Echeveria harmsii “Plush Plant”, commonly known as Plush Plant or Red Echeveria, is an evergreen subshrub native to Mexico.
It forms small rosettes of fleshy, narrow, dark green, velvet-plush leaves adorned with red edges.
In spring, it sends up flowering stems bearing large, urn-shaped, bright orange flowers with golden throats that are highly attractive to hummingbirds.
Grown for the beauty of its flowers rather than for its handsomely colored foliage, this Echeveria will occasionally offset and form a small colony.
It is a great choice for sunny gardens or containers.
This Echeveria has green leaves with pink-red tips. Its leaves are covered in silver velvet, making it a favorite among collectors.
Watch for bright orange flowers in the Summer.
Plush Plant is quite tolerant of low winter temperatures, down to 35 °F (+1.7 °C), if kept fairly dry.
It benefits from good ventilation, but not droughts.
This plant requires a bright situation at all times and will grow happily in most windows.
During the winter, Plush Plant tends to drop most of its leaves, leaving a cluster of bare stems or a few short leaves at the ends of the stems.
Be sure to keep those cleaned out of the pot since leaf debris invites bugs, especially mealy bugs
During the spring and early summer, the succulent leaves begin to develop again.
Tips to take care of the Echeveria harmsii “Plush Plant”
Substratum
Porous and loose soil, it is advisable to use a special substrate for crass plants and cacti that contains river sand and small aggregates in different sizes, to ensure perfect drainage.
Transplant
If necessary, if you want to transplant the plants, you will Moderately water the plants, during spring and summer, try not to wet the leaves especially avoid wetting the center of the rosette to avoid rot, it is recommended that the water goes directly to the ground.
The amount should be moderate and the risks must be distanced waiting for the substrate to dry between them.
Pots
Use a pot of slightly larger size, we will incorporate a substrate of special quality for crass plants, if we have cut dried roots, we will wait a week before watering so that the wounds heal.
If necessary we can add a small amount of special liquid fertilizer for succulent plants, along with the irrigation water, monthly in spring and early summer.
Bright Light and Temperature
This Echeveria harmsii “Plush Plant” enjoys plenty of light.
Plant the echeveria in full sun or a sunny spot with some partial shade in the garden or near a south or west-facing window.
Good lighting will prevent the ‘stretching’ of the plant which encourages the redness along the edge of the plants.
The plant enjoys warm climates.
The Ideal growing temperatures are between 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
It is not a frost-hardy plant and advisable to keep the plant out of chilly winds during the colder months of the year.
It is a suitable plant for warm winter climates, does not like cold or resists frost.
As temperatures fall there is mos risk for the plant to die.
So make sure to take care of it.
Remove the dried leaves from the base of the plant to keep it healthy and the inflorescences dry.
If the weather is cold or wet it is advisable to grow the plants in pots to be able to protect during cold or rainy times.
It is advisable to use clay pots that perspire better, airing the substrate easily, so we will prevent the roots or neck of the plant from rotting.
If necessary, we will transplant the plants, we will use a pot of slightly larger size, we will incorporate a substrate of special quality for crass plants, if we have cut dried roots, we will wait a week before watering so that the wounds heal.
Multiplication
It can be reproduced by seeds but it is a long process to obtain medium plants.
It can be reproduced by separating the small rosettes that grow around it, so we will get plants faster, also by leaf cutting.
The wound on the rosette or the leaf should heal before it is placed on the ground for a week.
This plant, like other fleshy plants, can be attacked by cottony cochineal in hot and humid climates, we will have to treat the plants with insecticides against cochineals for their control and elimination.
Its main enemies are intense cold, poor drainage, excessive irrigation or poor aeration.
You have to keep the plants in optimal conditions for good development.
Echeverias Pest and Diseases
This plant is fairly pest and disease free and even resistant to deer, however, it can be susceptible to mealybugs.
Especially if the dead leaves are not removed regularly.
If you find your plant has become lunch to mealybugs, get rid of them by wiping down your plant with some rubbing alcohol.
Fertilizer
Although it is not a demanding plant, it will always grow, bloom more and be more beautiful if we provide nutrients.
Here the special fertilizers for cacti and succulents especially in spring, are recommended at the dose indicated by the manufacturer.
Conclusion
Echeveria harmsii “Plush Plant”, native to Mexico, is a shrub-like Echeveria with lance shaped green leaves covered densely with hairs.
In cold weather, leaves blush rose-red and look like red velvet.
Bright orange flowers are amongst the largest for the genus. Excellent color for holiday wreaths, rock gardens and dish gardens. In habitat, many Echeverias grow on rocky outcroppings at higher altitudes.
In this habitat, the water drains quickly away from the roots of the plant, never allowing the plant to remain waterlogged.
For this reason, it is essential in cultivation to use a very porous soil, which will allow quick drainage.
Full sun to very bright light is required to prevent “stretching” of Echeverias (“stretching” occurs when a moderately fast growing plant such as an Echeveria, is grown in dim light or over-fertilized, which causes overly lush growth that contributes to weak, pallid plants).
Water thoroughly when soil is dry to the touch. Protect from frost.