In cultivation, Echeveria pulvinata plants usually represent this cultivar. Unlike the type species, this cultivar has narrower and more pointed leaves with intensely ruby-red margins and tips. Additionally, the sepals have the same striking red color as the leaves, while the petals of the flowers in this cultivar display a darker orange keel.
Taxonomy of Echeveria pulvinata 'Ruby'
Scientific Name
Echeveria pulvinata 'Ruby'
Synonym(s)
Echeveria pulvinata 'Ruby Blush', Echeveria pulvinata 'Ruby Slippers'
Common Name(s)
Chenille Plant, Plush Plant
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 specific epithet "pulvinata" (pronounced "pul-vin-AH-tuh") means "cushion-shaped" and refers to the plant's cushion-like leaves.
The cultivar epithet 'Ruby' refers to the cultivar's vivid ruby-red coloration, particularly on the leaf margins and tips.
Description
Echeveria pulvinata 'Ruby' is a beautiful, shrubby succulent with stems topped with small rosettes of green, spoon-shaped leaves with intensely ruby-red margins and tips, and covered with silvery-white hairs. It can grow up to 12 inches (15 cm) tall.
From late winter to spring (sometimes later), the leafy, arching inflorescences appear, holding racemes of yellow and orange, urn-shaped flowers. The inflorescences can reach a length of 1 foot (30 cm).
Origin
Echeveria pulvinata 'Ruby' is an attractive cultivar of Echeveria pulvinata. It was described and named by B.K. Boom in 1957 from a plant in cultivation without a known origin.
Forms and Hybrids of Echeveria pulvinata 'Ruby'
How to Grow and Care for Echeveria pulvinata 'Ruby'
Hardiness: USDA hardiness zones 9b to 11b: from 25°F (-3.9°C) to 50°F (10°C).
Most common Echeveria species are not complicated succulents to grow, provided you follow a few basic rules. First, be careful never to 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 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 some are better propagated 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.
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Internal Links
- Explore all plants within the genus Echeveria.
- Explore all plants within the family Crassulaceae.