Plant in a well-drained soil in full sun in cooler coastal gardens but will also take considerable shade. It is hardy to about 15-20 degrees F. It is an excellent garden plant and very attractive in small or medium sized decorative pots.

Echeveria is a member of the large Crassula family (Crassulaceae) that has about 1,400 species in 33 genera with worldwide distribution. Echeveria, with approximately 180 species, come from mid to higher elevations in the Americas with the main distribution in Mexico and central America but with one species found from as far north as southern Texas and several species occurring as far south as Bolivia, Peru and possibly Argentina. The book "The genus Echeveria" by John Pilbeam (published by the British Cactus and Succulent Society, 2008) is an excellent source of information on the species and "Echeveria Cultivars" by Lorraine Schulz (AKA Rudolf Schulz) and Attila Kapitany (Schulz Publishing, 2005) has excellent photos and information on the cultivars and hybrids. It has been argued by some that the correct pronunciation for the genus is ed ek-e-ve'-ri-a, though ech-e-ver'-i-a seems more prevalent.

Echeveria agavoides is an extremely variable species that has leaves that range from almost entirely green to those that are pink and with some that have deep red markings along the leaf margins. The species generally inhabits rocky canyons and arid hillsides of Central Mexico and found in the states of Aguascalientes, Durango, Guanajuato, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Querétaro, San Luis Potosí and Zacatecas, though there are reports of it being found as far north as Coahuila and as far south as Oaxaca. The genus was named to honor Mexican botanical artist Atanasio Echeverría y Godoy in 1828 by French botanist Augustin Pyramus de Candolle (DeCandolle) who was impressed with Echeverría's drawings. Echeverría had accompanied the the Sessé and Mociño expedition (led by Martin de Sessé y Lacasta and Mariano Mociño Suárez de Figueroa) while exploring Mexico and northern Central America and he produced thousands of botanical illustrations. The specific epithet means "looking like an agave" in reference to this species narrow triangular leaves that are more acutely tipped than others in the genus. This resemblance also gives this species one of its alternate common names, Molded Wax Agave. It is also called Molded Wax, Molded Wax Plant, Wax Agave. Wax Echeveria and Carpet Echeveria.

Echeveria agavoides 'Lipstick' is often listed as Echeveria 'Lipstick' as it is a bit different from most other Echeveria agavoides cultivars but in the book Echeveria Cultivars it is noted that this plant is a naturally occurring variant of the species with strong red markings. This book has excellent photos and information on the many cultivars and hybrids of Echeveria. 'Lipstick' differs primarily from other Echeveria agavoides that we grow in that it has smaller rosettes of shorter leaves that are a brighter green with more pronounced bright red edges and shorter flower inflorescences. The most similar cultivar to this one that we grow is Another cultivar we are building stock on is Echeveria agavoides 'Ebony' (also sometimes offered as 'Corderoyi') which has more open and larger rosettes with grayer green leaves that have deep red-brown markings in place of the red on 'Lipstick'. This plant should not be confused with the entirely different Echeveria multicaulis 'Lipstick'. We have grown and sold this very nice cultivar since getting stock plants from David Bernstein at his Cactus Ranch Nursery in Reseda, California in 2005. 

This information about Echeveria agavoides 'Lipstick' displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.