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Mexican Gem

Echeveria elegans (ek-eh-VER-ee-ah ELL-eh-ganz)

Family: Crassulaceae Unknown Herbaceous

White Mexican Rose is a perennial succulent in the Crassulaceae family that is native to Northeastern Mexico and grows well in sub-tropical climates such as Southern California. The plant grows in rosette-shaped clumps and has striking flower stalks that bloom from late winter to summer. Here in North Carolina, Echeveria is grown most often as a houseplant in shallow containers. The plant is also used outside in rock gardens and in containers on sunny, dry spots such as decks or patios. Echeveria plants do well in full sun to partial shade and are relatively disease-free. The most common problem with these plants is overwatering as they prefer dry, well-drained soil. They are easily propagated with cuttings or leaves or division of the offsets or “pups” that are produced by this plant. Grow in a container or a rock garden. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Monitor for mealybugs, aphids, and vine weevils. No significant diseases. VIDEO Created by Laura Barth for "Houseplants, Succulents, and Cacti," a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens. More information on Echeveria .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 56 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 4 - Herbaceous Optimal soil pH Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Herbaceous Perennial; Houseplant; Perennial; Succulent
Life cycle
Perennial
USDA zones
9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Dry
Available space
Less than 12 inches
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping; Mounding; Rounded
Leaf color
Blue; Gray/Silver; Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Rosulate; Whorled
Leaf shape
Oblanceolate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Fleshy; Smooth; Waxy
Leaf value
Long-lasting; Showy
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
tight rosettes of pale green-blue or silvery-green fleshy leaves. Up to 2.5 inches long and .8 inches wide.
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Orange; Pink
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Raceme
Flower shape
Tubular
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Long slender stalks of 5-7 pink tubular flowers with yellow tips in winter and spring. Blooms multiple times in the plant's lifetime.
Bloom time
Spring; Winter
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Inconspicuous capsules
Stem color
Gray/Silver; Green
Stem detail
Grayish green fleshy stems
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
NE Mexico to Veracruz
Distribution
Mexico Gulf, Mexico Northeast, and Mexico Southwest
Attracts
Bees; Butterflies; Hummingbirds
Food & Medicine
Fruit type
Capsule
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Houseplants; Patio
Landscape theme
Drought Tolerant Garden; Rock Garden
Design feature
Border; Small groups
Garden tags
#houseplant #dry soils tolerant #succulent #drought tolerant #non-toxic for cats #non-toxic for horses #non-toxic for dogs #clumping #winter flowers #tropical #pink flowers #full sun tolerant #partial shade tolerant #container plant #herbaceous perennial #perennial #rock garden #contorted stems
Problems & Resistance
Resistant to
Deer; Drought; Dry Soil; Heat
Propagation
Division; Leaf Cutting

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.