Featured Plant of the Week (Pink Echeveria)

‘Pink Echeveria’ or Graptopetalum bellum

A newcomer on the horticultural scene, the plant ‘Pink Echeveria’ is a small, perennial succulent with slate-grey leaves and bright pink flowers. Growing in flat and whorled rosettes, this plant regularly blooms in the late spring. Its flowers are shaped like tiny five-pointed stars, and grow on floral spikes reaching about four inches tall. Although we call this plant ‘Pink Echeveria’ at BloomRite® Gardens, it is not actually an echeveria at all.

Its real name is Graptopetalum bellum, which makes it a member of the Crassula family. While Echeveria is a member of this family as well, Graptopetalum is distinct in that it is usually smaller and more compact. Graptopetalum is a small genus, unlike Echeveria, which has hundreds of species. Graptopetalum on the other hand has little more than a dozen.

The plant was discovered in 1972 by the botanist Dr. Alfred Lau and named Tacitus bellus by Dr. Reid Moran. Lau found it on the border of the Mexican states Chihuahua and Sonora, high up at the altitude of 4,800 feet, where it was growing on a rough rock face. Since then, it has become a very popular plant with cultivars thanks to its easy care requirements and bright pink flowers. The original name Tacitus bellus made it the only species in its genus, but that was certainly because of Reid’s sense of humor. The old name was, essentially, a Latin play on words. Tacitus was a famous Roman general, the word bellum means war, and bellus means pretty.

Unfortunately, taxonomists are a humorless bunch and decided that Graptopetalum bellum was a more appropriate name, and now Tacitus bellus is used only by cultivars. It’s also sometimes called Chihuahua Plant, referring to its state of origin.

Graptopetalum bellum is very easy to care for. It prefers arid places like most succulents, but less light than others. It’s best to keep it in bright indirect light, or light shade outside. Plant it in porous soil that has good drainage, since sitting in water tends to cause rot. Water the plant only once the potting medium has dried out, watering it more during the spring and summer, and much less during the winter. Fertilizer should be applied only once during the growing season at one quarter the label rate. Assuming these things can be taken care of, this plant should thrive. Don’t be alarmed if it doesn’t seem to be growing much; Graptopetalum bellum is a naturally slow-growing and small plant.

You can find 3” ‘Pink Echeveria’ at BloomRite® Gardens now for $3.75 per plant, sold by flats of 24.