Echeveria derenbergii
| Light | Bright light to a little direct sun; good light keeps rosettes tight and colourful |
|---|---|
| Water | Water thoroughly, then let the soil dry out fully; keep drier and cooler in winter |
| Soil | Gritty, fast-draining mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Keep above freezing; USDA zones 9b–11 |
| Propagation | Offsets (primary); leaf and stem cuttings; seed |
| Toxicity | Non-toxic to cats and dogs |
Echeveria derenbergii is a small, freely clustering echeveria from the mountains of Oaxaca, Mexico, prized for its neat rosettes of pale blue-green leaves finished with a blush of red along the tips and margins. It offsets so eagerly that a single plant soon becomes a tidy cushion of overlapping rosettes, a habit that — together with its soft colouring — earned it the affectionate common name painted lady.
Description
Echeveria derenbergii forms compact, low rosettes usually only a few centimetres across, made up of thick, spoon-shaped leaves. The leaves are pale green to bluish, coated in a fine powdery farina that gives them a soft matte finish, and each leaf carries a short pointed tip and a fine reddish edge that reddens further in bright light and cool weather.
The species is a determined clumper, producing offsets on short stems from around the base of the rosette so that plants quickly build into dense mounds. In late winter to spring it sends up short, arching flower stalks bearing nodding bell-shaped blooms of yellow flushed with orange-red — a cheerful, understated display typical of the genus.
Distribution and habitat
The species is native to Oaxaca in southern Mexico, where it grows on rocky slopes and cliff faces at moderate to high elevation. In habitat it roots into gritty, sharply drained pockets among rock, exposed to strong light but buffered from extreme heat by altitude — conditions worth keeping in mind when growing it at home.
Cultivation
Echeveria derenbergii is an easygoing, beginner-friendly succulent and one of the more forgiving members of the genus. Grow it in a gritty, free-draining mix in bright light — a few hours of gentle direct sun will keep the rosettes tight, compact and well coloured, while too little light makes them stretch and pale. Water thoroughly once the soil has dried out completely, then wait; ease off through winter, keeping the plant cooler and drier to encourage spring flowering and prevent rot.
The powdery farina on the leaves is easily rubbed off and does not grow back, so handle plants by the base and avoid watering directly over the foliage where you can. Its clumping habit means plants outgrow their pots readily, so repot every couple of years to refresh the mix and divide crowded clusters.
Propagation
The easiest method is simply to remove the freely produced offsets, let any cut surface callus for a day or two, and pot them into barely moist mix. The species also grows readily from leaf and stem cuttings — a plump leaf twisted cleanly from the rosette will often root and form a new plantlet — and can be raised from seed, though offsets are far quicker and truer to the parent.
Cultivars
E. derenbergii is best known not for named selections of its own but as a parent in hybrids; its tidy habit and soft colouring have been passed into many crosses grown across the hobby. The widely grown Echeveria 'Lola' is commonly cited as a hybrid of E. derenbergii with E. lilacina.
Common problems
- Rot — the usual cause of loss, almost always from overwatering or a mix that holds moisture; rosettes soften and blacken from the centre or base.
- Etiolation — too little light stretches the stems and opens up the rosette, and the pale colouring loses its blush.
- Pests — mealybugs love to hide deep between the tightly packed leaves and among the offsets; watch for white fluff and treat early (see Pests and diseases).
- Marked leaves — rubbed farina and water spots are cosmetic and permanent on that leaf, but new growth comes in clean.
See also
- Echeveria — the genus overview
- Propagation — offsets · Propagation — cuttings · Soil and potting mix · Watering · Repotting · Pests and diseases