Succulents are one of the most famous types of plants. The easy-to-care nature and beautiful appearance make them earn a good place both in the indoor and outdoor plantation. The Echeveria pollux is another such charming and evergreen succulent.
It grows in form of silvery grey rosettes which look more like an open rose. In bright sun, the thick wide petals get a light lilac tint making the plant look prettier. Indoors, they make nice table pots in single rosette settings. However, they grow to spread quickly when gowning in wide outdoor spaces.
Just like other Echeveria succulents, this one too is an easy peep. Beginners, busy and lazy peeps, all are welcome to enjoy the Pollux Succulent around them.
Echeveria Pollux Classification
Family: Crassulaceae
Subfamily: Echeverioideae
Genus: Echeveria.
Species: E. Pollux
History: Little to nothing is known about the history of the plant. Many experts believe that it is a hybrid of unknown origin.
Genus Echeveria:
Echeveria is one of the most popular genera. This is adored by a majority for the unique beauty, resilience, and easy-to-grow nature. In 1820, it was awarded a horticulture award, and that was for the already mentioned beauty of its members.
Around 150 unique flowering plants are a part of this genus. The thick water retaining petals is one of the most common features.
Features of Echeveria Pollux
Size
In comparison with other rosettes of Echeverias, this one is medium-sized. A mature pollux echeveria can get about 8 to 10 inches in diameter.
Leaves
- The leaves are thick and broad at the outer sides, each about 2 to 3 inches on maturity.
- The petals are coated with a special waxy layer which gives a pastel shade to the plant.
Echeveria Pollux Flower
At the start of the spring, the plant blooms with typical Echeveria Flowers. Several bell-shaped flowers in Pink and yellow grow on the tip of a long stalk-like stem. This stalk grows like a long antenna from the center of the rosette.
Toxicity
Echeverias are believed to be non-toxic. Howbeit, it is always recommended to keep kids and pets away from mingling and eating these plants.
Echeveria Pollux Care
As mentioned above, these are easy peeps, happy enough with the basic Echeveria Care.
Quick Guide:
Water: Infrequent (after the soil gets about 95% dry).
Sun: Full Sun to Partial shade.
Humidity: Average.
Fertilizer: Monthly dose in spring and summer.
Let us have a better understanding of the care and requirements of the Pollus Echeveria plant.
Water Requirement
Echeverias need infrequent watering. Water the soil thoroughly to soak it and let it get dry. Water again after the soil gets about 95% dry. This is what we call the ‘Soak and dry’ method.
It is better to observe the drying pattern of soil in each season to estimate a watering schedule. About once to thrice is enough for spring and summer.
Then the autumn comes with a decrease in water intake requirement. So, once every two weeks is fine for the fall. This leads to winter which makes the Echeverias go dormant. They are requiring a minimal amount of water at this stage. Moreover, make sure you don’t water more than once every three weeks to your succulent plant.
Important Instructions:
- Coldwater puts a toll on the plant’s health, especially in winter. So, use lukewarm water.
- Succulents hate to stand on soggy soil. So, avoid over-watering at all costs. The best strategy is “never water again unless the soil gets dry.”
- Another important piece of advice is to water the soil only and not the rosette. This will save the plant to combat any standing water at the base. This way you will be a big help for your plant to avoid fungal and pest attacks.
Sunlight Requirement
Echeveria pollux loves to stay in bright light. Place them near a well-lit window and they will be happy indoors. On the other hand, a place with at least a few hours of direct sun will be good outdoors.
Although they love the bright sun, still they are delicate enough to be destroyed by the direct sun. So, make sure you avoid placing them in longer hours of the full sun especially on hotter days.
Temperature Requirement
Echeverias love to stay warm. A general temperature range of 25 to 50 F is enough to keep these peeps happy.
Winter and low temperatures are not suitable for succulents. A temperature lower than 25 F can even freeze and kill your echeveria pollux. Hence, it is important to bring the outdoor Echeverias to some warm indoor spot right before the start of fall. This is an essential piece of advice for people living in colder regions.
Humidity Requirement
A normal humidity level of your area will be fine enough for the Echeveria pollux. However, keep a notice in winters when the dry weather and heating systems absorb the moisture. This may put a troll on the plant’s health.
In case the atmosphere is too dry, you can use a humidifier or a bowl of water around the plant.
Soil Requirement
Well-drained potting mixtures are suitable for succulents. Just buy a succulent or a cactus mix from the local shop. Alternatively, you can also mix your potting mixture with some gravel.
Fertilizer Requirement
A good quality domestic plant fertilizer is good enough to be used once a month. The quantity and concentration should be mild, preferably half of the stated dose. This will help the growers to avoid over-fertilization.
Overfeeding the plant is notorious to scorch out and even kill the plant. So, make sure you are not overdosing or using strong fertilizer.
Moreover, you should stop fertilizing right after the end of the summer. This is important to regulate the low nutritional requirement of the plants in the fall and the coming winters.
Maintenance Requirement
Keep noticing and checking the base of the rosettes between the petals. Any standing moisture can be a heaven for the pests like the mealybug. So, the echeveria pollux plant should be placed at some airy place.
Secondly, remove the damaged leaves if any from the rosette. This will give a good effect on the health and outlook of your plant.
Hardiness Zone
The majority of the Echeverias are hardy in USDA hardiness zones 9b to 11 b.
Echeveria Pollux Propagation
This peep also carries the legacy of Echeveria’s easy propagation.
The popular methods include:
- Division of chicks.
- Rooting the leaves.
Let us learn both of the above mentioned in detail:
Propagation by Chicks:
Echeverias rosettes grow and spread by producing small baby rosettes attached to them. These are popularly called babies, puppies, or chicks. You can simply cut them separately and replant them at your desired place.
- In the spring or summer, see if your plant is growing some pups around. Loose the soil around the pup to cut it separate from the parent.
- Take a sterilized knife and cut the connecting stem between the two.
- Take the baby out of the soil very gently, without damaging the roots of either of them.
- Plant the chick in dry well-drained soil and follow the initial care.
Initial Care:
Never drown the newly-planted echeveria pollux in drenched soil. Just water the soil with splashes for the whole initial two months. After that, the roots will get rooted in the soil and you can follow the common Echeveria care as mentioned above.
Echeveria Pollux Propagation by Leaf Cuttings:
This is an easy yet slow method.
- Pick a few leaves and place them over a moist growing mixture.
- Cover the pot with a lid or plastic sheet to retain the moisture. However, leave a narrow way to ensure the air can pass through it.
- The roots will protrude out in a month or more. You can pick them up gently along with the roots and plant them in your desired pot.
- Follow the initial care above followed by the casual care. Enjoy the single leaves beautifully turning into fine rosettes.
Related Posts:
Summary
Echeveria pollux is a famous evergreen succulent. The wide petals are silvery-grey in color. Moreover, they get a beautiful lilac tint when placed in full sun.
This easy succulent needs the common Echeveria Care with infrequent watering and full to partial sun. Besides being easy to grow, they are also pretty easy-to-propagate. You can simply increase your collection by dividing the pups or rooting the leaves.
