Echeveria is a large genus of flowering plants in the family Crassulaceae, native to semi-desert areas of Central America, Mexico and northwestern South America.

Description

Echeveria plants are evergreen. Flowers on short stalks (cymes) arise from compact rosettes of succulent fleshy, often brightly coloured leaves. Species are polycarpic, meaning that they may flower and set seed many times over the course of their lifetimes. Often, numerous offsets are produced, and are commonly known as "hen and chicks", which can also refer to other genera, such as Sempervivum, that are significantly different from Echeveria.

Many species of Echeveria serve important environmental roles, such as those of host plants for butterflies. For example, the butterfly Callophrys xami uses several species of Echeveria, such as Echeveria gibbiflora, as suitable host plants. Even more, these plants are integral to the oviposition process of C. xami and some other butterfly species as well.

Etymology

Echeveria is named for Atanasio Echeverría y Godoy, a botanical illustrator who contributed to Flora Mexicana.

Taxonomy

The genus was erected by A. P. de Candolle in 1828, and is named after the 18th century Mexican botanical artist Atanasio Echeverría y Godoy. , the genus consists of about 150 species, including genera such as Oliveranthus and Urbinia that have formerly been split off from Echeveria.

Molecular phylogenetic studies have repeatedly shown the genus not to be monophyletic: species of Echeveria cluster with species of Cremnophila, Graptopetalum, Pachyphytum, and Thompsonella as well as species of Sedum sect. Pachysedum. The former Urbinia species do appear to form a monophyletic group within this grouping.

