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Echeverias are the most popular succulents around, yet many people are surprised to learn you can make them flower! Their beautiful rosette-shaped foliage already looks like a flower, so if you can figure out how to make your echeveria bloom, it'll be twice as beautiful.
The vibrant flowers grow along upright stems that can grow remarkably tall—sometimes several feet! They kind of look like miniature tulips but with a slight flare to the petals. You'd be amazed by the striking color combinations between the foliage and flowers, and we have plenty of different colored Echeveria varieties available in our Arkansas greenhouses.
Yes, you can make your Echeveria flower indoors if you provide it with the right conditions to trigger bloom production. Most succulents, including Echeveria, begin their active growing phase in spring after a period of winter dormancy. Flowering typically occurs in summer when the sun is bright, and temperatures are hot. The natural increase in sunlight from winter to summer is what makes your echeveria bloom.
Your Echeveria needs a lot of extra energy to grow those tall stems covered in flowers. Since they derive their energy through photosynthesis, an increase in sunlight is necessary. Place your Echeveria in a brightly lit South or West-facing window so it can get at least 6 hours of direct sun each day.
The natural fluctuation in sunlight as the seasons progress should be enough to help your Echeveria through its flowering cycle. However, if you don't think it is getting quite enough sunlight, or if the light levels have been too consistent, you can use supplementary lighting with UV grow lamps.
You'll need to increase the amount you water your Echeveria during the summer, but don't overdo it. These succulents store lots of water in their plump leaves, so they can withstand drought for longer and don't like to sit in waterlogged soil. You shouldn't have to water your Echeveria more than once per week during the summer, and you can scale back to once every 2–3 weeks in the winter, depending on how quickly the soil dries out.
Pay attention to the appearance of your Echeveria's leaves to determine if you're watering correctly. Wrinkly, curling leaves are dehydrated and need water, whereas mushy, limp, or translucent leaves indicate too much water.
Fertilizer can also help make your Echeveria flower. You'll want to use a formula that's high in phosphorus—that's the middle number in the NPK ratio (the 3-digit number on the fertilizer bag). A fertilizer with a 5–10–5 ratio diluted to half-strength will work well if you apply it once per month from April to September.
We have such a diverse assortment of Echeveria at Westwood Gardens, and the different color combinations of foliage and flowers are absolutely spellbinding! Here are a few of our favorite varieties and their notable features:
Purple Pearl: The center foliage of this popular variety is pastel purple, transitioning to a soft teal around the edges, creating a jewel-toned, iridescent look. Rosy pink flowers make this remarkable beauty even more stunning.
Sagita: We love the cheerful color scheme of this vivid succulent, featuring green leaves with a crisp red border, and canary yellow flowers. If the leaves look a bit pale, more sunshine will help them become extra vibrant.
Letizia: Electric lime green foliage makes this succulent stand out in any room, but you'll really be wowed by its creamy white blooms streaked with ruby red.
Giant Blue: This ruffled succulent has blue-green foliage with rosy pink borders. Its bright pink flowers bring out that beautiful blush throughout its leaves!
There are so many different Echeveria for sale in Arkansas at any of our four Westwood Gardens locations. Visit us to see the latest colorful varieties—you may even find some that are already flowering!
