Echeveria Red Velvet Plants
Red Velvet Echeveria (Echeveria pulvinata) is a hybrid plant named for Athanasio Echeverria Godoy. The secondary name, pulvinata, refers to its cushion-like leaves. Red Velvet has softly hairy stems and chubby leaves. The species is from Mexico, but this particular cultivar originated in California. You will be charmed by Red Velvet. It is a small plant, growing only 12 inches (30 cm.) in height with a shrub-like form. The thickened leaves are oblong, coming to a point, and bear tracings of bright pink on the edges. In cool weather, the reddish tint becomes more intense. The leaves and stems have fine, reddish hairs giving a fuzzy appearance. Leaves are arranged in whorls, giving the clusters a flowery effect. These aren’t the flowers, however. The blooms of Red Velvet Echeveria are tubular with orange-red petals and yellow interiors with green bracts. The plant is very ornamental and long lasting.
How to Grow Red Velvet
Red Velvet plants are hardy to United States Department of Agriculture zones 10 to 11, but even cool clime gardeners can enjoy them. As interior plants, they need full, indirect sun and well-draining soil. Outdoor plants also enjoy sun but need protection from noon day heat. Most soils are tolerable, but a pH of 5.5 to 6.5 is preferred by the Red Velvet succulent plant. Young plants should be pinched early to promote thicker more sturdy stems. Once you have fallen in love with your plant, propagation is easy. Take stem cuttings in spring and allow them to callus on the ends for a few days. Insert the cut end into soil and keep dry for two weeks. Then water normally and you will have a whole new plant.
Red Velvet Care
While growing a Red Velvet plant is relatively easy, there are some care tips for these easy-going plants. Water regularly but don’t allow soil to remain soggy. Check manually and irrigate when soil is dry down to your second knuckle. You can also tell by the leaves when it is necessary to water. They will begin to pucker a bit if the plant needs moisture. Once established, Red Velvet can tolerate brief periods of drought. Light feeding with a diluted plant food in early spring keeps even potted plants happy. Root rots from excess moisture is the most common problem. Plants may also fall prey to mealybugs, aphids and slugs but, otherwise, this Echeveria is a very unbothered plant, even by deer.
