Echeveria derenbergii

Echeveria derenbergii, nicknamed "Painted Lady", is a lovely little Mexican succulent plant beloved by fans of succulent plants and other miniature cacti. Its cluster of plump leaves, a very soft green-grey, resembles a jewel. With the sun, the edges of the leaves blush beautifully, perfectly complementing its summer flowering with short spikes of small orange flowers. Over time, the plant forms colonies of clusters and even trailing stems. It is a less hardy species that makes a good indoor plant, to be grown in a planter or hanging basket. 

Echeverias are perennial succulents from the family Crassulaceae renowned for their graphical leaf clusters, reminiscent of artichokes. Native to dry and rocky areas in central Mexico, the Echeveria genus is particularly sensitive to excessive watering, especially in winter. They are cultivated in a well-drained soil with a mineral tendency and in a very bright location. They are mainly grown in pots that are stored indoors, protected from frost, as soon as autumn arrives. Some privileged locations in the Mediterranean zone can accommodate these plants in dry rockeries and slopes.

Echeveria derenbergii is a botanical species originating from the Sierra de Mixteca in the state of Oaxaca, located in southeast Mexico. A region governed by a hot semi-arid climate. Its cluster is well-rounded, very compact, upright, measuring up to 8cm (3in) in height and 6-7cm (2-3in) in diameter. Its leaves are wide, short, very thick, fleshy, spoon-shaped, pointed, covered with a bloom that gives it a pale grey-green to very light water green colour. Their tips and margins turn pinkish-red. It has a fairly slow growth, but prolific, easily producing daughter clusters that form a dense cushion. Mature plants develop stems that also bear a few clusters. These stems are capable of rooting when in contact with the ground. Flowering occurs in late spring or early summer, from May to July depending on the climate. It takes the form of fleshy, pinkish spikes, 8-10cm (3-4in) in height, bearing 5 to 7 small flowers. The flowers, not fully open, are composed of orange petals surrounded by pinkish-red sepals. 

In favourable climates, if your garden is located by the sea, where frost does not exceed -4°C, plant Echeveria derenbergii in a rockery, on a well-drained slope, or at the edge of a flower bed. It will accompany Felicia amelloides Cape Aster, Delospermas, and other Mangaves that appreciate the same environments. Elsewhere, you can plant it in a beautiful pot or container, alone or in combination with other Echeverias or other succulent plants such as houseleeks, for example. Mature plants with trailing stems make good plants for hanging baskets.