Dick's Pink Succulent

Dick's Pink Succulent (Echeveria 'Dick's Pink') is a large, upright echeveria with broad leaves and frilled, reddish-pink edges. A mature rosette reaches about 30cm tall and wide, and the body of each leaf moves from green through to purple-blue with the time of year. If you want one echeveria with real presence, this is a good candidate.

Why you'll love it

• Frilled pink edges. Every leaf is crimped along the margin and outlined in reddish-pink, which gives the rosette a ruffled look.
• Colour for every season. Leaves shift between green and purple-blue through the year, and cold weather pushes them towards purple.
• Real size. At about 30cm across it fills a pot or a rockery gap on its own.
• Pot or ground. It works in pots, in rockeries and indoors in bright light.

Where it works best

Statement pots. One rosette in a pot a little wider than the plant looks complete. Where you group several, plant 30cm apart so the frills stay visible.

Rockeries and gravel beds. Its broad, upright shape suits the middle or back of a rockery, in full sun with plenty of drainage.

Bright indoor spots. A sunny windowsill suits it, provided the rosette gets as much light as possible to hold its colour. Like other echeverias it is not listed as toxic to pets, though a chewed plant can still cause a mild stomach upset.

Growing Dick's Pink Succulent in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the strongest colour, and a north or east facing aspect gives it most of the day's light. Harden a plant off over a week or two before it meets strong summer sun. Frost free warm temperate, Mediterranean and arid or semi-arid gardens suit it outdoors, as do subtropical ones with some cover from the rain. Frost is the main risk. Where winter nights drop to freezing, keep it in a pot that can come inside.

Soil. Free draining soil is essential. Mix grit or coarse sand through a standard potting mix, and in a garden bed raise the planting area so water runs away.

Water and feed. Water when the top of the soil has dried, pouring around the plant rather than over the rosette, where trapped water starts rot. In a humid summer that is roughly every ten to fourteen days for a pot, and far less in winter. A half-strength slow release feed in early spring is plenty.

Pruning. Pruning is just housekeeping. Peel away dead lower leaves when they dry, and keep the crown clear of leaf litter.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Dick's Pink Succulent as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly once it is potted up. A tube plant is young, so expect a small rosette that grows into its full size and colour over a year or two in good light.

The thick leaves make succulents forgiving travellers. Unpack the plant as soon as it arrives, pot it into gritty mix, and wait about a week before the first watering so any damaged roots can heal. The tube is raised by our grower and is not always on hand. When it shows as sold out, the grower has none at the moment, and the notify button on the page will email you the day it is back.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• All echeverias in our range
• More plants for full sun
• Succulent care guide for Australian gardens
• How to repot a growing plant

Common questions

How big does Dick's Pink get?

About 30cm tall and 30cm wide. That is large for an echeveria, so give it space and a pot to match.

Why has it turned purple?

Cool weather moves the leaf colour from green towards purple-blue. It is a normal seasonal change, not a sign of stress.

Does it need full sun?

Full sun gives the best colour, but it will grow in bright light elsewhere. Too little light loosens the rosette and fades the colours.