Echeveria cante
| Light | Bright light to gentle full sun; needs strong light to keep the powdery bloom and compact form |
|---|---|
| Water | Water thoroughly then allow to dry fully; reduce in winter (see Watering) |
| Soil | Gritty, fast-draining mineral mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Keep above freezing; happiest in warm, dry, airy conditions (roughly USDA zones 9b–11) |
| Propagation | Seed and leaf; offsets are uncommon in this species |
| Toxicity | Non-toxic to cats and dogs |
Echeveria cante is a large, solitary Echeveria from the highlands of Zacatecas in north-central Mexico, widely regarded as one of the most beautiful species in the genus. Its broad, upward-cupped leaves are coated in a heavy white farinose bloom that gives the whole rosette a silvery blue-grey cast, and each leaf is finished with a delicate pink to rose-red margin.
Description
Echeveria cante forms a large, mostly solitary rosette that can reach 30–40 cm across on a mature plant, held on a short stem. The leaves are broad, thin and slightly wavy, cupping gently upward and coming to a soft point. Their most striking feature is the dense, chalky white farina — a natural waxy bloom — over a pale blue to lilac-grey leaf, edged with a fine pink to reddish margin that deepens with strong light. This waxy coating rubs off easily where handled, so plants are best moved by the pot or stem rather than the leaves.
In summer it sends up tall, arching flower stalks bearing pinkish-orange bell-shaped flowers, frosted with bloom on the outside and yellowish within, similar in form to other large Echeveria species. The rosette flowers from lateral stalks and is not killed by blooming, but it offsets only sparingly, so the main rosette is usually kept as the show plant.
Distribution and habitat
The species is native to the highlands of Zacatecas in north-central Mexico, where it grows on rocky slopes and cliffs at moderate to high elevation. In habitat it experiences bright, intense mountain sunlight, sharp drainage, cool nights and a strongly seasonal climate of summer rains and a dry, cooler winter. The heavy farina is thought to help protect the leaves from this intense high-altitude light and to reduce water loss.
Wild populations are limited in range, and like many prized Mexican succulents the plant is far better acquired as a nursery-propagated specimen than collected from habitat.
Cultivation
Echeveria cante is a rewarding but slightly demanding rosette that rewards patience with an exceptional, almost ghostly silver-blue plant. Grow it in a very free-draining, mostly mineral mix and give it as much bright light as you can — strong light is what keeps the rosette tight, the bloom heavy and the leaf margins blushed; too little light and the plant stretches and loses its symmetry.
Water thoroughly when the soil has dried out completely, then let it dry again; err on the dry side, especially in winter, as the broad thin leaves and dense bloom make the plant prone to rot if kept wet or watered from overhead. Avoid splashing the foliage — water sitting in the cupped rosette or droplets marking the farina can cause blemishes and encourage rot. Good airflow and warm, dry conditions suit it best. See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
Propagation
Echeveria cante is most reliably grown from seed, and named plants in the trade are frequently seed-raised. Leaf propagation is possible but can be less dependable than with smaller, faster Echeveria, as the large thin leaves are more inclined to fail before rooting. The species offsets only sparingly, so division is not a common method. See Propagation — seed and Propagation — cuttings for the general approaches.
Cultivars
E. cante is valued as much for its use in breeding as for the species itself. Its heavy farina, size and pink-edged leaves have made it a popular parent in Echeveria hybrids aimed at large, powdery, pastel rosettes; crosses with other large-leaved species are common in the hobby.
Common problems
- Rot — the usual cause of loss; overwatering, water trapped in the crown, or a slow-draining mix will soften and brown the base or centre.
- Marked bloom — the farina rubs or spots easily from handling, overhead watering or rain, leaving permanent fingerprints and blemishes; move the plant by its pot.
- Etiolation — too little light stretches the rosette, opens it out and dulls the pink margins.
- Pests — mealybugs (white fluff between the leaves and around the roots) and, in dry stagnant air, occasional spider mites; see Pests and diseases.
See also
- Echeveria — the genus overview
- Soil and potting mix · Watering · Propagation — seed · Propagation — cuttings · Repotting · Pests and diseases