Scientific Name
Echeveria 'Compton Carousel'
Synonym(s)
Echeveria × imbricata 'Compton Carousel', Echeveria 'Imbricata' variegata, Echeveria 'Lenore Dean', Echeveria secunda 'Compton Carousel', Echeveria secunda 'Lenore Dean'
Common Name(s)
Variegated Hens and Chicks
Scientific Classification
Family: Crassulaceae
Subfamily: Sempervivoideae
Tribe: Sedeae
Genus: Echeveria
Etymology
The generic name "Echeveria" (pronounced "ech-eh-VER-ee-a") honors Atanasio Echeverría y Godoy🡕 (fl. 1771–1803), an 18th-century botanical artist and naturalist from New Spain who trained at the Royal Art Academy in Mexico City.
The cultivar epithet 'Compton Carousel' refers to Compton, California, United States, where this variegated mutant was discovered. The word "Carousel" may also evoke the circular, whorled appearance of the variegated rosettes, although no published explanation confirms this interpretation.
Description
Echeveria 'Compton Carousel', also known as Echeveria 'Lenore Dean', is an attractive succulent that forms tight rosettes of blue-gray leaves with cream-colored margins. The rosettes can reach a diameter of 8 inches (20 cm) and produce offsets, forming a dense clump over time. The older leaves have a hint of pink, primarily in winter.
The rosettes produce beautiful, red flowers with yellow tips on stalks that rise vertically, then arch gracefully, growing up to 1 foot (30 cm) long.
Origin
Echeveria 'Compton Carousel', originally designated Echeveria secunda 'DS-2009', was discovered by David Sheppard, a garden designer from the San Francisco Bay Area, in Lenore Dean's garden in Compton, California, United States. From the beginning, there were doubts about whether this plant could truly be classified as a cultivar of Echeveria secunda, as it shows significant differences from other forms of Echeveria secunda. Some nurseries have marketed it as variegated Echeveria 'Imbricata', which is a possibility. Observations of plants that have reverted to the non-variegated form and have flowered suggest that they may share a similar parentage with Echeveria 'Imbricata', a popular hybrid from the 1800s resulting from a cross between Echeveria secunda and Echeveria gibbiflora 'Metallica'.
How to Grow and Care for Echeveria 'Compton Carousel'
Hardiness: USDA hardiness zones 9a to 11b: from 20°F (-6.7°C) to 50°F (10°C).
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; it can cause rot or fungal diseases that 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 mealybugs. Finally, as with all succulents, maintaining careful watering habits and providing ample light will help ensure success.
Repot as needed, preferably during the warm season. To repot a succulent, ensure the soil is dry, then gently remove the succulent from its 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 a few are better propagated from seeds or stem cuttings. To propagate a leaf cutting, place the leaf in succulent potting soil and cover the dish until the new plant sprouts.
Learn more at How to Grow and Care for Echeveria.
Links
- Back to genus Echeveria
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
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