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| Category: Succulent |
| Family: Crassulaceae (Stonecrops) |
| Origin: Mexico (North America) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Flower Color: Pink |
| Bloomtime: Spring/Summer |
| Synonyms: [Echeveria chihuahuensis, Hort.] |
| Height: <1 foot |
| Width: <1 foot |
| Exposure: Sun or Shade |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 20-25° F |
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Echeveria chihuahuaensis – This is another beautiful glaucous Echeveria that is like a smaller version of the related Echeveria colorata. It forms a tighter and shorter rosette to about 4 inches wide with its smaller more scalloped leaves that come to a more pronounced tip. There are a few forms with varying degrees of pinkish edging to the bluish-gray leaves. One form at the Huntington Botanic Garden lacks the powdery covering and is green but ours has gray-green leaves with distinct red markings near the tips. The pinkish, lightly-branching flower stalks may reach up to 10 inches above the rosette to display the unfurling coral-pink flowers with a yellow interior. It is generally solitary and must usually reach full size before it begins to offset. In some environs it may be susceptible to rot if water is allowed to collect among its leaves. Plant in full sun to bright light in a well-drained soil. Probably hardy to at least 25 F. This beauty is from the state of Chihuahua, Mexico – an older collection of a plant called E. tobarensis from a box canyon near the town of Tovar may represent the same species and if so determined this plant's name will change to reflect this. Some very reliable references (such as John Pilbeam's The Genus Echeveria) lists this plant with the specific epithet spelled chihuahuensis (w/o a 2nd "a") but we received the seed from the Ruth Bancroft Garden spelled with the second "a" and this spelling is how it is listed in Eric Walther's Echeveria, The Plant List and in the Tropicos Database. The genus Echeveria was named to honor Mexican botanical artist Atanasio Echeverría y Godoy in 1828 by the French botanist Augustin Pyramus de Candolle (DeCandolle) who was very impressed with Echeverría's drawings. Echeverría had accompanied the the Sessé and Mociño expedition (led by Martin de Sessé y Lacasta and Mariano Mociño Suárez de Figueroa) while exploring Mexico and northern Central America and had produced thousands of botanical illustrations. The genus Echeveria is a member of the large Crassula family (Crassulaceae), which has about 1,400 species in 33 genera with worldwide distribution. Echeveria, with approximately 180 species, are native to mid to higher elevations in the Americas with the main distribution in Mexico and central America but with one species found from as far north as southern Texas and several species occurring as far south as Bolivia, Peru and possibly Argentina. The book "The genus Echeveria" by John Pilbeam (published by the British Cactus and Succulent Society, 2008) is an excellent source of information on the species and "Echeveria Cultivars" by Lorraine Schulz and Attila Kapitany (Schulz Publishing, 2005) has beautiful photos and great information on the cultivars and hybrids. It has been argued by some that the correct pronunciation for the genus is ek-e-ve'-ri-a, though ech-e-ver'-i-a seems in more prevalent use in the US.
The information about Echeveria chihuahuaensis displayed on this page is based on research conducted in our nursery library and from online sources we consider reliable. We will also relate those observations made of this plant as it grows in our nursery gardens and in other gardens that we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has additional information, particularly when they share cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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