Growing Season:
Summer
Dormant Season:
Winter
- Hardy to USDA Zone: 10a
- Size: Over 6" wide
- Foliage: Greenish white, glaucous
- Flower: Rose pink
- Propagation: Stem cuttings, leaves, seed, offsets
- Light: Full sun, bright shade
- Water: Drench & Dry
- Soil: Gritty, mostly inorganic, quickly draining
- Origin: Mexico
About Echeveria simulans
Echeveria simulans gets its name from its similarities to Echeveria elegans. Another name for it is Echeveria elegans var. simulans .
Echeveria simulans has larger rosettes and larger, thinner leaves compared to E. elegans. The rosettes are also flatter and edges can be ruffled.
Echeveria simulans is one of the harder to find species, so if you see one for sale, snag it for your collection!
Where to Buy Succulents Online
I receive a small commission when you purchase anything through my links.
General Guide to Echeveria Care
These beauties are one of the most popular succulents for beginners and experienced gardeners alike. There are hundreds of echeveria species, hybrids and cultivars which makes them a fun succulent to collect. Their origin is mostly from Mexico and the rest from Central America, South America and the United States.
Echeveria: The Beautiful Succulent for Every Garden
Echeveria is a stunning succulent that has been gaining popularity in recent years for its unique and beautiful foliage. These plants are native to Mexico and Central America and are known for their rosette shape and colorful leaves. They are a great addition to any garden or landscape and can even be grown indoors. In this blog post, we will explore the different types of Echeveria, their care and maintenance, and how to incorporate them into your garden design.
Care and Maintenance
Echeveria is a relatively low maintenance plant, making it a great option for both experienced and novice gardeners. Here are a few things to keep in mind when caring for your Echeveria:
Light and Temperature
Echeveria prefers bright, indirect sunlight. They can tolerate some shade, but too much will cause the colors to fade. These plants prefer temperatures between 60-80°F (15-26°C) and should be protected from frost.
Watering and Soil
Echeveria should be watered deeply but infrequently, allowing the soil to dry out completely before watering again. These plants prefer well-draining soil and should be planted in a pot with drainage holes.
Propagation and Potting
Echeveria can be propagated easily from leaves or offsets. Simply remove a healthy leaf from the base of the plant and allow it to callus over for a few days before planting. Be sure to use a well-draining soil mix when potting Echeveria.
Common Problems and Solutions
One of the most common problems with Echeveria is over-watering, which can lead to root rot. Be sure to allow the soil to dry out completely before watering again. If you notice yellowing or wilting leaves, it is likely a sign of under-watering. Echeveria is also susceptible to mealybugs, which can be controlled with a solution of water and dish soap.
Design and Decorating with Echeveria
Echeveria is a versatile plant that can be used in a variety of ways in your garden. Here are a few ideas:
- Use Echeveria in rock gardens or as ground cover.
- Combine Echeveria with other succulents for a stunning display.
- Incorporate Echeveria into your patio or deck decor.
- Use Echeveria in mixed container gardens.
Climate Zones
Echeveria is hardy in zones 9-11, which means it can survive in areas where the temperatures are relatively warm all year round. In colder zones, they can be grown as indoor plants or in containers that can be brought inside during the winter.
Conclusion
Echeveria is a beautiful and unique succulent that can add a touch of color and elegance to any garden or landscape. With its low maintenance requirements and wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, there is a Echeveria for every taste. By following the care and maintenance tips outlined in this blog post, you can ensure your Echeveria thrives for years to come.
Additional Resources
- For more information on Echeveria and other succulent varieties, check out the website of the International Succulent Introductions (ISI) which is an organization that promotes the cultivation, preservation, and study of succulent plants.
- The Cactus and Succulent Society of America (CSSA) is another great resource for information on Echeveria and other succulents.
We hope this blog post has inspired you to add Echeveria to your garden or landscaping. Share your experiences and photos with us, we would love to see how you incorporate this beautiful plant into your own garden!
Echeveria simulans Care Indoors - Try to Mimic the Outdoors
Indoor echeveria kept as houseplants generally won’t need watering as frequently as the ones kept outdoors. Water them once the soil dries out AND they show signs of thirst. In the winter, they can go longer in between waterings when they are dormant.
When caring for echeveria indoors, be sure to give them lots and lots of light- natural or supplemented by grow lights. Most echeverias aren’t the best succulent to grow indoors as house plants because they need so much sun to keep your echeveria from growing tall. They become weaker and unhealthy when they start to lose their compact rosette shape.
