About
Echeveria elegans, the Mexican snowball, is a popular, evergreen succulent forming clumps of tight, stemless rosettes of spoon-shaped, whitish-green, glaucous leaves. Slender, arching, one-sided flower spikes bear small, lantern-shaped, pink flowers tipped with yellow in late winter and spring. One of the most widely grown and reliable of all echeverias.
About the genus
Echeveria are evergreen succulent perennials or subshrubs from Mexico and Central America producing rosettes of colourful, fleshy leaves in shades of grey, green, blue, pink, red and purple, and racemes or panicles of small, urn-shaped, red, orange or yellow flowers on tall stems in summer.
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun
Soil typeLoam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureWell-drained
AspectSouth-facing, West-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH2
Plant details
Plant typeHouseplants, Cactus Succulent, Conservatory Greenhouse
HabitClump forming
FoliageEvergreen
HeightUp to 10 cm
Spread0.1-0.5 metres
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesPatio and container plants
Native toMexico
Care notes
CultivationGrow under glass in a peat-free, loam-based potting compost with added extra grit. Water moderately when in growth; not at all when dormant. Apply a balanced liquid fertiliser 2 or 3 times in the growing season. See Echeveria and houseplant cacti and succulent cultivation for further advice
PruningNo pruning required
PropagationPropagate by seed sown as soon as ripe or by root, stem or leaf cuttings in spring
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to mealybugs, aphids and vine weevils
Disease resistanceGenerally disease-free