How to care for the hybrid succulent Pachyveria

Enjoying live flowering plants indoors is the desire of many florists. To do this, they look for unusual flowers, combine several plants, forming amazing compositions. Succulents become one of the desirable in this list. This is quite understandable, because such plants are easy enough to care for, and their exotic appearance will decorate any room. We want to draw attention to the hybrid succulent Pachyveria, to describe its features, as well as to share tips on how to take care of the plant.

Characteristics of the genus xPachyveria

×Pachyveria is a hybrid of the succulents Pachyphytum and Echeveria, a member of the family Crassulaceae. The letter “×”, which often appears in front of the name of the plant, indicates that it is not a succulent growing in nature, but a hybrid bred by nurseries.

Visually, these hybrids resemble the first plant or the second. Also surprising are its flowers, resembling those of Echeveria, and the vegetative part is from Pachyphytum. This makes the hybrid look even more unusual.

The plant is a perennial succulent and is small in size, rarely reaching more than 1 foot (30 cm) in height. The trunk of the bush is small, but fleshy. The succulent is characterized by short internodes, the leaves grow spirally and are usually up to 1/2 inch (10 cm) long. The leaf shape is spatulate, smooth, slightly rounded or cylindrical, and the tips are pointed. The leaves form an original rosette with a rounded configuration.

The coloring of the leaves is varied – they can be gray, bright green, sometimes covered with a grayish-white patina. Under sunlight they can become purple.

Flowers begin to form in late spring. Small groups of buds may appear on a single bush. They may be orange, yellow-red, or purple in color. The flower stalks are usually erect, flexible. Pachyveria can produce 2-4 flower stalks each, on which tubular-type flowers open. They are usually up to 1 inch (2.5 cm) long.

The flowers have no scent and bloom for up to 3 weeks. With proper care, this hybrid can bloom every year.

How to grow hybrid Pachyveria

What you need to know about caring for a hybrid plant.

Pot

Succulent planted in pots of small size, because it has a low growth rate. During the year, it is able to add up to 1 inch (2.5 cm) in height. The containers must have a hole for drainage, and a layer of pebbles or claydite is poured on the bottom of the container.

The roots are usually at the top of the soil, so there is no need to buy a deep container for the Hybrid.

Soil for Pachyveria

Soil for the plant is chosen neutral or slightly acidic, it can be sparse but loose. You can buy the soil mixture in a garden center, which will have a sufficient amount of gravel and sand. It will also require the addition of perlite to increase drainage.

Light

Indoor pachyveria prefers well-lit areas. Try to choose southern, southwestern or southeastern windows for her. The plant is better suited to diffused light, direct sunlight is not desirable at all. During the hours of active sunshine you will need to slightly shade the plant.

If there is not enough light, the coloring of the leaf plates will be sparse, the shoots will begin to deform, stretching. From this succulent loses its decorative appearance. Take into account that during the hot season, the leaves of the culture will change. The plaque on them will thicken, and the tips will turn red. This phenomenon is considered quite normal.

An important point – in the winter time it will be necessary to artificially prolong the daylight hours. It is recommended that it be not less than 12 hours. Therefore, take care of special lamps.

Temperature

The advantage of the hybrid is that it is resistant to high temperatures in summer and low temperatures in winter. In summer the optimum temperature is 68 to 79 °F (20 to 26 °C), and in winter 51 to 59 °F (11 to 15 °C). The maximum allowable temperature is 95 °F (35 ° C).

Watering Pachyveria

The hybrid is considered a drought-tolerant plant. Therefore, it accumulates moisture in its leaves. It is recommended to water the plant as carefully as possible, so as not to provoke overwatering. When wetting the soil, make sure that the water drops do not get on the leaf rosettes. This is fraught with rotting of the root system, as well as oversaturation of the leaves with water. You can tell when leaves are running short of water by the fact that they will start to shrivel. It is best to water Pachyveria only when the soil is completely dry.

Fertilizer

A diluted fertilizer suitable for succulents or cacti can be applied once every 30 days. During the growing season, you will need to apply compositions containing a small amount of nitrogen 2-3 times. In the autumn and winter season, it is not necessary to feed the hybrid.

