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| Category: Succulent |
| Family: Crassulaceae (Stonecrops) |
| Origin: Mexico (North America) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Red/Purple Foliage: Yes |
| Bloomtime: Spring |
| Parentage: (E. elegans hybrid) |
| Height: <1 foot |
| Width: Clumping |
| Exposure: Sun or Shade |
| Drought Tolerant: Yes |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 20-25° F |
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Echeveria 'Violet Queen' - A fast growing and hardy rosette-forming gray-leafed succulent which freely offsets to form a dense small mound or groundcover to 4 to 5 inches tall with each rosette spreading to 6 to 8 inches wide. The leaves are long and narrow and curve up slightly towards the tips to forms and open lotus blossom shape. The leaves, especially the tips, take on a rose pink coloration in late fall and winter that is enhanced by cold evenings and even light frosts. This succulent is drought tolerant, but does best with occasional watering in a well drained soil. Plant in full sun (coastal) to light shade and hardy to 20-25 degrees F. This hybrid was created by legendary Santa Barbara Horticulturalist Edward (E.O.) Orpet, for who our hillside Orpet Park was named. It is thought to be a Echeveria elegans hybrid and is sometimes is grown as E. subsessilis. 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 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.
The description above is based on our research and observations of this plant growing in our nursery, in our own garden and in other gardens in the Santa Barbara area. We would appreciate hearing from anyone who has additional information about this plant, even if they disagree with what we have written.
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