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Echeveria 'Dondo' - A compact clumping succulent with tight 4-inch-wide rosettes of gray-green colored leaves that are broadest near the leaf tip; this tip has a small soft spine and is sometimes blushed red. Small dark yellow to slightly orange bell-shaped flowers rise above the foliage on several stalks from the center of the rosette in late winter into spring.
Plant in full coastal sun or light shade to shade inland in a well-drained soil. Cold hardy to around 20°F.
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 and Echeveria Cultivars by Lorraine Schulz (AKA Rudolf Schulz) and Attila Kapitany (Schulz Publishing, 2005) has beautiful photos and great information on the cultivars and hybrids. 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.
The parentage of this plant is unclear as some list it as hybrid between Echeveria derenbergii and Echeveria runyonii, while others as Echeveria derenbergii and Echeveria setosa hybrid. It is noted as a hybrid from Germany in Rudolf (Lorraine) Shultz and Attila Kapitany's Echeveria Cultivars but with uncertain origins and no description. There appear to be several very different plants in the trade using this name including plants with green leaves that may also be called 'Kircheriana'. Our plants from the Longview Horticulture micropropagation laboratory (tissue culture) in Australia match plants so labeled 'Dondo' in the collection at the Huntington Botanic Garden. We have grown this cute small plant since 2011.
This information about Echeveria 'Dondo' 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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