Raffi Kojian · CC BY-SA 3.0
About
Also known as 'lipstick' echeveria, *Echeveria agavoides* is a popular succulent prized for its rosette formation and distinctive, triangular leaves that resemble an agave. It is a hardy plant that thrives in arid conditions and is known for its vibrant flowers.
Field notes
Morphology
This small, stemless succulent forms a rosette of leaves 7–15 centimetres in diameter, reaching a height of 8–12 centimetres. The leaves are green, triangular, and thicker (6 mm), giving them a more acute appearance than many other echeverias. Some varieties exhibit reddish or bronze tips, while others have slightly to very red margins. Inflorescences appear on slender, single-sided cymes up to 50 centimetres long, bearing pink, orange, or red flowers tipped with dark yellow.
Distribution & habitat
Native to the rocky canyons and arid hillsides of Central Mexico, specifically found in the states of Aguascalientes, Durango, Guanajuato, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Querétaro, San Luis Potosí, and Zacatecas, with sightings extending as far north as Coahuila and as far south as Oaxaca.
Cultivation notes
The plant prefers mineral soils and thrives in light, ideally direct sunshine, which promotes flowering. To encourage blooming, the plant requires a period of rest in the winter, kept without water in a cool place, but not below 5 °C (41 °F). In temperate regions, it must be kept indoors during winter but can be placed outside during the summer months. Propagation is easily achieved through leaf cuttings or by dividing older plants, though stem cuttings are also effective.
History & etymology
The genus *Echeveria* is named for Atanasio Echeverría y Godoy, a botanical illustrator who contributed to Flora Mexicana. The specific epithet 'agavoides' means 'resembling Agave.'
Habitat
- Altitude
- —
- Altitude Class
- —
- Native To
- Mexico
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- easy
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