Echeveria subsessilis
| Light | Bright light to gentle full sun; good colour needs plenty of light |
|---|---|
| Water | Soak and dry completely between waterings; lean in winter |
| Soil | Fast-draining, gritty mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Keep above freezing; USDA zones 9b–11 |
| Propagation | Offsets, leaf cuttings and stem beheading |
| Toxicity | Non-toxic to cats and dogs |
Echeveria subsessilis is a rosette-forming succulent grown for its chalky blue-green leaves rimmed with a warm pink-to-red edge. It is one of the most familiar ornamental Echeveria, sold almost everywhere under the trade name Morning Beauty — to the point that many growers know the plant only by that cultivar name. The name Echeveria subsessilis is not currently accepted botanically; it is widely treated as a synonym of Echeveria desmetiana (also known as Echeveria peacockii) and is used in the trade for a robust, well-coloured form of that species.
Description
Echeveria subsessilis forms a tidy, flattish rosette of broad, spoon-shaped leaves. The foliage is coated in a fine waxy bloom (a natural farina) that gives it a pastel blue-grey cast; in strong light the leaf margins and tips flush pink to rosy red, the trait that makes the plant so sought after. The bloom is easily rubbed off by handling and does not regrow on that leaf, so plants are best moved by the pot or the stem.
Rosettes are usually solitary when young but slowly offset and can develop a short stem with age. In spring and summer mature plants send up arching flower stalks bearing small, bell-shaped blooms in warm coral-to-orange and yellow tones, typical of the genus.
Distribution and habitat
Like most of the genus, Echeveria subsessilis originates in Mexico (the states of Puebla and Oaxaca), where echeverias grow on rocky slopes and cliff faces in bright, seasonally dry conditions. In habitat these plants root in thin, gritty soils with excellent drainage and endure long dry spells, which is a useful guide to how they should be watered in cultivation.
Cultivation
This is an easy, forgiving succulent and a good choice for beginners. Grow it in a very free-draining, gritty mix in a pot with a drainage hole, and give it as much bright light as you can — ample light is what keeps the rosette compact and brings out the pink margins, whereas too little light causes the plant to stretch and fade to plain green (see Etiolation).
Water by the soak-and-dry method: wet the mix thoroughly, then let it dry out completely before watering again. Water into the soil rather than over the rosette, since moisture trapped in the centre invites rot, and take special care to keep the plant on the dry side through the cool, dark months. Protect it from frost; while it tolerates a brief chill, it is not reliably hardy below freezing. Repot every couple of years into fresh mix; see Watering and Repotting for general technique.
Propagation
Echeveria subsessilis is readily increased by vegetative means. Established plants produce offsets that can be separated once they have their own roots. Whole, clean leaves pulled from the stem will often strike as leaf cuttings, forming a tiny plantlet at the base after callusing. A leggy or overgrown rosette can also be beheaded and re-rooted as a stem cutting, and the decapitated stump will frequently push out a cluster of new offsets. Allow all cut or detached surfaces to callus for a few days before setting them on barely moist mix.
Cultivars
The plant in commerce is almost always sold as Morning Beauty, chosen for its especially clean blue leaves and reliable pink edging, and this name is often treated as synonymous with the species on nursery labels. Its exact origin is unsettled — sources variously treat it as a naturally occurring selection of the species and as a hybrid — but horticulturally it behaves like the plants described here. As with many popular echeverias, occasional variegated and crested sports appear; these are slower and generally need brighter light and a little more care than the plain form.
Common problems
- Rot — the usual cause of loss, from overwatering, a slow-draining mix, or water sitting in the crown; the rosette softens and browns from the centre or base.
- Etiolation — too little light stretches the stem, spaces out the leaves and washes out the pink margins.
- Pests — mealybugs (white fluff tucked between the leaves and in the roots) and the occasional aphid on flower stalks; see Pests and diseases.
- Lost bloom — the waxy farina rubs off where the plant is handled, leaving permanent shiny fingerprints on those leaves.
See also
- Echeveria — the genus overview
- Soil and potting mix · Watering · Repotting · Propagation — offsets · Propagation — cuttings