The illustrated growing guide
Echeveria
Echeveria elegans
Family Crassulaceae
Est. zones 9-11
The classic rosette succulent of every arrangement. Powdery coating (farina) is natural — handle by the roots, not the face.
Full sun to bright light — stretches
Low water
Slow growth
Attracts bees
None winter chill
From the print shop
Growing echeveria? Hang it.
Our Herbs, Greenery & Desert collection carries echeveria — Echeveria elegans, print Nº 12, “Echeveria.”
16 designsfrom $21.99white or black groundmatte poster, unframed
I
Overview
Will echeveria suit your garden, and what goes wrong.
Will it thrive where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what echeveria actually needs.
Hardy inZones 9-11Echeveria at a glance
Common echeveria problems
- Mealybugs (in the rosette folds)
- Rot from overhead watering
II
Growing
Light, water, soil, propagation and the season’s jobs.
How to grow echeveria: light, water & soil
How to plant & propagate echeveria
III
The year
What echeveria asks for, month by month.
The echeveria year, month by month
BloomWhat each band means
- Bloom — flowers open — pollinators working, frost on blossoms is the danger.
The echeveria year as text
- Jan quiet month
- Feb quiet month
- Mar quiet month
- Apr quiet month
- May quiet month
- Jun bloom
- Jul bloom
- Aug bloom
- Sep quiet month
- Oct quiet month
- Nov quiet month
- Dec quiet month
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
IV
Ecology & uses
What it does for the garden, and what it is grown for.
Echeveria in the garden system
What echeveria is grown for
✓ Not known to be toxicSafe for pets
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
V
Cultivars
Named varieties of echeveria, ruled as a catalogue.
Best echeveria varieties & cultivars
'Elegans' (Mexican snowball); 'Perle von Nürnberg' (purple); 'Lola'
VI
Sources & plant ID
Where the care distinctions come from, and how the plant is filed.
Research basis
Sources behind this profile
No extension citations are attached to echeveriayet. The care figures below come from the library's own catalogue rather than a traced primary source.
Plant ID
VII
Where to buy
Third-party nurseries — not Story Thyme Farms.
Third-party nurseries, not Story Thyme Farms. Prices are theirs.
Story Thyme Farms may earn a small commission from these links, at no cost to you — it never changes what we recommend. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
VIII
Questions
Echeveria questions, answered straight.
Is echeveria safe for kids and pets?
Echeveria is commonly eaten and isn't considered toxic, but "commonly eaten" isn't a guarantee for any particular person or animal — allergies, quantity, and which part you eat all matter. One caveat on this one: Safe for pets. Never eat a plant you haven't positively identified, and check with a vet before letting pets or livestock graze anything new.
How do you propagate echeveria?
Stem/leaf cuttings, division, or pups.
IX
Elsewhere
Where echeveria sits in the library.
Monstera
Golden Pothos
Snake Plant
Heartleaf Philodendron