufficient light: Position the plant in bright light with 4-6 hours of sunlight or use a grow light if you do not have adequate light in your home.
Soggy soil: Use a fast-draining soil and a pot with a drainage hole.
Inconsistent watering: Water when the top 2-3 inches of soil feel dry but do not allow the soil to dry out completely. Do not water on schedule.
Drafts: Keep the plant away from sources of drafts like hot air vents, AC units, hot surfaces, windy doors among others.
Nutrients deficiency: Feed the plant with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer every 2 weeks in spring and summer.
Aging: This is a natural process. As the plant matures the lower leaves turn yellow and drop off.
Leaf fall
Why are my Echeveria leaves falling off?
Your Echeveria leaves are falling off due to inconsistent watering, soggy soil, too little light, cold drafts or use of cold water.
How to fix it
Inconsistent watering: Water when the top 2-3 inches of soil dry out but never allow the soil ball to dry out completely.
Soggy soil: Use a pot with a drainage hole and fast-draining soil.
Too little light: Position the plant in bright light with 4-6 hours of sunlight or use a grow light if you do not have enough light in your home.
Cold drfats: Keep the plant away from sources of cold drafts like windy doors, drafty windows, AC units among others.
Use of cold water: Use water that is at room temperature to avoid cold shock.
Wilting & drooping leaves
Wilting and drooping leaves on Echeveria are caused by inconsistent watering, soggy soil, temperature stress or salts buildup.
How to fix it
Inconsistent watering: Do not water on a schedule. Water when the top 2-3 inches of soil dry out and never allow the soil to dry out completely.
Soggy soil: Ensure that the pot has a drainage hole and the soil drains easily.
Temperature stress: Keep the plant away from sources of drafts like AC units, hot air vents, hot surfaces, windy doors among others.
Salts buildup: Regularly flush out excess salts by running water through the soil until it comes out through the drainage hole. Let it run for 5-10 minutes to get rid of most of the salts.
Leggy growth
Leggy growth (elongated stems and misshappen) on Echeveria Plants is caused by too little light or overwatering.
How to fix it
Too little light: Move the plant to a brighter spot where it will receive bright light with 4-6 hours of sunlight or instal a grow light if the natural lighting is not sufficient.
Overwatering: Do not water on a schedule; water only when the top 2-3 inches of soil feel dry to the touch.
Brown leaf tips
Brown leaf tips on Echeveria are due to underwatering or salts buildup.
How to fix it
Underwatering: Water the plant when the top 2-3 inches of soil dry out and never allow the soil to dry out completely for a prolonged period.
Salts buildup: Regularly get rid of accumulated salts by running a stream of water through the soil until it comes out through the drainage hole. Let it run for 5-10 minutes to remove most of the salts.
Pests
Common pests on Echeveria Plants are scale insects, mealybugs and spider mites which are prevalent in dry air conditions.
How to fix it
- Isolate the affected plant to prevent spread to other plants.
- Treat the infested plant with neem oil or insecticidal soap as recommended by the manufacturers.
- Regularly check underneath and between the leaves for these pests and carry out timely control measures.
- Maintain good air flow to discourage the pests infestations.
Diseases
Echeveria are prone to powdery mildew, leaf spot and basal stem-rot disease:
1. Powdery mildew which is prevalent in damp conditions coupled with poor ventilation.
How to fix it
- Isolate the affected plant to prevent spread to other plants.
- Spray the affected plant with neem oil as recommended by the manufacturer.
- Take care not to wet the leaves or water from the bottom instead.
- Ensure proper air circulation to discourage the disease infestation.
2. Leaf spot disease which is enhanced by overwet conditions coupled with poor air circulation. It is characterized by brown, soft leaf spots.
How to fix it
- Isolate the affected plant to prevent spread to other plants.
- Spray the affected plant with a systemic fungicide and ensure to follow the manufacturer's instructions.
- Avoid wetting the center of the rosette during watering; you may water from the bottom.
- Improve ventilation to ensure good air circulation for the plant.
3. Basal stem-rot disease which is brought about by overwet conditions. The disease is characterized by a rotting plant base and stems collapse.
How to fix it
- At this point, the plant is too far gone and cannot be saved.
- Use the upper stem to propagate new plants and discard the infected parts.
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