Perle von Nürnberg echeveria

Sun

Full sun to very bright light; give afternoon shade in hot inland climates and introduce indoor-grown plants to direct sun gradually.

Water

Water thoroughly, then let the potting mix dry completely before watering again. Water much less in winter, especially in cool conditions.

Soil

Sharply drained, gritty soil or cactus compost amended with pumice, grit or perlite; never leave the roots in persistently wet soil.

Height

0.5-0.75 ft (0.15-0.23 m), excluding flower stems

Spread

0.5-1 ft (0.15-0.3 m)

Flowers

Spring to summer; coral-pink flowers with yellow interiors on arching stems above the foliage.

Foliage

Evergreen. Fleshy, spoon-shaped leaves with pointed tips, arranged in rosettes; grey-lilac to pink-purple beneath a powdery white coating.

Growth

Slow to moderate

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Drought tolerant
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.6 ft (0.19 m)

   full size

About 8 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Slow

• Use a pot with drainage holes and empty any saucer after watering.
• Water the soil rather than the rosette, and let the mix dry fully between soakings.
• Feed once or twice during spring and summer with a dilute cactus fertiliser.
• Move under cover before frost; provide a bright, frost-free position through winter.
• Handle leaves sparingly so their protective powdery coating stays intact.

Pruning. Cut spent flower stems off near their base after flowering and gently remove completely dry lower leaves. If the plant becomes tall and bare, cut off the rosette in spring, let the cut dry and callus, then root it in gritty compost.

Spring

Check roots and repot only if crowded, using a sharply drained succulent mix.

Spring

Resume more regular watering as growth starts and apply a dilute cactus fertiliser.

Late spring

After frost risk has passed, gradually acclimatise overwintered plants to outdoor light.

Summer

Check soil before watering and protect leaves from scorching afternoon sun during heatwaves.

Autumn

Bring containers under cover before cold nights and prolonged wet weather.

Winter

Keep in the brightest frost-free position available, water sparingly and inspect leaf bases for mealybugs.

• Use as a single rosette in a small terracotta or concrete pot to show its symmetry.
• Combine with compact aloes and upright succulents in a container with matching drainage and watering needs.
• Repeat small groups among pale gravel and rocks in frost-free gardens for soft colour against hard surfaces.
• Place in raised troughs or sunny courtyard containers where the foliage can be viewed closely.

Garden styles it suits: Desert modern, Contemporary minimal, Modern courtyard, Dry gravel garden, Mediterranean and Small-space.

Plant it with: Zebra haworthia, Lace aloe, Jade plant, Blue chalksticks and Mexican snowball.

Wildlife: Flowers can attract bees and, where present, hummingbirds, but this small ornamental offers limited habitat value.

• Mealybugs hide between leaves and around roots; isolate affected plants, remove visible insects and use a treatment labelled for succulents if needed.
• Root or stem rot follows prolonged wetness; improve drainage, reduce watering and salvage healthy rosettes as cuttings if the base rots.
• Long, loose growth and faded colour indicate insufficient light; move to a brighter position gradually.
• Sunburn causes pale or brown scars after sudden exposure; acclimatise plants slowly and provide afternoon shade in extreme heat.

Not known to be toxic to cats, dogs, horses or people; no part is recognised as poisonous. It is not a food plant, and eating it may still cause mild stomach upset.

• Purple Pearl echeveria (Echeveria 'Purple Pearl')

  Usually has deeper, more saturated purple foliage; colour overlaps considerably with Perle von Nürnberg depending on light and growing conditions.

• Lola echeveria (Echeveria 'Lola')

  Usually much paler, with pearly grey-lilac leaves that are more cupped and form a tighter, rosebud-like rosette.

• Mexican snowball (Echeveria elegans)

  Has predominantly pale blue-green leaves with rounder ends and commonly forms dense clusters, rather than the broad pink-purple rosettes of Perle von Nürnberg.

Echeveria honours Mexican botanical artist Atanasio Echeverría y Godoy, while 'Perle von Nürnberg' means 'Pearl of Nuremberg' in German.

Propagation. Propagate from offsets, stem cuttings or intact leaves in spring or summer. Allow cut surfaces to dry and callus before placing on or in gritty compost; water lightly only as roots develop. Seed will not reliably reproduce this cultivar.

Accepted botanical name

Echeveria

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.