  • Echeveria acutifolia <small>Lindley</small>
  • Echeveria affinis <small>Walther</small>
  • Echeveria agavoides <small>Lemaire</small>
  • Echeveria alata <small>Alexander</small>
  • Echeveria amoena <small>De Smet</small>
  • Echeveria amphoralis <small>Walther</small>
  • Echeveria andicola <small>Pino</small>
  • Echeveria angustifolia <small>Walther</small>
  • Echeveria atropurpurea <small>(Baker) Morren</small>
  • Echeveria aurantiaca <small>Reyes, Gonzáles-Zorzano & Brachet</small>
  • Echeveria australis <small>Rose</small>
  • Echeveria bakeri <small>Kimnach</small>
  • Echeveria ballsii <small>Walther</small>
  • Echeveria bella <small>Alexander</small>
  • Echeveria bicolor <small>(Humb. & Bonpl.) Walther</small>
  • Echeveria bifida <small>Schlechtendal</small>
  • Echeveria brachetii <small>Reyes & Gonzáles</small>
  • Echeveria calderoniae <small>Pérez-Calix</small>
  • Echeveria calycosa <small>Moran</small>
  • Echeveria canaliculata <small>Hooker f.</small>
  • Echeveria cante <small>Glass & Mendoza-Garcia</small>
  • Echeveria carminea <small>Alexander</small>
  • Echeveria carnicolor <small>E. Morren</small>
  • Echeveria cerrograndensis <small>Nieves-Hernández et al.</small>
  • Echeveria chapalensis <small>Moran & C.H.Uhl</small>
  • Echeveria chazaroi <small>Kimnach</small>
  • Echeveria chiclensis <small>(Ball) Berger</small>
  • Echeveria chihuahuaensis <small>von Poellnitz</small>
  • Echeveria chilonensis <small>(Kuntze) Walther</small>
  • Echeveria coccinea <small>(Cavanilles) DC</small>
  • Echeveria colorata <small>Walther</small>
  • Echeveria compressicaulis <small>Eggli & Taylor</small>
  • Echeveria corallina <small>Alexander</small>
  • Echeveria coruana <small>Garcia et al.</small>
  • Echeveria craigiana <small>Walther</small>
  • Echeveria crenulata <small>Rose</small>
  • Echeveria cuencaensis <small>von Poellnitz</small>
  • Echeveria cuspidata <small>Rose</small>
  • Echeveria dactylifera <small>Walther</small>
  • Echeveria decumbens <small>Kimnach</small>
  • Echeveria derenbergii <small>J.A.Purpus</small>
  • Echeveria desmetiana <small>De Smet</small>
  • Echeveria diffractens <small>Kimnach & A.B.Lau</small>
  • Echeveria elegans <small>Rose</small>
  • Echeveria eurychlamys <small>(Diels) Berger</small>
  • Echeveria excelsa <small>(Diels)Berger</small>
  • Echeveria fimbriata <small>C.H.Thompson</small>
  • Echeveria fulgens <small>Lemaire</small>
  • Echeveria gibbiflora <small>DC</small>
  • Echeveria gigantea <small>Rose & Purpus</small>
  • Echeveria globuliflora <small>Walther</small>
  • Echeveria globulosa <small>Moran</small>
  • Echeveria goldmanii <small>Rose</small>
  • Echeveria gracilis <small>(Rose) Moran</small>
  • Echeveria grisea <small>Walther</small>
  • Echeveria guatemalensis <small>Rose</small>
  • Echeveria gudeliana <small>Véliz & García-Mendoza</small>
  • Echeveria guerrerensis <small>Reyes, González-Zorzano & Brachet</small>
  • Echeveria halbingeri <small>Walther</small>
  • Echeveria harmsii <small>J.F.Macbride</small>
  • Echeveria helmutiana <small>Kimnach</small>
  • Echeveria heterosepala <small>Rose</small>
  • Echeveria holwayi <small>Rose</small>
  • Echeveria humilis <small>Rose</small>
  • Echeveria hyalina <small>E.Walther</small>
  • Echeveria johnsonii <small>Walther</small>
  • Echeveria juarezensis <small>Walther</small>
  • Echeveria juliana <small>Reyes, González-Zorzano & Kristen</small>
  • Echeveria kimnachii <small>Meyrán & Vega</small>
  • Echeveria krahnii <small>Kimnach</small>
  • Echeveria laui <small>Moran&Meyrán</small>
  • Echeveria leucotricha <small>Purpus</small>
  • Echeveria lilacina <small>Kimnach & Moran</small>
  • Echeveria longiflora <small>Walther</small>
  • Echeveria longissima <small>Walther</small>
  • Echeveria lozanoi <small>Rose</small>
  • Echeveria lutea <small>Rose</small>
  • Echeveria lyonsii <small>Kimnach</small>
  • Echeveria macdougallii <small>Walther</small>
  • Echeveria macrantha <small>Standley & Steyermark</small>
  • Echeveria marianae <small>García-Ruiz & Costea</small>
  • Echeveria maxonii <small>Rose</small>
  • Echeveria megacalyx <small>Walther</small>
  • Echeveria minima <small>J.Meyrán</small>
  • Echeveria mondragoniana <small>Reyes & Brachet</small>
