How to Grow Echeveria 'Black Prince' So It Quickly Fills Its Pot: Care Methods and Points to Note

Many girls have fantasized about having a Prince Charming to protect them. Prince Charming belongs to the world of fairy tales, but the Black Prince exists in real life. The Black Prince is a very delicate and lovely succulent plant, with a rather dark color approaching black. Though small, it has a strong, cool and aloof character, so it was named Black Prince.

How to Grow Echeveria 'Black Prince' So It Quickly Fills Its Pot

1. Watering: In summer it needs appropriate shade, watering once a week to keep the potting soil moist. In winter, place the plant in a warm spot with sufficient care, water 1~2 times and keep the potting soil dry. During care, when the air is dry, do not spray water on the leaves; instead mist around the flower pot.

2. Water culture: The Black Prince can also be grown in water. Cut off a section of the top stem and insert it into a sand bed; once white roots grow, transfer it to water culture. When growing in water, do not submerge all the roots, as this is more favorable for the growth of the Black Prince. During care, add a small amount of nutrient solution in spring and autumn; in other seasons, plain water is sufficient.

3. Pests and diseases: Common pests and diseases include leaf spot disease and black weevil. When the Black Prince develops leaf spot disease, brown spots appear on the leaves and they gradually wilt. Once pests or diseases are found, promptly spray with medication to kill them.

Black Prince Care Methods and Points to Note

1. Soil. It is best cultivated in sandy soil with good drainage and aeration, to facilitate the removal of excess water and the growth of the plant's roots; it can be prepared with 1/3 leaf mold, 1/3 sandy soil and 1/3 garden soil. Repot once every 1~2 years in spring, and the necrotic old roots can be trimmed off.

2. Temperature. The most suitable growing temperature for the Black Prince is 15~25°C. Below 5°C, the plant stops growing and shows slight frost damage; below 0°C, the water in the leaves freezes and the cells die. In winter and summer, when the temperature is too high or too low, the plant stops growing, so watering should be temporarily stopped, and the watering frequency resumed once the temperature recovers. In summer's high temperatures, pay attention to ventilation and avoid prolonged exposure to the sun.

3. Watering. The Black Prince contains a certain amount of water in its body, so overwatering or long-term exposure to a damp environment easily causes rot. To avoid water accumulating at the roots, it is best to choose a pot with drainage holes at the bottom; beginners can use a red clay pot with good aeration, while glass containers absorb heat and have poor aeration.

4. Light. The more sufficient the light and the greater the temperature difference between day and night, the darker and glossier the leaf color. When temperature permits, it is best to place it outdoors for care to ensure sufficient light. Insufficient light or excessive water in the soil easily causes leggy growth, and the whole plant will appear light green or dark green, with sparse leaves and elongated spacing, seriously affecting its ornamental value and even causing death due to limited photosynthesis.

5. Pruning. Promptly remove dried leaves at ordinary times to avoid breeding bacteria. When the plant grows leggy, you can also shape it by pruning the top branches and leaves to control the plant's height and maintain a beautiful plant shape. The cut top portion can, after the wound dries, be inserted into slightly moist sandy potting soil to take root and become a new plant. The stem and branches and leaves at the bottom can sprout more side shoots.

6. Points to note when growing the Black Prince. The Black Prince has strong growth, so management can be a little more extensive. During the summer dormant period, pay attention to controlling watering to avoid root rot caused by overly wet soil. In winter, due to less light, the leaves will turn green, especially the newly grown leaves, which is even more obvious; there is no need to worry about it, as after spring arrives, with the increase in light, they will gradually turn blackish-purple.

Does the Black Prince Bloom

After the Black Prince succulent has grown for more than a year and a half, some will then grow a flower stalk, and the buds on the flower stalk will bloom only after growing for several months. It does not bloom according to season; as long as light and temperature are sufficient, it will bloom.

The plant is not yet mature: the Black Prince you bought back may have just been sown, and though it looks like a large young plant, it must be grown for a period before it may bloom.

Temperature is too low: the blooming temperature for the Black Prince is above 25°C; if the temperature is not sufficient or the overall difference in the care environment is too great, it will not bloom either.

Pests and diseases: if the Black Prince is attacked by pests and diseases, covered in wounds, it already has its hands full and has even less spare nutrients to support the growth of the flower stalk.

What to Do About Black Rot in the Black Prince

1. Pay attention to the potting soil's aeration and heat dissipation. Stuff, muggy potting soil not only creates breeding conditions for Fusarium oxysporum but also lowers the resistance of the root system; especially when exposed to the sun after watering, the temperature of the roots in the soil simply soars.

2. Soak the roots in carbendazim. Succulents in the pot-adjustment period have very weak resistance; at this time, if there is Fusarium oxysporum in the soil, they are very prone to disease, and carbendazim can treat it. If you find early on that the succulent is not right, drenching the roots with carbendazim is also very effective, and the earlier the better. If you find that part of the succulent has black rot, the earlier you cut it off the better; once necrotic it cannot recover, and the necrotic part will also become a culture medium for fungi, breeding a large number of fungi.

3. Beheading and cuttings. For a black-rotted plant with only leaves left, it is recommended to behead it, break off the leaves and re-propagate by cuttings. (Attached is the specific ☞ beheading method for the Black Prince) Lower the temperature, and place plants in poor condition in an air-conditioned room for care, so they can recover as soon as possible.

In summary, although there is no Prince Charming, having a cool and delicate Black Prince is also quite nice! Moreover, the Black Prince is very easy to grow; as long as you do not overwater it, problems will basically not occur, making it very suitable for friends who are a bit lazy but love flowers!