×Pachyveria 'Blue Tongue'

Scientific Name

×Pachyveria 'Blue Tongue'

Scientific Classification

Family: Crassulaceae
Subfamily: Sempervivoideae
Tribe: Sedeae
Nothogenus: ×Pachyveria

Origin

This succulent is a hybrid created by Dave Poulgrain in 1999 in Queensland, Australia. It is a result of a cross between ×Pachyveria 'Myrtilla' and an unknown Echeveria.

Description

×Pachyveria 'Blue Tongue' is a beautiful succulent that forms a rosette of tongue-shaped blue-green leaves with showy pink hues. The rosette grows up to 6.8 inches (17 cm) in diameter, usually solitary or sometimes producing a few offsets. All parts of the plant have a natural wax coating, giving them a white powdery appearance. Flowers are more like those of an Echeveria than most ×Pachyverias. They are red, bell-shaped, and appear in clusters on leafy stalks in summer.

How to Grow and Care for ×Pachyveria 'Blue Tongue'

Light: ×P. 'Blue Tongue' prefers full sun to partial shade. If you are moving your plant outside in the spring, do it gradually. The intense afternoon sun can cause sunburn. During the winter, put your ×P. 'Blue Tongue' near the brightest window in your home. It will stretch if it does not have enough sunlight.

Soil: This succulent needs a potting soil mix that drains quickly. Many growers create their own mix. However, commercial succulent potting mixes will work fine.

Temperature: This plant is a tender succulent, which means it must be brought indoors for the winter to survive. ×P. 'Blue Tongue' can withstand temperatures as low as 30 °F (-1.1 °C). USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 10a to 11b, 30 to 50 °F (-1.1 to 10 °C).

Watering: Provide moderate amounts of water from spring to fall. The "soak and dry" method is the preferred schedule for watering ×P. 'Blue Tongue'. If you have saucers under the pots, make sure after a short time to empty the water. Water your plant just enough to keep it from shriveling during the winter months.

Fertilizing: ×P. 'Blue Tongue' grows well without fertilizer. Still, it will benefit from extra nutrients. Use a slow-release fertilizer in spring or a liquid fertilizer diluted 2 to 4 times more than usual and used less often than recommended.

Repotting: Repot the plant only as needed during spring or early summer when it is actively growing. To repot your ×P. 'Blue Tongue', ensure the soil is dry before repotting.

Propagation: This succulent is usually propagated from leaves or offsets. Spring is the best time to take leaf cuttings and separate offsets.

Learn more at How to Grow and Care for Echeveria.

Toxicity of ×Pachyveria 'Blue Tongue'

×P. 'Blue Tongue' has no toxic effects reported. It is safe around pets and humans, although it is not advisable to eat it.

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