Echeveria Lilacina is a succulent plant of the Crassulaceae family with a dazzling presentation as its spoon-shaped leaves are arranged in symmetrical rosettes. The silver-grey color of the plant’s leaves also adds to the homey vibe of your garden.
With the easy-care requirements of Echeveria Lilacina, growing this plant is a pleasure for both beginner and expert plant enthusiasts. This article will enlighten you on the best care tips for this Echeveria genus plant.
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What Is an Echeveria Lilacina?
Echeveria Lilacina is a slow-growing plant that belongs to the cactus family. Commonly known as Ghost Echeveria, this plant is native to Nuevo Leon in northern Mexico and in Texas. The name of Echeveria Lilacina is derived from the fact that the plant has dusty leaves with a lilac hue.
Echeveria Lilacina Care
Echeveria Lilacina is one of the plants that require little effort when taking care of it. However, knowing what the plant needs to mark the foundation of best care practices.
Water
Being a succulent plant, Echeveria Lilacina’s leaves store water. Therefore, watering the plant when its soil is still wet is dangerous as it encourages waterlogged conditions. Overwatering the ghost echeveria can cause root rot. To avoid this, only water your plant when its soil is nearly dry.
Always water the plant from below. Watering from above the leaves will cause water to sit on the rosette. This makes your plant susceptible to leaf rot and other bacterial and fungal infections.
Light
Echeveria Lilacina is happy when you give it plenty of sunlight. This is why the purplish or lavender color of the plant’s leaves deepens in the presence of more light. The more sun exposure, the better the overall performance of the plant, as shown by evidently brightly colored leaves, as well as stronger streams and leaves.
If you are growing your ghost echeveria outdoors, the best spot is the one that exposes the plant to full sunlight. Very light partial shade will also do. Indoors, a room with a bright sunny window will enhance the vividness of your Echeveria Lilacina.
Soil
The Echeveria Lilacina succulent thrives best in succulent potting soil, and you can find this commercially. A cactus mix is also a great option. These types of soils are well-draining and slightly moisture-retaining, so they prevent waterlogging conditions that can suffocate the roots of your plant.
If you decide to prepare your own growth substrate for your plant, be sure to add low amounts of peat moss, humus, or coco coir.
Fertilizer
If you decide to add fertilizer to your plant, it is best to do so during the summer and spring months. Be sure to use a water-soluble liquid fertilizer whose nitrogen content ranges from low to medium. For proper dilution, follow the instructions on the packaging of the fertilizer. Refrain from fertilizing your plant during winter.
Temperature and Humidity
Echeveria Lilacina is a desert plant, so it thrives well in climates that are hot and dry. This plant does not tolerate frosty conditions.
Settings that are low in humidity are not conducive for the growth of ghost echeveria. If you are growing your plant as a houseplant, avoid placing it in rooms that are highly humid, like the laundry room, bathroom, and kitchen.
Pruning
It is normal for the lower leaves of EI to die off over time. These dead leaves provide good hiding places for pests like aphids and mealybugs, so they put your plant in danger.
Remove the dead leaves using well-sterilized scissors. You can use 70 percent isopropyl alcohol for disinfecting the scissors. Be sure to also wear gloves during the grooming procedures.
– Repotting
To repot Echeveria Lilacina, allow the plant’s soil to completely dry before removing it from the pot. Remove any soil that is attached to the roots. Examine the roots for any rotten or dead spots. If they are present, use disinfected scissors to cut off these compromised parts prior to treating the cuts with a fungicide.
Ideally, do not repot the plant immediately. Allow it to get exposed to the air for at least 24 hours but not more than a week. After this, plant your Echeveria Lilacina in another pot with fresh and dry potting mix.
If you decide to repot your ghost echeveria immediately for any reason, let a week pass without watering the plant, after which you can commence light watering sessions.
Propagation
Multiplying your plants has never been that easy. Propagating Echeveria Lilacina can be done using offsets or leaf cuttings, then you won’t have to buy another one.
– Offsets
Echeveria Lilacina regularly produces offsets at the base of the plant. Leave the potting soil for your plant to dry before you can uproot it. Shake off any soil from the plant and then separate the offsets from the mother plant. Repot these offsets in another pot with a pre-prepared potting mix.
Your success rate is better if you carry out the propagation procedure during spring.
– Leaf Cuttings
Choose healthy leaves, preferably those that are full, plump, and brightly colored. Remove these leaves from the stems using your fingers. Make sure you get the whole leaf, including the base that attaches to the stem; otherwise the leaf won’t survive. To increase your chances of success, use more than one leaf for propagating your plant.
Place the healthy leaves in an environment that is warm, dry, and void of sunlight so that they can dry and heal their wounds. This can take from two days to one week, after which you should notice a callus forming at the point attached to the stem of the mother plant.
Once the leaves are well-dried and calloused, dip them in a growth hormone and put them in the rowing substate.
