Scientific Name
Echeveria cante Glass & Mend.-Garc.
Common Name(s)
White Cloud, White Cloud Echeveria, White Cloud Plant, White Shadow
Scientific Classification
Family: Crassulaceae
Subfamily: Sempervivoideae
Tribe: Sedeae
Genus: Echeveria
Etymology
The specific epithet "cante (KAN-tee)" means "water that gives life" in the language of the Chichimeca Indians.
Origin
Echeveria cante is native to Mexico.
Description
Echeveria cante is a beautiful succulent that forms a solitary rosette of lavender-tinged, pale bluish-green leaves with a white powdery coating and often with thin-edged pink margins. The rosette can grow up to 16 inches (40 cm) in diameter. This species does not produce offsets, but its hybrids do.
The flowers are orange-pink and covered with a frostlike bloom outside and yellowish inside. In summer, they appear on erect, usually solitary stalks with about five branches, each with 4 to 12 flowers. The flower stalks can grow up to 2 feet (60 cm) tall.
Tissue culture plants are available under the name Echeveria cante 'White Cloud'.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones 9b to 11b: from 25 °F (−3.9 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).
How to Grow and Care
Most common Echeveria species are not complicated succulents to grow, provided you follow a few basic rules. First, never let water sit in the rosette, as it can cause rot or fungal diseases that will kill the plant. Additionally, remove dead leaves from the bottom of the plant as it grows. These dead leaves provide a haven for pests, and Echeverias are susceptible to mealy bugs. Finally, as with all succulents, careful watering habits and plenty of light will help ensure success.
Repot as needed, preferably during the warm season. To repot a succulent, ensure the soil is dry before repotting, then gently remove the pot. Knock away the old soil from the roots, removing any rotted or dead roots. Treat any cuts with a fungicide.
Most Echeverias can be easily propagated from leaf cuttings, although some are better from seeds or stem cuttings. To propagate a leaf cutting, place the individual leaf in potting soil for succulents and cover the dish until the new plant sprouts.
Learn more at How to Grow and Care for Echeveria.
Hybrids
Links
- Back to genus Echeveria
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
Photo Gallery
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