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Echeveria 'Big Red' - A large Echeveria with solitary rosettes reaching to 12 to 18 inches across with broad thick triangular leaves on a thick stem that elongates to 1 to 2 feet as lower leaves drop off. The leaves emerge green with red margins and rapidly darken from the tips down until the entire leaf is a rose-red color. A tall inflorescences of rose-pink paler-centered flowers rises well above the foliage, typically in late fall or winter.
Plant in full sun or bright light (plants grown in lower light never develop red coloration). Give occasional irrigation. Hardy to around 25 °F.
p>The genus Echeveria is a member of the large Crassula family (Crassulaceae), which has about 1,400 species in 33 genera with worldwide distribution. Echeveria, with approximately 180 species, are native to 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 name for the genus honors the Mexican botanical artist Atanasio Echeverría y Godoy in 1828 by the French botanist Augustin Pyramus de Candolle (DeCandolle) who was very 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 had produced thousands of botanical illustrations. 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. It has been argued by some that the correct pronunciation for the genus is ek-e-ve'-ri-a, though ech-e-ver'-i-a seems in more prevalent use in the US.
In "Echeveria Cultivars" by Lorraine (AKA Rudolf) Schultz and Attila Kapitany (Shultz Publishing 2005) it is noted that this plant may be a garden hybrid involving Echeveria gibbiflora and is of unknown origin. We grew and sold this interesting succulent from 2010 until 2013.
This information about Echeveria 'Big Red' 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.
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