Echeveria is one of the most popular succulent genera due to the gorgeous rosette leaf arrangement. There is also a great variety and these beautiful plants come in a range of colours, sizes, leave shapes and growing habits. Thanks to cross breeding there are now many different types available.
Some Echeveria (mostly hybrids) can, however, be a little difficult to look after and sensitive to many things in the environment, such as the rain or heatwaves. But there are also many super hardy and easy to look after Echeveria that won’t require too much care. As a bonus, they also grow fast.
Top 5 Fast Growing Echeveria
- Echeveria Prolifica
- Echeveria Apus
- Echeveria Blue Atoll
- Echeveria Orion
- Echeveria Blue Metal
Echeveria Prolifica
Echeveria prolifica must be the fastest growing Echeveria we have ever encountered and it certainly lives up to its name. The individual rosettes do not grow very big (only about 5-8cms) but they multiply at an incredibly fast pace.
The original rosette grows multiple pups which will then start growing their own etc. etc. To add to the spread, the leaves are very fragile and can drop easily when the plant is touched, but every single leaf will become a new plant with its own pups.
Echeveria prolifica is not only prolific, but also a very attractive plant. Its blueish, powdery leaves are small and pointy and have a pink hue when the temperatures are cooler.
In pots Echeveria prolifica will soon fill the pot and spill out. In the ground it will keep multiplying indefinitely and can cover large areas. Bigger pot means bigger plant, faster. Once the roots have reached the limit of the pot, the growth will slow down, but once upgraded into a bigger one it will accelerate again. This applies to all the plants listed above.
Another amazing thing about this plant is that it’s very hardy and can happily grow in a range of environments. The best spot is morning sun-afternoon shade position, but it will also grow in full sun, filtered light and shaded spots (in shade it will not grow compact and colourful though).
prolifica is not frost hardy and should be grown in the ground only if you live in a frost-free climate. Otherwise it will need to be protected in winter.
Echeveria prolifica is also not susceptible to rot or fungal diseases and should be happy to live out in the open, even if it rains.
Echeveria Apus
Echeveria Apus is a fantastic hybrid that grows large rosettes of 30cms across or more and also creates clumps. The powdery blue-green leaves have a permanent pink edge which intensifies in the cooler months.
Some plants can produce about 10 offsets per year in the right conditions and if they have enough space. As long as the pot is upgraded once the roots get crowded, Echeveria Apus will grow fast.
In pots, make sure there is enough space and that good succulent potting mix is used. In the garden, ordinary soil can be used, though, if it’s improved upon by adding a bit of all-purpose potting mix, the plant will grow much quicker.
Echeveria Apus prefers a sunny position, but should be protected from heatwaves if in pots. Plants in the ground usually cope with high temperatures better.
This plant is not frost hardy and should be grown in pots in cold climates so it can be brought in in winter.
Echeveria Blue Atoll
Blue Atoll is another large growing Echeveria with pretty blue leaves and red tips in winter that can reach about 30 cms in diameter. As long as the pot is being upgraded, the growth will be fast.
As with the plants above, Blue Atoll will grow fast in the ground too, but a bit of potting mix should be mixed in with the dirt, so it is airy and has more nutrients. This will accelerate the growth
Echeveria Blue Atoll is very generous with its pups and can pop out anywhere between 3-10 (sometimes more) every year, depending on the age of the plant and space in the pot.
Unfortunately, just like other Echeveria, Blue Atoll is not frost hardy and will die if left out when temperatures plunge below zero.
Echeveria Orion
The purplish colour and thick leaves of this pretty Echeveria are a bonus to the fast growing habit. The leaf arrangement is dense and once the plant is mature, it truly looks spectacular.
To allow the plant to grow fast and to its full size (25+ cms) the pot will need to be upgraded often. In the ground, add a bit of potting mix so the soil is not too heavy. This will help immensely with the growth rate.
Echeveria Orion does not produce many pups- only about 4, if that, each year.
This plant is very hardy and will live through, heat, drought and rain.
Echeveria Blue Metal
The shiny, almost metallic leaves are a real highlight. They are blueish-purple, though the colour will change with the seasons. Blue Metal can grow big, to over 30cms, in a fairly short time.
As ever, for the plant to grow, the roots will need space and so a pot upgrade is required every few months, even more often in the growing season.
Echeveria Blue Metal is suitable for pots or garden, but beware of frost and snow. It can be left outdoors in quite low temperatures, but as soon as they start dropping below the freezing point, the plant will need to be protected or the water inside will freeze and rot the plant.
Full sun to part shade is the best position, but make sure the plant gets at least 6 hours of sun.
How To Get Echeveria To Grow Fast?
My nursery Fern Farm Plants grows all of these gorgeous Echeveria. They are all hardy and speedy growers.
By hardiness I mean the ability to withstand extreme temperatures, draught as well as not being susceptible to fungus or rot if it rains a lot. All of these Echeverias will need to be in a direct sun spot for at least 6 hours, for best results.
As beautiful as they may be, Echeveria are not suitable to be grown indoors for long periods. The only exception is overwintering in countries with frost and snow, or if they are going to live in a sun room. Echeveria (as well as the majority of succulents) are not frost hardy.
To help Echeverias grow fast, they will need to be re-potted every growing season and the pot upgraded to larger size. A bit of general purpose, slow release fertilizer sprinkled on top of the potting mix (which should have a bit of fertilizer of its own) every couple of months in the growing season will help speed things up. It is likely that these Echeverias will grow at a good rate even without the fertilizer, but if you want results super fast, it will help a great deal.
Succulent potting mix should be used in order to grow big and beautiful plants. Although Echeveria will grow in any old potting mix, they will just not look very pretty and can develop many issues such as warts, black or brown marks on the leaves.
If your climate allows, Echeveria can be grown in the ground. Heavy soil can be broken up by mixing potting mix through. This will allow the delicate root system of Echeveria to spread and help the plants grow bigger.
Happy Echeveria growing and i hope you found this article useful. To buy Echeveria you can visit our shop. There is link to our own nursery which sells most of the hardy Echeveria mentioned above in Australia.
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