Echeveria agavoides

Description

E. agavoides is a small, stemless succulent plant, 8–12 cm (3–5 in) tall, with a rosette of leaves 7–15 cm (3–6 in) in diameter. It is often solitary, but old plants in good condition grow offsets. The leaves are green, triangular, thicker (6 mm) and more acute than the other echeverias - hence the explanation of their name agavoides, "looking like an agave". Some varieties with bright light have reddish (or bronze) tips and some forms have slightly red to very red margins. The inflorescences in summer appear on slender, single-sided cymes up to 50 cm (20 in) long. The flowers are pink, orange or red, the petals tipped with dark yellow.

Taxonomy

Synonyms :

Common English name : crested molded wax agave

Varieties :

Cultivars :

The Latin specific epithet agavoides means "resembling Agave" (a plant from a different family).

Cultivation

As with most echeverias, E. agavoides fears moisture and prefers mineral soils, growing best in light and even direct sunshine, which aids flowering. In order to flower, plants need rest in the winter, without water and in a cold place - but not less than 5 °C (41 °F). In temperate regions they must be kept indoors during winter, but may be placed outside during the summer months.

This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Many hybrids have been created to obtain more brightly colored flowers or leaves.

The easiest methods of propagation are leaf cuttings and division of older plants.