Echeveria ‘Metallica’

Echeveria 'Metallica' (Echeveria 'Metallica') is grown for the colour of its leaves: broad rosettes in a dusty purple grey with a metallic sheen and a pink edge. Each rosette reaches about 20cm tall and 25cm across, and it does it on almost no water. It is also not toxic to cats or dogs.

Why you'll love it

• Colour without flowers. The purple grey rosettes carry the display all year, with pink and orange bells on arching stems through the warm months.
• Pet safe. Echeveria are not toxic to cats or dogs, so a low bowl or a border planting carries no risk.
• Almost nothing to do. Drought tolerant, heat tolerant and content in poor soil, so a pot on a hot balcony is exactly right.
• Neat and repeatable. Every rosette makes the same symmetrical shape, which is why they read so well planted in a row or a grid.

Where it works best

Pots and containers. A shallow bowl of gritty mix with a clear drainage hole shows the rosette off and keeps the base dry. Terracotta suits it better than glazed.

Rockeries and borders. Tuck it into gravel or between stones where water drains away fast, or run a line of rosettes along the front of a dry bed.

Balconies and courtyards. Small, light and heat proof, so it copes with a west facing balcony that cooks most other plants.

Growing echeveria in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun brings out the purple and keeps the rosette tight; in shade it stretches and pales to green. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, Mediterranean and arid or semi-arid gardens, and takes light frost only, so cold districts should keep it potted and under cover for winter.

Soil. Gritty and free draining, either a cactus and succulent mix or potting mix cut with about a third coarse sand. Prolonged wet is what kills echeveria, not cold and not drought.

Water and feed. Soak it, then let the mix dry right through: roughly every two weeks in warm weather and monthly or less in winter. Water at soil level rather than into the rosette, where trapped water marks and rots the leaves.

Pruning and grooming. Pull away the dry lower leaves as they shrivel so nothing sits damp against the stem. Remove flower stems once they finish, and behead a stretched plant to reroot the top.

What to expect when it arrives

Echeveria 'Metallica' is supplied as tube stock, a single young rosette rather than a full sized one. Move it into a 150mm to 200mm pot of gritty mix and expect its full 25cm span within a year or two.

The waxy bloom on the leaves marks easily, so a few finger prints on arrival are normal and grow out with the new leaves. Delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95, minimum order of $300 before delivery, and every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the full succulent range
• Succulents for hot dry climates
• Low maintenance plants for full sun
• Plants that are safe around pets

Common questions

Why has my echeveria gone tall and leggy?

Not enough light. The stem stretches searching for sun. Cut the rosette off with a short piece of stem, let the cut dry for a few days, then push it into dry gritty mix.

Is it safe if my cat chews it?

Yes. Echeveria are not toxic to cats or dogs, so it is one of the safer succulents for a household with animals.

How often should I water it?

Roughly every two weeks in warm weather and monthly or less over winter, always waiting until the mix is dry right through. Soft translucent lower leaves mean it has had too much.

Can it live outdoors all year?

In subtropical, warm temperate, Mediterranean and arid gardens, yes, provided the soil drains sharply. Colder gardens should keep it potted and move it under cover for winter.