Echeveria Prolifica Care Guide | Soil, Pots, Water, Propagation

How to care for Echeveria prolifica succulent? You have come to the right place, and with this prolifica 101 guide, you can care for your indoor and outdoor plants. This is one of the flowering succulents that produces yellow flowers in spring.

Like other succulents, this one natively grows in harsh environments which is lack water and nutrient-rich soil. Prolifica has a unique looking than other Echeveria plants. It can grow without much effort in USDA zone 9 and above. It can grow without much effort in USDA zone 9 and above. However, this plant can grow in zone 4 and above as an indoor plant. It is not a frost-tolerant plant; therefore, it cannot survive in freezing temperatures. Unlike other plants in this family, prolifica is a fast grower and is a pet-safe succulent.

Echeveria prolifica originated in Mexico, and it has unique stolons that are not commonly available on succulent family plants. This plant has light green foliage. It grows up to 6 inches (15CM) tall and 3.5inch (9 CM) in width, and it doesn’t grow the root system deeper.

How To Care For Echeveria Prolifica.

Echeveria Prolifica Pots.

Since these plants’ root bowl does not grow deep, it does not require deeper pots but needs wider pots. When the plant is getting mature, it can have several stolons. Therefore when the plant is getting mature, it needs wider pots.

The recommended pots for echeveria prolifica are 3-4 inches in depth and 4-6 inches in diameter containers. Proper drainage is important to succulents; therefore, make sure that it has enough drain holes. Unlike clay pots, ceramic or plastic pots do not keep wet. Therefore it is better to use such pots.

Soil for Echeveria Prolifica.

Prolifica thrives in well-draining, loose, and lightweight soil. Therefore use more inorganic materials to enhance the potting mix drainage. These plants’ natural habitat soil is mostly rocky and sandy. When making the soil recipe, use more inorganic materials like pumice, perlite, sand, charcoal, pebbles, or marbles to make it lightweight and loose. This soil should consist of 50% to 70% inorganic materials.

The best soil recipe for Echeveria Prolifica is,

• Sand 40% – Coarse sand, granite sand, or river sand.
• Surface soil 20%.
• Perlite or Pumice 20%. This will reduce the soil moisture.
• Organic compost 10%.
• Pebbles, small rock chips, or marbles 10%.

Can I use a regular potting mix or cactus soil?

You can use an all-purpose potting mix or specially prepared cactus soil for the echeveria prolifica soil. You can use this ready-made potting soil as an alternative to garden soil and compost. However, never use peat moss-containing, ready-made potting mix. Peat will be water repellent, and it keeps a high level of moisture.

When you use all-purpose soil, you can apply a 30% ratio; however, if you use succulents or cacti ready-made soil mix, you have to determine the ratio depending on its inorganic materials content.

Some of the readymade potting mix specially designed for succulents and cactus contain peat moss to some extent. If you do not have any alternative option, you can use such mixtures with higher perlite or pumice to improve the soil dryness. If you live in cooler regions or have a more extended winter, you should use more perlite or pumice when using peat containing soil mixture.

Watering Requirement.

Watering requirements are minimum for the prolifica plants. Like other succulents, it saves water on its leaves. Therefore it does not require regular watering. Depending on the temperature and soil moisture level, you have to water Echeveria prolifica plant. When roots expose to water for a longer time, it can cause rot. Do not spray water directly to leaves; it can cause rot stems and leaves. The best time to water is morning or early morning. Never water evening or late night; it can keep moisture on roots can begin Echeveria root rot.

Check soil dry up.

First, check the soil dry up completely. Between two watering circles, the soil should completely dry. Not only the surface soil, but you have to ensure that around 2-4 inches of soil completely dry up. Dig a small chopstick or toothpick and let it 3-5 minutes; pull it and check it has moisture. With this simple trick, you can check the wetness around the root bowl. Overwatering can cause Echeveria prolifica leaves falling off and turn yellow.

Watering methods.

Soak and Dry method.

The best method is soak and dry watering. When applying this technique, your echeveria prolifica soil mix should contain 50% to 70% inorganic materials like sand, perlite/pumice, pebbles. Pour water into a slightly deeper bowl and soak the pot in it. In this case, the water level should less than the pots’ surface soil. Otherwise, it will mix with water. Leave it for a few seconds, and then remove it again. Look to the succulent watering guide for more information.

Water directly to soil.

This is another useful method to provide moisture to your prolifica succulent plant. When watering, never let water touch the leaves. If there is no enough temperature, it can rot the leaves and stem. Therefore pour water directly into the soil.

Watering schedule.

This is a general watering schedule that can apply most of the succulents. If the temperature over 75°F (25°C) water every 3-6 days and between 68°F -74°F (20°C to 24°C), water every 7 to 10 days. If the temperature between 59°F to 68°F (15°C to 20°C), water every 10 to 15 days and temperature between 50°F to 59°F (10°C to 15°C) water every 15 to 20 days. If the temperature is below 50°F (10°C), water every 25 to 30 days. However, this schedule should depend on the moisture content of the soil on the day of application. The temperature given here is the average temperature at which the plant is located. In the winter and fall seasons, these schedules should change.

Temperature Requirement.

Echeveria Prolifica requires a minimum of 30°F to survive. Since it is not a cold-hardy plant, it requires a warmer environment. If you live in a USDA zone 4 to 9, you have to always keep Echeveria prolifica indoors with a bright light. The perfect temperature for Echeveria Prolifica is over 64°F (18°C).

Light Requirement.

Prolifica prefers partial to full sunlight or bright indoor light. However, exposing full sunlight over 5 hours can cause sunburn of the leaves. When growing indoor places, move it to the bright light area or provide good growing lights. In bright light, it produces the correct color and compact rosette form.

In the winter season, move this plant to a windowsill or provide good artificial grow lights. When the plant environment temperature drops below 50°F (10°C), provide artificial heating, or move it to a small indoor greenhouse to keep the plant alive. Never let the plant around temperature drop below 44°F(4°C).

Fertilizer.

Succulents require low nitrogen fertilizers. Though, these are not heavy fertilizers feeders. Suppose you used fresh potting soil or added organic compost, not recommended to use fertilizer.

However, if you use only garden soil (instead of compost and potting soil), the perfect time to fertilize Echeveria prolifica is when repotting the plant. You can use organic or inorganic fertilizers for this. Organic compost provides a better result. When using inorganic fertilizer add few granules when repotting the plant.

Propagation.

Echeveria prolifica is one of the easy to propagate succulent. This plant has stolons around the mother plant, even in small plants. These stolons can use for Echeveria prolifica propagation. You can cover these offsets without cuttings in the soil for a few days for emerging new roots. When the plant getting matured, these offsets grow small areal roots. You can also replant those root-grown stolen. Alternatively, you can use the succulent cutting method to get new plants. This is one of the fast-growing plants. Read more about how to propagate succulents.

Flowering Time.

When the prolific plant matured, it produces yellow color flowers every spring. These flowers last for several weeks. Once it ends the blooming, snipped off the dead flower. Echeveria prolifica do not die after flowering. Since dead flowers use nutrients to produce seeds, it is recommended to snip off the remaining deadheading after it finishes blooming. It will ensure that plant receives sufficient nutrients.