What can be more wondrous and soothing than the soft patter of rain on a roof? After a terrible few weeks of a horrible heatwave, we've at last had a lot of rain and my Echeveria imbricata are thankfully hosting their beautiful bell-like little flowers en masse this summer and are offering plenty of babies, ready for picking and transplanting. E. imbricata is not frost resistant and I have learnt the hard way, almost losing all my plants as we live in a heavy frost area. So I have transplanted all my stock into pots, bringing them indoors during winter.
Native to Mexico and also known as the Mexican Snowball, these beautiful rosette-shaped succulents are summer growers. Once established they can tolerate extended dry periods without watering but will grow stronger if they receive adequate water during their growing season. Free draining, porous soil is essential to prevent root rot.
Echeveria are shallow rooted plants and therefore benefit from good levels of organic matter in the soil. Good ventilation is important for minimising pest and disease risks. Generally, the more sun they get the better they will display their colours and shape, but protect them from excessive sun during very hot weather.
The beautifull bell-like flowers of E. imbricata
Echeverias sharing a wooden planter with Aloe zebrina
Camera : Fuji FinePix 2800Zoom
Location : My garden, Tarlton, Gauteng, South Africa
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