Overwintering

This period usually begins in late autumn. Its duration is until the end of the winter season. Succulent should be placed in a room with good lighting, the air temperature should be about 59 °F (15 °C). Water the plant very rarely, depending on the appearance of the leaves. In spring, when the air warms up, you can take the Pachyveria outside. Such succulents look great in the garden, on open balconies or terraces.

How to repot Pachyveria

Unless there is an urgent need, it is not recommended to disturb the plant, because the root system develops more slowly than the shoots. Repotting is recommended only if the roots begin to sprout in the drainage holes or on the surface of the substrate.

Young succulents can be transplanted every year, and adults – every 3-4 years. It depends on the rate of development of green mass. Poor soil is used for transplanting, it is optimal to choose a substrate for succulents. At the bottom, a drainage layer is formed.

The hybrid is extracted from the old soil. Visually inspect – whether there are no damaged roots. Sick and withered areas are cut off, stubs – removed. Be sure to treat the cuts. Before planting, be sure to dry the rhizome. Watering is not performed immediately after transplanting, but only after 3-6 days.

How to propagate hybrid Pachyveria

The most popular way to propagate the succulent is considered cuttings.  As cuttings use the upper parts of shoots, their length should be 2-3 inches (5-7 cm).

• Cut off the top of the shoot, dry it for a week.
• Remove a few of the lower leaves.
• Then plant the cuttings in the ground. Deepen only the tip.
• For rooting, use a composition based on sand and peat. To make the cuttings more stable, tie them to a support.
• Do not overwater the soil, but also do not allow it to dry out completely. Lightly sprinkle the soil.
• Do not cover the cuttings, this will cause them to rot.

After 3 weeks, cuttings should put down new roots, they will begin to release fresh shoots. In separate containers seedlings are planted after 2-3 months.

How to propagate Pachyveria with offshoots

Subsidiary rosettes are not always formed, but if they are, they guarantee a good result of reproduction. The rosette is separated from the adult plant. From the cuttings will need to remove all the lower leaves, then dry them for 12 hours. Next, prepare a soil based on peat and sand, fill it into a container, plant the rosette there, water it. Temperature conditions – in the range of 68 to 79 °F (20 to 26 °C). Transplant the young plant after 1 month.

Problems in caring for Pachyveria

This hybrid is resistant to all kinds of pests and diseases. Leaves can become deformed or wilted only if they lack moisture. Timely watering can solve the situation. There may be sunburn on the leaves, there are spots of brown color. In this case, it is enough to move the plant to a shaded area. Hybrid rotting can also occur if the rules of watering are not followed. Cut off the intact, healthy part of the succulent, root it in sand composition or perlite.

Varieties of Pachyveria

Let’s briefly describe the most popular species of the hybrid succulent.

xPachyveria pachyphytoides

The hybrid is characterized by a loose rosette, the leaves have a light gray shade. In bright light they turn pinkish. The plant tolerates strong heat and bright sunlight.

Like most Crassulaceae, this species can tolerate poor soil mixes, as long as they are loose enough. Give the plant full or partial sun.

xPachyveria ‘Blue Mist’

This variety called ‘Blue Mist’ has rosettes up to 3 inches (8 cm) in diameter.

The leaves are blue or purple and the flowers are orange-pinkish in color. The flower stems are up to 6 inches (15 cm) tall.

xPachyveria Clavifolia or ‘Jewel Crown’

The hybrid shoots are up to 6 inches (15 cm) long. The leaves are quite thick – up to 2 inches (5 cm).

A narrow rosette is formed first and then it opens up. The color of the leaves is a bluish gray.

xPachyveria scheideckeri

A fairly common species. Characterized by dense shoots that are well elevated above the bush.

The leaves are usually small, up to 1 inch (2 cm) long, and may be slightly bent down. Hue is grayish-silver.

xPachyveria glauca ‘Little Jewel’

This species is also referred to as bluish. The shoots are up to 1 foot (30 cm) tall.

The leaves are usually oblong in shape, shade grayish green, and up to 1/4 inch (6 cm) long. The flowers are usually peach-colored, but there is a variety with red flowers.