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| Category: Succulent |
| Family: Crassulaceae (Stonecrops) |
| Origin: Mexico (North America) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Red/Purple Foliage: Yes |
| Variegated Foliage: Yes |
| Flower Color: Red |
| Bloomtime: Summer |
| Height: 1-2 feet |
| Width: 1-2 feet |
| Exposure: Sun or Shade |
| Summer Dry: Yes |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: Unknown |
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Echeveria semivestita (Blue Echeveria) - An unusual Echeveria with stout, short stems, sometimes branching, bearing an open rosette of narrow 4 inch long bright green, lightly-pubescent leaves that are concave above and have a strong, dark, reddish-purple margin on both the upper and lower sides. In mid summer, the stout stem of the inflorescence forms from below the center of the rosette and rises 10-20 inches bearing short branches, each with 9 flowers or fewer. The buds with bracts and the lower surface of the sepals showing are an unusual bluish violet (also described as slate-blue), which prompted discussion of a “blue Echeveria” when this plant was first discovered but as the flowers open they expose the coral to red petals with yellow stamens - quite the interesting combination of colors! Plant in a well-drained soil in full sun to light shade – foliage is paler in shade and darker green with enhanced red highlights in full sun. Water occasionally. We do not yet know the hardiness of this plant. Eric Walter in his book “Echeveria” (California Academy of Sciences, 1972) placed this plant in the Retusae group because of its glabrous flowers but noted in was anomalous to the rest of the group. The specific epithet 'semivestita', meaning "half hairy" seems appropriate for this plant with hairy leaves but with no hair on the flowers. The type specimen of Echeveria semivestita was collected in February 1948 by a Dr Robert Taylor near the Pan American Highway 25 miles north of Zimapan, Hidalgo, Mexico between 7-8,000 feet. When Reid Moran described this plant in the March-April 1954 issue of the “Cactus and Succulent Journal of the Cactus and Succulent Society of America” (Volume 26 #2) he noted that there were at least two other herbarium specimens referable to this species including one collected in 1947 at around 5,000 feet on limestone boulders in dry rocky pine-oak woods at Puerto de la Zorra northeast of Jacala, Hidalgo, and another collected in July 1948 on steep ledges of a road cut between Jacala and Santa Ana. Walter also noted that this plant also can be found in the Sierra Madre Occidentale in Nuevo Leon. The genus Echeveria was named to honor 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 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 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 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.
This information about Echeveria semivestita 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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