Echeveria succulent is a popular ornamental variety. You may need to know that you can keep this plant indoors. You came to the right place. After you read this post, you can learn everything about echeveria care indoors.
Echeveria verity is also known as Mexican snowball, Mexican gem, and Echeveria elegans Rose, Chicken and Hens or white Mexican rose. This plant natively grows in semi-desert areas of Mexico, Northwestern South America, and Central America. There are over 150 different types of species. Like other Succulents, this verity needs the sun to thrive. However, we can grow echeveria indoors. Another critical factor is soil drainage. These plants hate wet soil. Therefore when making potting, mix-use more perlite or pumice to enhance the drainage.
Like other succulents and cacti, Echeveria is an easy to grow care indoor succulent plant. This plant does not require regular maintenance, and it is a slowly grown verity. Therefore you can keep these plants on your bookshelf, TV rack, coffee table, or even working desk. These succulents do not like sudden temperature changes and lower temperatures.
This is one of the flowering succulent plants. It produces pink, white, orange, or red flowers in warmer months in spring and summer. A fully-grown plant can be wide, around 12-inch in diameter. In full bright, light it provides more colors, but under growing lights, it can thrive.
Can Echeveria Grow Indoors?
Echeveria is commonly known as an outdoor plant and is native to desert or semi-desert arid environments. Although the Echeveria plant can easily grow as an indoor houseplant. If we can provide bright light, well-drained soil, proper watering schedule echeveria can grow well in indoor plants.
How to Care Echeveria Indoor Plants.
When you are caring for indoor echeveria plants, there are six key things that you should consider. These factors are crucial to this plant growth. They are Soil, watering pattern, temperature, light, fertilizer, and container. You have to pay more attention to these things when growing Chicken and Hens indoors. These tips are applicable to all types of echeveria species.
Soil Recipe for Echeveria.
The best soil for Echeveria succulent is a combination of gritty, coarse sand, pumice, or perlite with regular potting mix or cactus mix. Use less fine sands; they can hold moisture and clog up aeration.
- Gritty 20%
- Coarse Sand 30%
- Pumice or perlite 30%
- Organic potting mix 20%
Depending on your area climate, you can change the organic material ratio. If you live in a cooler area like USDA zone 5-8, useless organic potting mix. Never use peat to contain a readymade potting mix for your Mexican rose succulent soil recipe.
Adding Gritty and coarse sands improves the soil drainage and looseness. Pumice and perlite absorb excess moisture, and organic potting mix provide enough nutrients for the plant to thrive.
How often should you water an Echeveria?
Like other succulents, plants watering Echeveria depends on the soil dryness. Water when the soil dried up. The best watering method for Echeveria is soaking and drying. If you have less potting mix, use this method. Alternatively, you can apply directly to the soil.
In the wormer climate days, water Echeveria plant every 3-5 days and low-temperature days water every 15-20 days. However, before water, check the soil dryness. In the winter season, never water to leaves as it might cause Echeveria leaf rot. Because in winter water evaporation is too slow. The best time to water the Echeveria plant is early morning or morning; never water evening or night. It will retain moisture for a longer time.
Another reason for avoiding water leaves is there is a small coating on a leaf. It can remove that coating and make it ugly. Similar to what you can see on my plants’ leaves.
The best method to check the soil moisture it dig a dry stick around 1-2 inches deeper and wait around 1 minute and check it contains any moisture. If there is no moisture, you can water. If you can use rainwater, it is better than tap water. When the plant receives too much moisture, its leaves falling off and turns yellow.
Temperature.
Since this plant grows in a semi-desert area, it loves moderate temperature. They are not extremely cold-hardy plants. Not like too cool or extremely warm climate. The ideal temperature for Echeveria is 64F 75F (18°C to 23 °C) and never let drop below 45°C when growing indoors.
When growing Echeveria in zone 5A or lower zone, it is a bit harder. These plants perfectly grow in USDA zones 9-13 areas.
Light Requirement for Echeveria.
When growing Echeveria indoors, you have to place it more bright light area like close to a window or windowsill. Providing full spectrum grow light definitely beneficial for the plant. When growing at indoor places, rotate the Echeveria every two weeks. This method will help to prevent stretching the plant. In the winter season, provide growing lights for 6-10 hours.
Exposure to direct sunlight for a longer period (over 5 hours) can cause sunburn. These burned leaves can be used for propagation.
Fertilizer.
Like other succulents, Echeveria can grow in less-nutrient soil. Therefore, you should not worry about fertilizing the Chicken and Hens plant. When using chemical fertilizer, always use less nitrogen fertilizer (NPK ratio around 5:10:10). Once a year to for 1.5 years, add fertilizer to the soil. Always keep remember to use less amount never overuse; it can kill your plant since it is not a heavy feeder. If you care more about organic fertilizer, you can use compost.
Containers or pots.
Always use well-drain pots for the Echeveria plant. These plants prefer a less moist growing medium. Always check the number of drainage holes and their size.
These plants do not have extensive root bowls and do not grow the root system deeply. Therefore the best size for a fully grown echeveria plant is 7 inches deeper and 6-inch diameter pots. For actively growing plants, use 4 inches deeper and 4 inches diameter containers.
If you plan to grow Mexican snowball in no drain holes pots, you have to use a unique potting mix and method. You can read more about growing succulents in no-drain hole pots.
Common Q&A.
Are Echeveria indoor plants?
Echeveria originates from dry, semi-desert locations in Mexico, Central America, and Northwestern South America. However, it can be adaptable to the indoor as a houseplant. You can quickly grow Echeveria indoors if we provide correct climate conditions and the best growing medium. Since it is a semi-desert plant always, avoid moisture from the plant.
Does Echeveria need sun?
Echeveria needs sunlight, but it prefers partial light. Exposure to direct sunlight can burn the leaves and kill the plant. Therefore, make sure that your plant does not expose to over 3 hours of direct sunlight.
How do I know if my Echeveria is healthy?
If the plant leaves do not fall off and leave not turning yellow, that is the first sign your Echeveria plant is healthy. Also, if the plant stretches, it is not in good health. This means plants receive low light. Overwatering can make your plant unhealthy. You can keep your plant happy with less moisture and provide a good bright, light place.
Why are my Echeveria leaves falling off?
The most common reason for echeveria leaves falling off is overwatering or soil mixture issues. Other reasons can be sudden temperature fluctuations or lack of bright light. First, check the soil mix well drain and water only the surface and around 2 inches soil completely dry. Also, you have to follow our above lighting requirements.
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I lost 3 echeveria plants. All of them leaf rotten. I think it might potting mix issue.