Echeveria elegans Grey Red: Care and Propagation Guide

Echeveria elegans Grey Red is a succulent that belongs to the Crassulaceae family. The rosettes of this plant are clustered and grow from the bottom up, with a slightly pointed tip on the top.

It is a thick-leaved hybrid with gray leaves with tips that turn reddish due to exposure to the sun. The foliage of this succulent is mostly light blue-greenish in color.

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Contents

1 Echeveria elegans Grey Red Care Guide

Echeveria elegans Grey Red Care Guide

Light

Echeveria elegans Grey Red requires a substantial amount of light in order to thrive. They should receive at least four to five hours of bright, direct light on a daily basis. Placing your Echeveria elegans Grey Red outdoors during the summer months will help it to thrive.

Echeveria elegans Grey Red that does not receive enough light will become elongated and leggy, often ‘reaching’ towards the closest source of light. It is also unlikely that they will flower. If you have your Echeveria elegans Grey Red on a windowsill, turn the plant occasionally to ensure that all sides of your plant get enough sun.

On the other hand, too many hours of intense, direct sunlight can result in sunburn.

Watering

Echeveria elegans Grey Red, like most succulents, does not require much water as they store water in their fleshy leaves. Wait until the soil has dried out completely before watering your Echeveria elegans Grey Red, and then give it a good watering, making sure the excess water drains out from the pot.

If you water too much or too little, your Echeveria elegans Grey Red will start to wilt, wrinkle, or drop leaves. However, it is better to err on the side of under-watering, as they can quickly succumb to root rot if overwatered. With that in mind, Echeveria elegans Grey Red should never be kept in damp soil.

When watering Echeveria elegans Grey Red, always water the soil directly and avoid allowing water to sit on the rosette of the succulent as this can lead to rot and fungal disease.

During the spring and summer, Echeveria elegans Grey Red will need to be watered more frequently than they will in the winter.

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Soil

Echeveria elegans Grey Red requires a well-draining, porous growing medium to help keep excess moisture away from the roots. Standard soil for cactus potting is sufficient for Echeveria elegans Grey Red, which can be found at most nurseries and garden centers.

If growing in containers, make sure there are drainage holes in the bottom to allow water to drain from the soil. Soil that is constantly damp or doesn’t drain well will result in root rot.

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Climate

Echeveria elegans Grey Red thrives in hot, dry conditions. For the most part, they do not tolerate cold temperatures or cold drafts well and too much humidity can lead to root rot. Echeveria elegans Grey Red grows well indoors in average room conditions with around 40% – 50% humidity.

During the spring and summer months, your indoor Echeveria elegans Grey Red needs temperatures of between 65 and 80°F (18 – 27°C). During the winter, a few degrees lower will be ideal. Outdoors, Echeveria elegans Grey Red loves warm summers of at least 19°C or 20°C.

Fertilizing

Generally, fertilizing is not a requirement for Echeveria elegans Grey Red as they are accustomed to growing in nutrient-poor soil, which makes them susceptible to fertilizer burn if over-fertilized.

However, if you want to encourage healthy Echeveria elegans Grey Red growth, you can use a cactus or succulent fertilizer or low-nitrogen mix that has been diluted 3 or 4 times more than the recommended dose.

Only feed a small amount every 2 or 3 weeks during the spring and summer months which is their active growing period.

Potting and Repotting

When choosing a pot or container to grow an Echeveria elegans Grey Red in, it is important to choose the right size. As a rule of thumb for all succulents, choose a pot that is slightly larger than the root ball. This helps to ensure the soil doesn’t stay too damp.

Echeveria elegans Grey Red does not require frequent repotting and should only be repotted once they have outgrown their previous container. To repot an Echeveria elegans Grey Red, ensure that the soil is completely dry before removing it from its potting container. Repotting in the spring is usually recommended as the plant will be entering into its active growing period.

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Propagating Echeveria elegans Grey Red

Echeveria elegans Grey Red propagates mainly through offsets, leaf cuttings, and seeds. A mature Echeveria elegans Grey Red plant will produce offsets from its main stem, which can be separated and propagated as a separate plant. Alternatively, Echeveria elegans Grey Red can be propagated through leaf cuttings.

If the Echeveria elegans Grey Red has already formed several rosettes, it is particularly easy to propagate. All you have to do is cut off the rosettes. The offshoots should be at least two centimeters in diameter.

The best time to cut off the rosettes is May. Pluck apart the individual rosettes, then plant them separately.

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