Echeveria Black Prince : Care and Propagation Complete Guide

A species of succulent that cannot be missing from any good collection worth its salt. We are going to explain in detail everything you need to know about the care and propagation of Echeveria Black Prince.

We will begin by explaining some of the characteristics that make this species of Echeveria an essential plant for any collector worth his salt.

Characteristics of the Echeveria ‘Black Prince’

Echeveria ‘Black Prince’ is a hybrid created through pollination between Echeveria affinis, known as Echeveria ‘Black Knight’ and Echeveria shaviana.

This species is characterized by having a rosette shape and dark tones almost reaching black. Depending on the lighting conditions to which it is exposed, it can turn green, dark orange or brown. 

During most of the year the rosette is open with the leaves almost resting on the substrate. When the weather turns warm they tend to close to protect themselves from the high temperatures. It can also close during resting time or as a sign of dehydration.

Its leaves are narrow at the base, they widen abruptly and end in a point. This species produces beautiful flowers of deep red or orange color and usually appear during the fall or into winter.

Next we are going to talk about the care or needs of the Echeveria ‘Black Prince’.

Echeveria Black Prince : Care

Lighting

Place Echeveria ‘Black Prince’ in well-lit places. This species loves light and depends on appropriate lighting to maintain its characteristic dark color.

The Echeveria ‘Black Prince’, as we said before, can have green, brown or orange tones. It is normal that the center of the rosette is green and that the dark color (brown or almost black) is more dominant towards the outside of the rosette. However, if the entire rosette begins to turn green and lose its dark color, it is because it lacks lighting.

The greater the sun exposure, the more intense its color. Keep this in mind when choosing your location and don’t miss our article on changing the color of succulents. There we explain in detail why and how succulents change color.

The ‘Black Prince’ needs at least 6 hours of lighting. If it is grown indoors, it needs to be placed in a very bright space, preferably next to a window.

Irrigation

Echeveria ‘Black Prince’, like many other succulent species, prefers abundant and infrequent watering. It is sensitive to excess moisture, so you should try to water only when the substrate is dry.

In Succulent Alley we recommend you follow the “soak and dry” method that we explain in detail in our article on best way to water succulents.

Also, we recommend that you do not miss the articles on how often to water succulents and how to tell if a plant is overwatered or underwatered to discover several ways to check the humidity of the substrate and identify exactly when to water your succulents.

This species has its period of rest or hibernation during the winter. Therefore, you must significantly reduce the amount and frequency of irrigation during this season to respect the rest time and, incidentally, avoid problems derived from excess humidity.

Soil

Use a porous substrate to avoid accumulation and excess moisture after irrigation. We recommend that you do not miss our article on best soil for succulents, where we explain the importance of a suitable substrate, in addition to its fundamental characteristics and, of course, how to make the ideal mixture of substrate for your plants.

You can use ready-made substrate mix for cacti and succulents, or you can make your own substrate by following one of our 7 homemade succulent soil recipes.

Temperature

We do not recommend exposing Echeveria ‘Black Prince’ to low temperatures for a long period. It is possible that it can withstand the occasional frost as long as it is adapted to the climate of your region. If you live in a region with winters in which the temperature drops below 0ºC, we recommend that you keep your plants in pots, in order to move them indoors during the coldest time of the year.

Flowerpot or Container

This species can be cultivated directly in the ground if the climatic conditions allow it. However, as we mentioned earlier, if you live in a place with cold winters, it is best to plant it in pots or containers.

It is always advisable to use a pot with drainage holes to avoid waterlogging and problems derived from overwatering. 

The type of pots for Echeveria ‘Black Prince’ depends on the location and conditions in which you have your plant. Don’t miss our article on how to choose the perfect pot for your succulents.

It is also possible to grow this succulent species in containers without drainage, making a terrarium. Here we show you how to care for succulent terrarium. Another very interesting and beautiful option that we love is to make a succulent kokedama.

Flowering

Echeveria ‘Black Prince’ blooms during the fall and early winter. The inflorescences arise from the sides or center of the rosettes and can reach about 30 centimeters and form more than 10 flower buds.

The flowers have 5 triangular segments that form a structure similar to that of a lantern and exhibit an orange or red coloration that contrasts sharply with the dark color of the succulent.

The nectar of the flowers attracts pollinators of all kinds. They can attract beautiful hummingbirds and bees, but also other unwanted insects on our succulents, such as aphids, ants and mealybugs.

Therefore, pay attention to signs of pests during flowering. There are even those who prefer to cut the floral stick so as not to attract insects.

The flowers can last all winter and when the inflorescence finally dries it must be removed from the base of the plant.

Fertilization

Echeveria ‘Black Prince’ does not require very frequent fertilization because too many nutrients can burn the plant and cause abnormal growth. However, it is important to renew the soil after a couple of years and fertilize the substrate to provide nutrients at least once a year.

It is recommended to fertilize during spring or summer. You can use a commercial liquid fertilizer or fertilize using natural ingredients, such as banana tea or egg shells as compost or fertilizer.

How to transplant the Echeveria ‘Black Prince’

Transplanting is one of the steps we recommend to do after buying a succulent. It is also good to transplant the Echeveria ‘Black Prince’ every two years to renew the substrate or every time the pot gets too small.

In this article we explain when and how to repot succulents. After transplanting succulents remember that you should not water immediately because the roots are abused and they need time to heal. Wait at least two days before watering again.

Echeveria ‘Black Prince’ : Propagation

This species can be easily propagated in different ways; here are some:

Propagation by offsets

This species produces offsets or suckers from the base of the rosette. When the offsets measure more than two centimeters they can be separated from the mother plant, allowed to heal and planted in a separate pot.

Propagation by leaf

Like many echeverias, it is possible to reproduce this species by leaf cutting.

Propagation by stem cuttings

In this form of propagation the top part of the Echeveria is beheaded, the remaining leaves are propagated and new suckers are also produced on the stem of the mother plant. Actually, this method performs several forms of propagation at a time and for this reason it is probably the most efficient way to reproduce mature Echeverias.

Most common problems of the Echeveria ‘Black Prince’

Some of the most common problems suffered by Echeveria ‘Black Prince’ are:

• Etiolation, in case of not receiving the adequate amount of light. You will begin to see how the distance between the new leaves increases and, little by little, it loses its characteristic compact shape. A possible solution to this problem is to prune or behead the succulent.

• Pests. Knowing how to eliminate pests in succulents is essential to deal with unwanted guests such as the cottony mealybug, aphids, slugs, snails, etc.
• Rot from overwatering. It is important to take the precautions we always talk about to avoid excess moisture in the substrate that ends up affecting the health of our plant. Don’t miss our article on how to tell if a succulent is overwatered or underwatered.
• Dehydration. If you notice that the leaves of your Echeveria ‘Black Prince’ begin to wrinkle, dry and fall, it is because surely, it is dehydrated and needs more watering. If after increasing the frequency of watering your plant does not improve its condition, we recommend that you perform water therapy to rehydrate.

The Echeveria Black Prince can also suffer from burns, fungus, and other common problems in succulents.