EcheVerias.com
Title
hybrid echeverias
Contact
- Poulgrain, David
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- Kooralbyn Queensland
- Australia 4285
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- +46.702952269
Description
Echeverias are a member of the genus Crassulacae, which also includes the closely-related Crassulas, Sedums,Dudleyas, Pachyphytums,and Graptopetalums, amongst others.I t is possible to get intergeneric crosses between Echeverias and some of the above species, which gives rise to e.g.. Graptoverias, Pachyverias etc. Some of these plants come into our collection and are listed with a capitalised abbreviations e.g.. G. X 'Debbie'. This is a shortened form of Graptopetalum ( + subspecies name) X(crossed with) Echeveria ( + subspecies name), cultivar 'Debbie'.
Geographically, Echeverias grow over a wide area from southern Texas to the tropical areas of South America, but the majority are to be found in Mexico. As a rule, they are not plants from the desert flats, but the mountainsides, cliffs and rocky hills. Some are found as epiphytes in Mexican forests as well, so they obviously don't all require the same treatment in cultivation. They prefer a better treatment than you would give the true desert cacti, and they provide few problems.
Most of the hybrids in our collection are crosses between one subspecies of Echeveria, with another. The crosses were done first in the USA, and then other countries later, for many reasons, but mainly to produce plants with better colours, textures and sizes. Most are more vigourous than the parent plants in growth, but less able to be propagated. Unlike most species, you cannot merely pluck off a leaf and leave it to grow roots and bud. The majority will put out roots from a separated leaf cutting, but not a bud. The rooted leaf-cutting then merely grows old and eventually dies of senescence, never having put out a growing bud. Most of the hybrids are propagated like Bromeliads, from offsets, or 'pups'. Many also are sterile flowered, even though they may produce visble pollen ( fertility factor of this pollen unknown). Echeveria species readily cross with each other, which makes seed not true to the parent plant a common problem . Hybrids are no different, so it is not a recommended practise. See other websites about Mendel's Theory of Genetic Heredity if you wish to further discover the small percentages of plants that grow true as F2 hybrids (2nd generation).
