Echeveria pulvinata aka Plushplant

Echeveria pulvinata is a small succulent from southern Mexico. Its native range includes the states of Puebla and Oaxaca. It belongs to the Crassulaceae family and grows in dry shrubland or desert. Common names include plush plant, chenille plant, and rosy hen-and-chicks. It keeps its leaves year-round and forms a bushy subshrub. In gardens, it suits pots, patios, greenhouses, and conservatories.

The RHS describes a plant about 1 foot (0.3 metres) tall. Its broader size range reaches 1.6 feet (0.5 metres) in height and spread. Plants take five to ten years to reach full size. The leaves form rosettes and have a coat of fine white hairs. Each leaf is wider toward its tip than its base. Red tips add colour to the pale, downy foliage. The flowers combine red and yellow in an urn shape. They grow in loose, branched clusters called panicles.

Give this plant full sun and a sheltered position. Under glass, use a standard cactus compost and keep humidity low. The RHS lists both sandy and loamy soils as suitable. Good drainage matters more than whether soil is acid, neutral, or alkaline. Water well during active growth, then reduce watering outside that period. Keep the compost nearly dry through winter. During late spring and summer, feed every two weeks. Use a diluted fertiliser with little nitrogen. Plants can spend the summer outside in suitable conditions.

The RHS gives this species a UK hardiness rating of H2. It can handle cool conditions but cannot survive freezing. That rating covers minimum temperatures of about 1–5°C. In places with frost, grow it with protection under glass. Its compact size makes it useful for container displays. The soft-looking leaves provide interest even without flowers. The RHS lists it as a low-maintenance plant. It needs no routine pruning.

Mealybugs, vine weevils, and aphids may attack this species. The RHS reports few problems with disease. Propagate it from seeds, stem cuttings, leaf cuttings, or offsets. Sow seeds in early spring at 15–18°C. Take stem or leaf cuttings in spring or early summer. Spring is also the time to detach offsets. The supplied sources give no guidance on edible uses or toxicity.