  • Echeveria montana <small>Rose</small>
  • Echeveria moranii <small>Walther</small>
  • Echeveria mucronata <small>Schlechtendal</small>
  • Echeveria multicaulis <small>Rose</small>
  • Echeveria munizii <small>Padilla-Lepe & A. Vázquez</small>
  • Echeveria nayaritensis <small>Kimnach</small>
  • Echeveria nebularum <small>Moran & Kimnach</small>
  • Echeveria nodulosa <small>(Baker) Otto</small>
  • Echeveria novogaliciana <small>Reyes, Brachet & González-Zorzano</small>
  • Echeveria nuda <small>Lindley</small>
  • Echeveria nuyooensis <small>Reyes & Islas</small>
  • Echeveria olivacea <small>Moran</small>
  • Echeveria oreophila <small>Kimnach</small>
  • Echeveria pallida <small>Walther</small>
  • Echeveria paniculata <small>Gray</small>
  • Echeveria papillosa <small>Kimnach & C.H.Uhl</small>
  • Echeveria patriotica <small>García & Pérez-Calix</small>
  • Echeveria penduliflora <small>Walther</small>
  • Echeveria pendulosa <small>Kimnach & Uhl</small>
  • Echeveria perezcalixii <small>Jimeno-Sevilla & Carillo</small>
  • Echeveria peruviana <small>Meyrán</small>
  • Echeveria pilosa <small>J.A.Purpus</small>
  • Echeveria pinetorum <small>Rose</small>
  • Echeveriap pistioides <small>García et al.</small>
  • Echeveria pittieri <small>Rose</small>
  • Echeveria platyphylla <small>Rose</small>
  • Echeveria pringlei <small>(S.Watson) Rose</small>
  • Echeveria procera <small>Moran</small>
  • Echeveria prolifica <small>Moran & J.Meyrán</small>
  • Echeveria prunina <small>Kimnach & Moran</small>
  • Echeveria pulidonis <small>Walther</small>
  • Echeveria pulvinata <small>Rose</small>
  • Echeveria purhepecha <small>García</small>
  • Echeveria purpusorum <small>Berger</small>
  • Echeveria quitensis <small>(Humb. & Bonpl.) Lindley</small>
  • Echeveria racemosa <small>Schlechtendal & Chamisso</small>
  • Echeveria rauschii <small>van Keppel</small>
  • Echeveria recurvata <small>Carruthers</small>
  • Echeveria rodolfi <small>Martínez-Ávalos & Mora-Olivo</small>
  • Echeveria rosea <small>Lindley</small>
  • Echeveria roseiflora <small>Reyes & Gonzáles-Zorzano</small>
  • Echeveria rubromarginata <small>Rose</small>
  • Echeveria rulfiana <small>Jimeno-Sevilla et al.</small>
  • Echeveria runyonii <small>Rose ex Walther</small>
  • Echeveria schaffneri <small>(S.Watson) Rose</small>
  • Echeveria scheeri <small>Lindley</small>
  • Echeveria secunda <small>Booth</small>
  • Echeveria semivestita <small>Moran</small>
  • Echeveria sessiliflora <small>Rose</small>
  • Echeveria setosa <small>Rose & Purpus</small>
  • Echeveria shaviana <small>Walther</small>
  • Echeveria simulans <small>Rose</small>
  • Echeveria skinneri <small>Walther</small>
  • Echeveria spectabilis <small>Alexander</small>
  • Echeveria steyermarkii <small>Standley</small>
  • Echeveria strictiflora <small>A.Gray</small>
  • Echeveria subalpina <small>Rose & Purpus</small>
  • Echeveria subcorymbosa <small> Kimnach & Moran</small>
  • Echeveria subrigida <small>(Robinson & Seaton) Rose</small>
  • Echeveria subspicata <small>(Baker) Berger</small>
  • Echeveria tamaulipana <small>Martinez-Ávalos, Mora & Terry</small>
  • Echeveria tencho <small>Moran & Uhl</small>
  • Echeveria tenuis <small>Rose</small>
  • Echeveria teretifolia <small>Sessé & Mociño ex DC</small>
  • Echeveria tobarensis <small>Berger</small>
  • Echeveria tolimanensis <small>Matuda</small>
  • Echeveria tolucensis <small>Rose</small>
  • Echeveria trianthina <small>Rose</small>
  • Echeveria triquiana <small>Reyes & Brachet</small>
  • Echeveria turgida <small>Rose</small>
  • Echeveria uhlii <small>Meyrán</small>
  • Echeveria unguiculata <small>Kimnach</small>
  • Echeveria utcubambensis <small>Hutchinson ex Kimnach</small>
  • Echeveria uxorum <small>Jimeno-Sevilla & Cházaro</small>
  • Echeveria valvata <small>Moran</small>
  • Echeveria viridissima <small>Walther</small>
  • Echeveria walpoleana <small>Rose</small>
  • Echeveria waltheri <small>Moran & Meyrán</small>
  • Echeveria westii <small>Walther</small>
  • Echeveria whitei <small>Rose</small>
  • Echeveria wurdackii <small>Hutchison ex Kimnach</small>
  • Echeveria xichuensis <small>Lopez & Reyes</small>
  • Echeveria yalmanantlanensis <small>A.Vázquez & Cházaro</small>
  • Echeveria zorzaniana <small>Reyes & Brachet</small>

