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| Category: Succulent |
| Family: Crassulaceae (Stonecrops) |
| Origin: Mexico (North America) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Flower Color: Red & Yellow |
| Bloomtime: Spring |
| Height: 1-2 feet |
| Width: 1-2 feet |
| Exposure: Full Sun |
| Summer Dry: Yes |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 25-30° F |
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Echeveria pulvinata 'Benito Juarez' (Chenille Plant) - A small shrubby plant to 1 to 2 feet tall with stout brown rusty colored hair covered stems topped by a rosette of 8 to 10 thick 2 inch long fairly flat obovate olive green colored leaves covered by short fuzzy silvery white hairs. The leaves taper to a narrow base with a mucronate tip and with leaf margins having red highlights. Older leaves can remain on the stems below for years but eventually drop off to expose the stout stems. In late spring appear the flowering stems to 1 foot long that emerge horizontal or even at a downward angle from below the leaf rosettes before ascending upwards holding up to fifteen bell shaped flowers that are a half to three quarters of an inch long with calyces that are thickly pubescent. These flowers start off as dark orange-red buds and open to expose the yellow slightly hairy petals with red keels and red petal tips. After flowering even the flared 5 parted seed capsules are interesting and showy. Plant in full to part sun in a well drained soil and irrigate occasionally to infrequently. Cold hardy to around 25° F. This plant is an attractive and tough succulent that even when not in flower has shiny hairs that catch the sunlight and it is quite showy in bloom and hummingbirds are also attracted to these flowers. This species is native to Oaxaca, Mexico. 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 specific epithet from the Latin word 'pulvinatus' meaning "cushion shaped" or "strongly convex" for the cushion-like leaves. The common names Chenille Plant or Plush Plant used for this species refer to the soft white hairs on this plant. Typical Echeveria pulvinata has a concave upper leaf surface but this collection has a flatter leaf. It is a particularly robust plant grown from seed collected at the top edge of a south facing rock face east of Benito Juarez looking down on Santa Ana del Valle in Oaxaca.
The information about Echeveria pulvinata 'Benito Juarez' displayed on this web page is based on our research conducted in the nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also include 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 we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share cultural information that would aid others in growing this plant. |
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