Echeveria agavoides
| Light | Bright light to full sun; the more light, the stronger the leaf colour |
|---|---|
| Water | Moderately in growth, allowing the soil to dry fully between waterings; keep nearly dry in winter |
| Soil | Fast-draining gritty mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Keep above freezing; USDA zones 9b–11 |
| Propagation | Offsets and seed; leaf cuttings less reliable |
| Toxicity | Non-toxic to cats and dogs |
Echeveria agavoides is a compact, rosette-forming succulent from the highlands of central Mexico, named for its stiff, sharply pointed leaves that give the plant the look of a small Agave rather than a typical soft-leaved Echeveria. Its triangular leaves are often edged and tipped in red — hence the common name lipstick echeveria — and this trait has made it the parent of many prized 'red edge' cultivars.
Description
Echeveria agavoides forms a tight, symmetrical rosette usually 8–15 cm across, with fleshy, triangular leaves that are much firmer and more pointed than those of most echeverias. The leaves are typically bright apple-green, smooth and waxy, and taper to a fine reddish or brownish terminal spine. In strong light the leaf margins and tips flush a vivid pink to deep red, and stressed plants can colour up almost entirely.
Unlike many stem-forming succulents, the species stays close to the ground on a very short stem, and mature plants gradually produce offsets around the base to form small clusters. In spring and summer it sends up slender arching flower stalks bearing lantern-shaped blooms in pink and orange with yellow tips, held well clear of the rosette.
Distribution and habitat
The species is native to rocky slopes and outcrops in the central Mexican states, including San Luis Potosí, Guanajuato and Hidalgo. It grows in well-drained, mineral soils among rocks, often in exposed positions where it receives strong sunlight and sharp drainage — conditions that account for both its firm growth and its readiness to develop red coloration.
Cultivation
Echeveria agavoides is one of the more forgiving and rewarding echeverias to grow, and does well as a windowsill, greenhouse or bright-patio plant. Give it as much light as you can — several hours of direct sun brings out the red margins that make the plant desirable, while too little light produces a loose, pale, stretched rosette. Grow it in a gritty, free-draining mix and water thoroughly once the soil has dried out completely, then let it dry again; ease right off through winter, when the plant rests and is prone to rot if kept damp and cold.
Good airflow helps prevent water sitting in the tight crown, which can cause the central leaves to rot. See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
Propagation
The species can be propagated several ways. Established plants offset over time, and these offsets can be separated once they have their own roots. Individual leaves, cleanly removed and left to callus, can sometimes root and form plantlets, though this species is less reliable from leaves than many echeverias (see Propagation — cuttings). It also sets seed readily when flowers are pollinated, and seed is the usual route for raising new hybrids and selections.
Cultivars
E. agavoides has been selected and hybridised extensively for leaf colour and form. Notable named plants include Lipstick (also sold as Red Edge, with brilliant red-margined leaves), Ebony selections with very dark, near-black margins, and the Corderoyi and Prolifera forms. It is also a parent of many intergeneric and interspecific hybrids grown for their crisp, colourful rosettes.
Common problems
- Crown and root rot — the most common cause of loss, usually from overwatering, water trapped in the tight rosette, or a slow-draining mix.
- Etiolation — too little light stretches the rosette, spaces out the leaves and washes out the red coloration.
- Pests — mealybugs (white fluff between the leaves and at the roots) and, less often, aphids on the flower stalks and vine weevil in the roots. See Pests and diseases.
See also
- Echeveria — the genus overview
- Soil and potting mix · Watering · Propagation — offsets · Propagation — cuttings · Propagation — seed · Repotting