Shamrock Succulent

Shamrock Succulent (Echeveria 'Shamrock') is a dwarf rosette about 5cm tall and 12cm across, so neat and round it looks drawn with a compass. Pale green leaves taper to a point, and in sun or bright light each one picks up a fine red edge. It suits pots, rockery pockets and bright windowsills, and asks for very little once settled.

Why you'll love it

• It holds a perfect shape. Every leaf sits evenly around the rosette, so one plant looks tidy and a small group looks deliberate.
• Colour that follows the light. Pale green in gentle light, with the red edge appearing in sun or bright light.
• Drought tolerant once established. Thick leaves store water, so a missed watering does far less harm than soggy soil.
• Small enough to fit anywhere. At 5cm tall it suits a teacup, a shallow bowl or a gap between stones, indoors or out.
• Flowers on a happy plant. Mature plants may send up spikes of yellow-red bell flowers.

Where it works best

Pots and bowls. Plant 15cm apart in a shallow, free-draining bowl of cactus mix, which gives each 12cm rosette room while the bowl still looks full.

Rockeries and gravel gardens. Tuck it into gritty pockets in full sun, 15cm from its neighbours, where the red-edged leaves stand out against pale stone.

Indoors. Give it the brightest window you have. In a dim room the rosette stretches and the red edge fades.

Growing Shamrock Succulent in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun brings out the most leaf colour, and indoors it wants the brightest spot in the house. It suits frost-free gardens in subtropical, warm temperate, Mediterranean and arid or semi-arid climates. Echeverias are frost tender, so in cool temperate or frosty areas grow it in a pot and move it under cover for winter.

Soil. Sharp drainage matters more than richness. Use a cactus and succulent mix with a handful of extra coarse sand, or in the ground plant into well-drained soil and raise the bed if yours is heavy.

Water and feed. Water only when the top of the soil has dried out, then let the excess drain away. Keep water off the rosette itself and apply it around the base or into the saucer, because water pooled in the centre invites rot. Pots need only a weak liquid fertiliser once or twice in the growing season.

Pruning. No pruning is needed. Gently peel off dead, dry leaves around the edge of the rosette to keep it tidy and stop moisture collecting.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Shamrock Succulent as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly. Expect a small, tight rosette rather than a full-sized one. Pot it into gritty mix soon after it arrives, then expect slow, steady growth.

Tube stock comes from our grower and is not always available. When the grower has none, the tube shows as sold out on this page, and the notify button emails 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

• Browse our full range of echeverias
• More succulents for pots and gardens
• Succulents in Australia: a complete care guide
• Plants for rockeries and gravel gardens

Common questions

Why has my Shamrock lost its red edge?

Almost always light. The red edging develops in sun or bright light and fades in a dim spot, so move it somewhere brighter.

Can it stay outside all year?

Yes, in a frost-free garden with a sunny, well-drained position. Where frost occurs, keep it in a pot and shelter it under cover or indoors through winter.

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

Echeverias are not generally considered toxic to cats or dogs. Any plant can upset an animal that eats a lot of it, so keep it away from a determined chewer.