Echeveria ‘Black Prince’

Black Prince echeveria (Echeveria 'Black Prince') is the succulent to reach for when a planting needs a dark anchor. The rosettes open dusty green and deepen to a near black purple in full sun, sitting about 200mm across and the same tall. Coral red flower spikes lift above the foliage in the cooler months. It is drought tolerant, heat tolerant and non toxic to cats and dogs.

Why you'll love it

• Colour you cannot get from a flower. Full sun deepens the rosettes to near black. In shade they revert to plain grey green, so light is the whole trick.
• It forgives being forgotten. Drought tolerant and content in poor soil, so a missed fortnight of watering does no harm.
• Small enough for anywhere. At roughly 200mm by 200mm it suits a windowsill pot, a bowl arrangement or a gap between rocks.
• Safe around pets. Echeveria is recognised as non toxic to cats and dogs, unlike several succulents sold beside it.

Where it works best

Pots and containers. A shallow bowl with a drainage hole is ideal, because the roots are fine and sit near the surface. Group three or five at about 150mm apart.

Rockeries and gravel gardens. Tuck rosettes into pockets between stones, where drainage is sharp and reflected heat builds. This is where the colour runs darkest.

Balconies and edging. It handles hot paving and glare, so a north or west facing balcony works. Along a path, set plants 200mm to 250mm apart for a continuous band.

Growing Black Prince echeveria in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the darkest colour, with afternoon shade through the worst of an arid summer. It suits warm temperate, subtropical, Mediterranean, arid and semi-arid climates, and takes light frost only. In cool temperate and frost prone districts, grow it in a pot under cover for winter.

Soil. Free draining is not negotiable. Use a cactus and succulent mix, or open a standard mix with coarse sand. In the ground it wants a raised bed or a gravelly slope. Poor soil is fine, wet feet are not.

Water and feed. Soak it, then let the mix dry right through: every two to three weeks in summer, monthly over winter. Water at the base, not into the rosette, where trapped water rots the centre. Half strength liquid feed twice over summer is plenty.

Pruning. Pull off shrivelled lower leaves as they dry and remove the flower stem once it finishes. Offsets form around the base and strike easily in dry mix.

What to expect when it arrives

It is sold as tubestock and in 140mm pots by the pack of ten. Tubes are single young rosettes, usually 50mm to 70mm across, and reach full size in about a year. The 140mm pack suits a bowl arrangement or a run of edging.

Succulents travel better than almost anything we send, though the foliage often arrives paler than the photograph. Colour returns within a few weeks of good light. Leave it dry for a week after unpacking, then water normally. Delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the full succulent range for companions on the same watering.
• See more rockery plants that suit sharp drainage.
• Compare other plants safe for pets.
• Read how to repot a plant properly.

Common questions

Why has mine turned green?

Not enough light. The near black colour is a sun response, so a plant on a shaded bench holds a plain grey green. Move it into direct sun over a week or two.

Is it safe if my cat chews it?

Echeveria is recognised as non toxic to cats and dogs, so a nibbled leaf is not a poisoning risk. Chewing will still spoil the rosette, since damaged leaves never regrow.

How often should I water it in winter?

About once a month, and less again if the pot sits outdoors in the rain. Winter is when most echeveria are lost, almost always to overwatering rather than cold.