Cultivation

Many Echeveria species are popular as ornamental garden plants. They are drought-resistant, although they do better with regular deep watering and fertilizing. Most will tolerate shade and some frost, although hybrids tend to be less tolerant. Most lose their lower leaves in winter; as a result, after a few years, the plants lose their compact appearance and need to be re-rooted or propagated. In addition, if not removed, the shed leaves may decay, harboring fungus that can then infect the plant.

thumb|Echeveria laui - a species with round, glaucous leaves

thumb|E. gibbiflora

thumb|Echeveria nodulosa - painted echeveria

Propagation

They can be propagated easily by separating offsets, but also by leaf cuttings, and by seed if they are not hybrids.

Cultivars and Hybrids

Echeveria has been extensively bred and hybridized. The following is a selection of available plants.

  • 'Arlie Wright'
  • 'Black Prince'
  • 'Blue Heron'
  • 'Blue Surprise' (E. × gilva)
  • 'Crimson Tide'
  • 'Dondo'
  • 'Doris Taylor'
  • 'Ebony' (E. agavoides cultivar)
  • 'Frank Reinelt'
  • 'Hoveyi'
  • 'Lipstick' (E. agavoides cultivar)
  • 'Oliver' (E. pulvinata cultivar)
  • 'Opalina'
  • 'Painted Lady'
  • 'Perle von Nürnberg'
  • 'Paul Bunyan'
  • 'Red' (E. × gilva)
  • 'Ruberia'
  • 'Set-Oliver'
  • 'Tippy'
  • 'Victor Reiter' (E. agavoides cultivar)
  • 'Wavy Curls'
  • 'Worfield Wonder' (E. × derosa)

Award winning

thumb|Echeveria 'Perle von Nürnberg'

The following have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit:

  • Echeveria agavoides
  • Echeveria chihuahuaensis
  • Echeveria derenbergii
  • Echeveria elegans
  • Echeveria 'Perle von Nürnberg'
  • Echeveria runyonii 'Topsy Turvy'
  • Echeveria secunda var. glauca 'Compton Carousel'
  • Echeveria setosa
  • Echeveria × bombycina

Formerly in Echeveria

  • Dudleya – Alwin Berger placed this as a subtaxon of Echeveria, and species within were described as Echeveria.
  • Graptopetalum paraguayense <small>(N.E.Br.) E.Walther</small> (as E. weinbergii <small>hort. ex T.B.Sheph.</small>)
  • Pachyveria clavifolia (as E. clavifolia)
  • Reidmorania occidentalis (as E. kimnachii)

<gallery>

File:Echeveria Blue Curl.jpg|Flowers of Echeveria 'Blue Curl'

File:Echeveria 'Black Prince' - 20090226.jpg|Echeveria cv. 'Black Prince'

File:Echeveria pulvinata smith.jpg| The flowers of E. pulvinata are in bright yellowish orange color.

(MHNT) Echeveria secunda.jpg|Echeveria secunda

File: 黑王子的花序20190417202338.jpg |alt=2018 Taichung World Flora Exposition, Taiwan.[9] Echeveria 'Black Prince'.| 2018 Taichung World Flora Exposition, Taiwan. Echeveria 'Black Prince'.

File:Succulent vertical wall.jpg|Sculptural quality of Echeveria on display

File:Echeveria Compton Carousel.jpg|Echeveria 'Compton Carousel'

File:Echeveria A7CR 02866-90 zsp.jpg|Close-up of leaves (~)

File:Початок цвітіння Echeveria cante.jpg|Echeveria cante (in Kharkiv Botanical Garden)

</gallery>

References

  • Flora Mexicana via Biodiversity Library