Keep the potted leaves away from direct sunlight; otherwise, they will shrivel. Constantly mist the leaves using a spray bottle, especially if where you live is relatively dry. Expect root formation after about four weeks. Once the leaves develop, transplant your new plants to their new pots.
Problems
As long as you are able to provide your ghost echeveria with the conditions that it needs for proper growth, you are less likely to have problems with pests and diseases. We will explore some of the problems you can expect should anything go wrong in your care procedures.
– Pests
Constantly check your Echeveria Lilacina for pests such as mealybugs, fungus gnats, scale, spider mites, and root mealybugs. This helps you to identify the pests at the early stages when the infestation is still low.
To prevent pests from attacking your plant, provide your plant with proper growth requirements, especially plenty of sunlight, a well-draining soil medium, and appropriate amounts of water. If you order new plants, be sure not to mix them with your old ones until you confirm that they are healthy.
Intervention
In the event that pests attack your plant, be quick in addressing the issues. If the plant is severely infected, incinerating it is the best way to go. A strong stream of water from a garden hose usually works well in removing the bugs.
More natural interventions like Neem oil and insecticidal soaps are effective against many pests but use them as your last resort.
You can also use cotton swabs or balls dipped in rubbing alcohol to dab the pests when they are still in low, manageable numbers. Another feasible option is to dilute isopropyl alcohol with water at a ratio of 1:3 and use this to spray the whole Echeveria Lilacina plant.
Sticky traps can also help to catch fungus gnats. When the worse comes to the worst, use systemic insecticides such as acephate to treat stubborn infestations of mealybugs.
– Diseases
Echeveria Lilacina can be affected by bacterial and fungal infections when improper growth settings are available. When humidity is too high, you might notice soft, discolored growth and stem rot characterized by soft and mushy stems.
Stem Rot
Stem rot is an indication of fungal infection, so its treatment starts with unpotting the plant, shaking the soil off its roots, and then soaking it in warm water for an average of 30 minutes. Remove affected parts and then expose the washed healthy plant to air for 24 hours, after which you can repot into a new pot with fresh, dry soil.
Overwatering
Overwatering causes bacterial and fungal infections that lead to stem rot, root rot, and leaf rot. The leaves of your Echeveria Lilacina might also bleach or turn yellow. If you uproot your plant and check its roots, undiseased ones should appear white and healthy while the diseased ones are brown and mushy. Remove the affected parts and repot the plant after leaving it to stand in the air for 24 hours.
Lack of Light
Exposing your Echeveria Lilacina to too low amounts of light causes it to appear misshapen and less vigorous. Simply transfer the plant to a spot with more sunlight. Alternatively, put additional artificial light if you don’t prefer to move the plant from where you originally placed it.
Facts About the Echeveria Lilacina
– Leaves
Echeveria Lilacina leaves are fleshy, spoon-shaped, and appear silvery-grey in color. These leaves are uniquely arranged in symmetrical rosettes that can grow up to six inches in height and seven inches in diameter.
– Flowers
Echeveria Lilacina can bloom, and it does so between late winter and early spring. The fragrant flowers of this plant are either coral pink or pale pink. Echeveria Lilacina flowers have short, reddish streams that are approximately six inches long.
– Growth Rate
Echeveria Lilacina grows at a relatively slow rate. The maximum height of this plant is rarely above six inches. At its best, ghost echeveria can grow between eight to 10 inches in height and one foot in diameter. This can only happen when the conditions are ideal.
FAQ
Is Echeveria Lilacina slow growing?
Yes, Echeveria Lilacina is a slow-growing succulent.
Does Echeveria Lilacina do better as an indoor or outdoor plant?
Echeveria Lilacina can thrive both indoors and outdoors. However, providing adequate sunlight and outdoor conditions may promote better growth and overall health for the plant.
Can Echeveria Lilacina take full sun?
Echeveria Lilacina can tolerate full sun, but it’s best to acclimate it gradually to prevent sunburn.
Conclusion
There you are! You now have what it takes to order an Echeveria Lilacina plant and take care of it confidently.
Let’s create a quick, easy-to-follow diary of what you learned by summarizing the important points again:
- Echeveria Lilacina loves a lot of direct sunlight.
- The plant prefers temperature conditions that have high and very low humidity conditions.
- The ghost echeveria can be watered when the solid is almost dry to avoid creating waterlogged soil conditions.
- Echeveria Lilacina can be easily propagated using leaf cuttings and offsets.
- Echeveria Lilacina is susceptible to bacterial and fungal infections if you expose your plant to overwatering, too high humidity levels, and extremely low light conditions.
A bonus point just before you leave: Echeveria Lilacina is not toxic, so your pets and kids are safe around it. No need for extreme monitoring while you enjoy the beauty of the plant. Enjoy your plant caregiving escapade!
