Graptopetalum Purple Delight also known as Snow White or Graptoveria Crystal is a fantastic hybrid that resulted from Crossing Graptopetulum paraguayense and Graptopetulum amethystinum.
Not only is this plant stunningly beautiful it’s also hearty and perfect for beginners. In this article we’ll have a look at how to grow, care for and propagate the Purple Dlight.
Description
Graptopetalum Purple Delight has a trailing habit. Individual rosettes can grow to about 12 centimetres in diameter and 20 centimetres tall. Multiple offsets will form and if the plant has enough space it will start trailing and forming a dense carpet of purple rosettes.
The colour of this succulent can vary during different seasons and will also largely depend on the growing conditions. The deepest purple is likely to come through during the cooler months and, when purple Delight has a good exposure to sunlight in summer, the light lilac and pink will be dominant.
It is not unusual for different shades of pink and purple to come through all at once. Another very attractive feature is the white powdery substance covering the leaf surface called the Farina. Not only does it give the plant a softer look it also acts like a sunscreen and protects from sunburn.
Care
The Purple Delight is a sun lover and will need a certain amount of sunlight to grow well.
It will tolerate bright shade or filtered light outdoors but it is likely to grow leggy and with minimal colour. Moreover, it will be more susceptible to fungal disease and sunburn if it suddenly moved in direct sun.
If you’re thinking Graptopetalum Purple Delight would look good indoors you may be right but it is not a good indoor plant and will start to struggle in a month or so. It’s simply not bright enough in an average house for this succulent. It’s more likely than not the Purple Delight would eventually die indoors.
This succulent can be grown in pots as well as frost free gardens. Because Purple Delight is fairly fast growing it will need reporting regularly. In the garden it should be planted where water doesn’t pool after rain. Raised gardens and slopes are ideal.
The best potting medium for succulents is always a good quality succulent potting mix. It should have the right pH, good drainage and will ensure your Purple Delight grows well.
In the garden you can get away with planting straight into soil but these succulents will grow better if a bit of potting mix is mixed in with the soil to break it apart and help the thin roots spread.
Graptopetalum Purple Delight tolerates being overwatered or left out in the rain as long as the potting mix is well draining and the pot has holes.
During dry spells or when grown under cover, water once the potting mix dries out completely from previous watering. These guys are drought tolerant and will be okay even when left dry for extended periods but, will grow better when watered during droughts.
Temperature-wise the Purple Delight grows best in frost-free parts of the world but should be okay during light frosts. When exposed to frost for longer periods it can suffer frostburn. If snow and frost is normal during winter in your climate it may be best to bring this succulent indoors for the duration.
In summer, during heatwaves potted succulents will greatly benefit from being placed in shade or under shade cloth as the Purple Delight may suffer sunburn when in very hot, direct sun.
Propagation
Graptopetalum Purple Delight is easily propagated from leaves and cuttings. It will also grow from seed but, to me, it’s pointless to try and raise seed when leaf propagation works so well. Seeds can take very long time to grow into any meaningful size.
When you want to create loads of new plants leaf propagation is the way to go and can easily be done by anyone. Success rate is very high and, when done right, the great majority of leaves will produce a new plant. To pull leaves off simply gently tuck to the side you’ll want the whole leaf to come off from the stalk without breaking it. Leaves can then be placed either straight on top of potting mix or left in a tray in a dry bright spot until new growth and roots appear.
New growth should appear within about three weeks of the leaf being pulled off. It’s unlikely leaves will grow well during winter, especially, if your climate is cold. It’s always best to propagate leaves in spring or summer.
For more instant results cuttings can also be propagated very easily. Bigger or smaller cuttings of rosettes will grow well. After cutting them off with a clean pair of scissors leave the cuttings to dry for a day so the wound heals this will prevent any diseases getting into the plant through the fresh cut.
Roots should appear within two to three weeks. Again best time to propagate is spring and summer but, if you don’t get frost in winter early Autumn is good too. During heatwaves make sure the cuttings and leaves are shaded from super strong sun.
Pests
Graptopetalum Purple Delight is susceptible to all the usual succulent pests such as aphids, mealybugs, snails, slugs, caterpillars and grasshoppers.
Be particularly vigilant around flowering time as this is when aphids are at the worst and spread from flowers to the foliage causing unsightly marks.
Flowers
Flowers appear around springtime, though, this can vary depending on where in the world you are. The flowers grow out of the rosettes on tall stalks each stalk can have well over 20 individual tiny flowers.
Toxicity
Graptopetalum Purple Delight is a safe non-toxic succulent to have around pets and little humans. Despite there being no toxic properties to the succulent we do not recommend eating it.
Where Can I Get It
The Purple Delight is not a hard plant to get and should be available in plant nurseries or online stores.