Pachyphytum bracteosum (Silver Bracts)

Scientific Name

Pachyphytum bracteosum Klotzsch

Common Names

Silver Bracts, Silverbracts, Moon Stones, Moonstones

Synonyms

Cotyledon pachyphytum, Echeveria bracteosa, Echeveria pachyphytum

Scientific Classification

Family: Crassulaceae
Subfamily: Sedoideae
Tribe: Sedeae
Subtribe: Sedinae
Genus: Pachyphytum

Description

Pachyphytum bracteosum is a glaucous, succulent undershrub up to 12 inches (30 cm) tall, with plump, silvery-grey leaves tending to pink and producing very remarkable spikes of flowers. The leaves are obovate to club-shaped, up to 4.4 inches (11 cm) long, up to 2 inches wide and up to 5.6 inches (14 cm) thick. The inflorescence shows a most striking contrast between the red color of the petals and the pale glaucous hue of the large calyx and bracts and all the rest of the plant and the flowers.

Photo via surrealsucculents.co.uk

Hardiness

USDA hardiness zone 9a to 11b: from 20 °F (−6.7 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).

How to Grow and Care

Pachyphytum will not tolerate frosts well. Temperatures below 20 °F (-6 °C) will kill the plant, and temperatures which may go below 45 °F (7 °C) during extended period should be avoided. Pachyphytum tolerates high heat and intense sunlight. As with most Crassulaceae, Pachyphytum can tolerate (and even appreciated) poor soil conditions, so long as it is well draining. Pachyphytum can thrive in full or partial sunlight.

Allow the soil to dry out before watering, and be careful to avoid getting water on the leaves. In winter, the plants will require more water, as winter begins its active growth season. If you are unsure when to water your Pachyphytum, watch the lower most leaves for signs of drying and water them then. Pachyphytum is FAR more likely to survive under-watering than over-watering. The thick fleshy leaves will appear wilted and a bit “under-full” when they need water.

Leaf cutting entails cutting a young leaf from near the center of the rosette. Leave the leaf out in the open air for a day to allow the wound to callous over… – See more at: How to Grow and Care for Pachyphytum