Beautiful Blooming Succulents
Most of us buy and grow succulents because of their delightful chubby leaves, and interesting textures. Echeveria are some of the most beautiful of all – and then they bloom.
The flowers of Echeveria are produced on a tall arching stalk, generally in a bell or urn shape. Depending on the species, this can be in the summer or through the early fall.
They are triggered into blooming by the intensity of the light they receive, not so much by the day length as many other plants. Temperature also plays a role in it.
In their native habitat (Mexico and South America) they don’t respond to a change in the hours of daylight because it’s close to twelve hours of day and twelve hours of night so close to the equator.
There are many blooms opening in sequence, taking several weeks to complete the cycle. They start from the end closest to the plant, over about two weeks to give a long lasting display for you to enjoy.
There will be buds at one end of the stalk, waiting to open, while the older ones are drying out.
Generally, Echeveria flowers are pink, peach or orange, but occasionally they are white or off white to yellow tones. Some species also are red. This is one way to identify two very close types; by the color of the flowers.
In addition, the arrangement of the sepals and also any bracts that are in the backs of the flowers can be the determining characteristic.
The insects will enjoy the flowers too – and if you want seeds, welcome them.
Otherwise, you will have to play the role of pollinator, using a paintbrush to transfer pollen from one plant to the other – many plants are self sterile, meaning you will need to have several different plants flowering at the same time for the seeds to be viable.
The flowers of Echeveria will produce seeds in the right conditions. Don’t discard the flower stalk once it’s done flowering; put it into a paper bag to collect the tiny seeds from it. They are just like dust.
Your propagation career could be waiting.
Once the flowers are done, if you don’t want to save seeds from your succulent, cut the stalk off carefully at the base so you don’t damage the delicate foliage.
Next year, around the same time, your plant will flower again.
Other Echeveria that had their owners puzzled…
See more about these intriguing and beautiful plants;
I feel like I should know this succulent!
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a tree like succulent?
It almost looks like a tree with a single bark like trunk. Tall, has white flowers, and the bottom leaves die as it grows.
What type of succulent is this?
This succulent is growing really fast and it seems like it is about to flower. Any ideas of what is is called?
light pale green, sort of light pink undertone
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Dusty light green succulent with long, thin, flowered stems
I got this plant at a Home Depot in North Carolina. It has broad, flat, somewhat ruffled & curled, light dusty green leaves encircling the base, and 3 …
Unknown succulent
I find no photos to match my plant. It is the pale gray-green color of the Graptopetalum. The leaves fold downward instead of upward, and look at little
echeveria identification
Hi, I would like to buy this plant, but I think it is incorrectly identified and I am having a hard time finding pictures of Echeveria in bloom that match. …
On a website, she says that it blooms every spring…
a succulent on her back porch, the spikes grow up then the blooms come, and bend around to make what looks like a heart. The flowers look like small orchids… …
succulent with pink flower offshoots
broad green leaves tipped in pink/purple with long flowering offshoots with bright pink flower. Hi Jennifer, this is definitely some kind of Echeveria, …
Succulent with very tall flower stalk
We have an unidentified succulent that sprouted a very tall (24″) slender flower stalk that has small pink flowers. Any idea what this is? Drought …
Bright green and red, with yellow flowers
Flower-like leaves, with lots of flowers too. Drought Smart Plants reply: This appears to be some type of Echeveria, based on the form of the …
it is an echeveria – but not sure which sort
It has green / grey leaves and a long stalk with pink / orange flower at the end. Drought Smart Plants reply: Hi Annette, it’s definitely an …
Roger the Echeveria
I’ve got a curious “echeveria” type plant. I got it a year and a half ago when it was only a small rosette that was about 1.5 inches tall and 1.5 …