Consumers who don’t think they have the time or know-how to care for plants may change their minds after seeing EuroAmerican Propagators’ new RetroSucculents series. Echeverias, aloes and agaves make up the series, which has 16 varieties that are unusual, durable, low maintenance and water-conserving. The plants come in a range of foliage colors and leaf shapes.
Echeveria in the series are:
E. shaviana ‘Madre del Sur’ has silver-gray leaves with thin, wavy margins. It reaches 6-10 inches tall and 8-10 inches wide. USDA Hardiness Zones 9-11.
E. subrigida ‘Fire and Ice’ has sea-foam gray-green leaves with pink margins. It reaches 6-10 inches tall and 12-16 inches wide. Zones 9-11.
E. subrigida ‘Red Tide’ is similar in color to ‘Fire and Ice,’ but it has wavy-shaped leaves. Exposure to full sun intensifies coloration. It reaches 6-10 inches tall and 12-16 inches wide. Zones 9-11.
E. x ‘Afterglow’ is the tallest. It reaches 10-14 inches tall and 8-10 inches wide. Its wavy-shaped leaves are covered with a grayish-lavender dusting. Color intensifies under full sun. Zones 8-11.
RetroSucculents do best in full to partial sun. They are heat tolerant and do very well in rock gardens, mixed containers and dish gardens.
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Transplant one 50-cell rooted liner per 4-inch pot filled with a well-draining, porous growing medium. Planting the liner directly into a 1-gallon container is not recommended. The medium should have a pH of 5.5-6.5 and electrical conductivity of 0.8-1.5. Keep the medium on the dry side, but don’t allow plants to wilt excessively.
While plants are actively growing, fertilize with a constant liquid feed of 75 parts per million nitrogen. During dormancy (November-March) do not fertilize.
Growing-on temperatures should be 55°F-60°F at night and 70°F during the day. Cooler nights (45°F-55°F) promote better color. It is better to maintain lower temperatures at the end of the crop to avoid lengthening production time.
No supplemental light, pinching or growth regulators are necessary. Vernalization is not required. Plants usually flower in
Liners planted in 4-inch pots during spring finish in four months. Plants go dormant November through March. For larger sizes, plants should be grown on in 4-inch pots before transplanting into finished containers. Plants in 4-inch pots grow more quickly and are easier to manage for irrigation. During active growth periods, it takes an additional six weeks for a 4-inch plant to fill in a 6-inch container.
Common pests are fungus gnats. Leaf spots and bacteria blight can cause damage. Preventive fungicide sprays are recommended.
For more: EuroAmerican Propagators, (888) 323-0730; www.pweuro.com.
Specifics
Name: Echeveria.
Crop timing: Four-inch pots planted with one 50-cell rooted liner finish in four months; 6-inch pots planted with a 4-inch plant finish in six weeks (total crop time is five to six months). Plants go dormant November through March.
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Grower benefits: Low-maintenance plants. Multiple uses for landscape plantings, specimen plants and combination containers. Very few pest problems.