About
Echeveria strictiflora, the desert savior, is a small rosette succulent native to south-western Texas and the Chihuahuan Desert of north-eastern Mexico, where it grows in scattered populations.
Care at a glance
- Pet safety
- The ASPCA lists Echeveria ('Mexican rosettes') as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses. General guidance for the genus
- People
- Not recorded.
- Light
- Full sun to partial shade; leaf colour improves in sun. General guidance for the genus
- Water
- Little water in the cool winter months; more during the warm growing season.
- Temperature
- Not reliably frost-hardy; bring indoors for winter where it freezes. General guidance for the genus
- Soil
- Very well-drained sandy or loamy soil. General guidance for the genus
- Pot
- Grows well in pots on a bright, sunny windowsill. General guidance for the genus
- Propagation
- Detach and root offsets, root a cut-off crown, or lay a single leaf on well-drained soil until a new rosette forms. General guidance for the genus
- Growth rate
- Slow. General guidance for the genus
- Mature size
- Rosette up to 10 cm across; flower stalks 20–25 cm.
“General guidance for the genus” marks advice sourced for the genus as a whole rather than this species.
Field notes
Morphology
Rosettes can reach 10 cm across but are usually smaller. Leaves range from glaucous to brownish green or green, and some Mexican populations have red margins. Flower stalks 20–25 cm tall carry pink or orange flowers.
Distribution & habitat
South-western Texas and the Chihuahuan Desert of north-eastern Mexico, as several scattered populations rather than a continuous range.
Cultivation notes
Does best with little water during the cooler winter months and more during the warm growing season.
History & etymology
The genus honours Atanasio Echeverría y Godoy, a botanical illustrator who contributed to Flora Mexicana.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
- Native to
- United States, Mexico
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- Not recorded
- Temperature
- Not reliably frost-hardy; bring indoors for winter where it freezes.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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