In addition to lots of light, be sure to provide your indoor echeveria with lots of ventilation. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to set a fan up near them to keep air flowing all the time. Stagnant air is the perfect environment for harmful bacteria and fungus which can lead to rot.
Best Soil for Echeveria simulans
Never let the soil remain waterlogged by using a very porous, gritty, well draining soil in a pot with a drainage hole. Amend your soil with at least 50% inorganic amendment. Echeveria are sensitive to root rot when over watered. See the Guide to Soil for Succulents for more information about the different amendments that people use for succulents and where you can buy them. Echeveria can tolerate long periods without water as it is stored in their fleshy leaves and stem.
How to Water Echeveria simulans
Water echeveria varieties a little more during their active summer growing season between March and September approximately. Be sure to let the soil dry out between waterings. Water sparingly in the winter when they are dormant. They will not be able to take in as much water through their roots when they are in a dormant state. In their natural habitat, they have long periods of drought between heavy rain events so try to mimic this when you are watering.
Always avoid getting the leaves wet especially in humid areas to keep water from remaining trapped between the leaves. This will lead to rot. Bottom watering works well in the case of potted echeveria. It takes a LOT longer to kill an echeveria from dehydration than overwatering, so always err on the side of underwatering.
Echeveria simulans Sunlight Needs
The more light your echeveria gets, the more brilliant its colors will become. During the cooler months, their colors really get dramatic because you’ll be watering them less as well.
Bending leaves and stretching stems indicate low light levels. This is also known as etiolation. Bending and stretching are their way of trying to reach for more light by increasing their surface area. To fix this, gradually increase the amount of light over a few days to a week to avoid sunburn. Putting an echeveria in full sunlight abruptly will cause irreversible sun damage.
If the etiolation is severe, you will need to behead your echeveria, let the cut end callus and replant it in dry succulent soil. Give it the proper amount of light to avoid etiolation again. From there, you can propagate the lower leaves and babies will form on the remaining stem.
How to Propagate Echeveria simulans
Propagation of your echeveria can happen by leaf, seeds and stem cuttings. Be sure that the leaves make a clean break from the stem node if propagating leaves. A mature echeveria will have more propagation success than a young one.
Do echeveria die after flowering?
Generally, no. Echeveria are not monocarpic like sempervivum, aeonium and agave. They will bloom yearly in the spring and summer with long arching flower stalks that have several flowers at the ends. Their small, brightly colored flowers will last for a few weeks and will attract hummingbirds and other pollinators to your outdoor succulent garden. The energy needed to create a flower stalk can be taxing on your echeveria, so you may notice the leaves starting to look a little shabby. This is normal and once the flower stalks are removed, your echeveria will begin to perk up again. I actually cut the bloom stalks off right before they flower because I prefer the energy to go to making new leaves rather than flowers. I also find that the leaves on bloom stalks are more likely to propagate successfully so I remove those as well. See my Guide to Propagating Leaves for my step-by-step leaf propagation process.
I did mention that they GENERALLY don’t die after flowering. On occasion, echeveria will throw out a terminal inflorescence (flower stalk) from the very very center of the plant. When this happens, the echeveria will die after flowering. In my experience, the echeveria varieties that have given me terminal blooms are Echeveria ‘Afterglow’ and E. ‘Blue Sky.’
Fertilizing Echeveria simulans
Fertilize echeveria only during their summer growing period with a fertilizer low in nitrogen, balanced NPK numbers and diluted to at least half strength of what is recommended on the label.
Echeveria simulans Pests & Problems
Echeveria are prone to mealy bugs. At the first sight of mealy bugs, pick them off with a small paintbrush dipped in isopropyl alcohol and treat the soil with a systemic insecticide. Quarantine any affected plants so the mealy bugs don’t spread. Most echeveria problems, however, are because of too much water and not enough light.
Echeveria simulans Shape & Texture
Echeveria are rose shaped plants and can send out offsets horizontally from their stems via stolons. When planted in the ground, echeveria can form wide mounds around the mother plant.
There are many echeveria types and their thick foliage ranges from powdery, fuzzy, smooth edges, wrinkled edges to bumpy surfaces.
Echeveria simulans Cold Hardiness
Echeveria can withstand temperatures down to about 20°F (USDA Zones 9-10) outdoors. They can handle a very light frost, but definitely can’t handle consistently freezing temperatures.
Origin of the Name
The name Echeveria comes from the Mexican botanical artist Atanasio Echeverria y Godoy by the French botanist Augustin Pyramus deCandolle. Echeverria y Godoy produced thousands of botanical illustrations while exploring Mexico and Central America.
(Source: https://www.smgrowers.com/)