A succulent enthusiast shares five years of experience of growing succulents

Foreword

Follow the Encyclopedia · Meet beauty (WeChat ID: duoroubaike)

The main text begins:

Thanks to the author [Old Li] for theoriginal submissionsharing

Submission date: 2018-06-07

Edited and compiled by: Encyclopedia Jun

Location: Linyi, Shandong

Let me first tell you how I fell into the succulent pit. Five years ago, at a chance market, I bought a Sempervivum tectorum (hens and chicks). Being a careful person, in order to grow the Sempervivum tectorum well, I searched online for related articles, and as a result I discovered these cute things that are even prettier than Sempervivum tectorum! The first one to win my heart was Cotyledon tomentosa (bear's paw)! Those red little nails and fuzzy claws made me rush to place an order and spend 25 yuan to buy a green bear's paw with 4 leaves! This should count as the first succulent I formally bought. This succulent has now become a bear tree!

At that time, Echeveria laui and Echeveria agavoides 'Ebony' were still that expensive, so I learned sowing knowledge online and started all kinds of sowing.

Back then, tissue-cultured seedlings of Haworthia truncata were not as widespread as they are now! I was so brave that I spent 35 yuan to buy one seed and sow it! This was a Haworthia truncata 'Yukikuni'! Hehe,

After three years, take a look and see if it now has the feel of a Haworthia truncata 'Yukikuni' beginning to take shape?

Let's still let the pictures do the talking. This is the first Aeonium I bought in 2014. At that time it was not this big, and I did not take a picture; it was even uglier than this picture. The reason I bought Aeoniums was all because I read Ermu's article. At that time I only knew that Aeoniums were black, and I had no idea that Aeoniums actually had so many varieties. This is something I only learned now.

The second year, it seemed to start getting a bit more beautiful.

This is how it looks now. Does it feel like an ugly duckling turning into a swan?

Now let's talk about this very inspiring Aeonium 'Shanxiu'! Actually, at that time I had read Su Jun's article and was fascinated by Aeonium 'Ziyangrong', so I went to the greenhouse to buy Aeonium 'Ziyangrong', and the seller sold me this, a so-called Aeonium 'Ziyangrong'. This is how it looked when I bought it back in March 2015! Dark and purplish, and it did look like Aeonium 'Ziyangrong'.

Afterward it grew like this. The purple and black were completely gone! It was completely a vegetable color! Compared with when I bought it, it was already like two different plants!

It had already begun to grow larger and take shape.

As time passed, it kept getting more beautiful! This is how it looked last winter.

Change!

The color came.

Still changing!

Am I too partial to it?

Otherwise, why post so many pictures?

Still it! This is how it looks now! Maybe, as Su Jun said, Aeonium 'Shanxiu' is a ever-changing Aeonium! That is why I am so fond of it! Writing this, I cannot help humming a couple of lines: you are my little apple, no matter how I photograph you, I never find it too much...

Next, let's look at last year's Three Immortals. This is one of the Three Immortals, Aeonium 'Fulunjin'. When I first bought it, it was a single head. Growing it yourself gives even more sense of accomplishment, and that goes for every succulent! Actually, poverty limited me from buying old stumps!

This is how it looked last winter.

This is how it looks now. Isn't it grand?

Aeonium 'Feicui Bing'

This is the Aeonium 'Carnival' I bought back in spring last year.

In summer it turned into green vegetables.

After repotting this spring

It started coloring up.

Growing succulents is all about watching this process.

Is it beautiful?

At night, Aeonium 'Carnival' seems even more charming!

This is the Graptopetalum 'Huali Fengche' I bought when I first entered the pit.

The following are various Aeoniums.

This one was grown from a cutting last year. Some people say it is Aeonium 'Rose', but I do not know whether it is or not. Anyway, as long as it is beautiful, that is fine.

My writing is not good, and I cannot describe their beauty, so I can only rely on pictures.

Aeonium 'Hongfushi'

Aeonium 'Hongfashi'

Aeonium 'Heifashi'

Aeonium 'Lüyangrong'

Aeonium 'Shanxiu' cristata

Aeonium 'Yuanshi Lü' cristata

And also the white bear's paw!

Graptopetalum paraguayense 'Ningzhi Lian', a product from when I first entered the pit!

A huge Sedum 'Baby Fingers', grown from three small heads and kept for five years. The potted Sedum clavatum below is the same; it is now in a pot with a diameter of one chi!

Counting it up, it has already been five years along the way, and only I know the hardships and efforts involved! From a few pots on the balcony to now a whole courtyard. The soil alone probably amounts to tons, so I am a succulent grower who cannot afford soil!

Every weekend, I spend on succulents the time others use for shopping, beauty treatments, playing on their phones, and watching TV. I feel that once you grow succulents, there is always endless work to do. All my thoughts are on succulents!

The benefit of growing succulents is that it lets a person be alone, and being alone can make a person calm. Calmness is a kind of rest, and even more a kind of cultivation. All troubles come from noise!

Since last year I have become obsessed with Aeoniums, and now they have become my favorite! No matter which kind of Aeonium, as long as it can endure, it is beautiful! Just as some famous person said, time is the best magician! Growing succulents requires patience, care, and perseverance! Come on! Friends!

Sedum 'Banqiu Yinv Xin' bought when I first entered the pit.

This is the Echeveria 'Ensino' I sowed myself in 2014 because I could not afford Echeveria 'Jilian' types.

This is the first Graptopetalum amethystinum I bought after entering the pit in 2014, and it was even beheaded. After five years, it has now become a great mother, one could say with children and grandchildren all around, a whole peach grove. All my Graptopetalum amethystinum are its descendants.

This is the first-generation child of the old mother Graptopetalum amethystinum!

This should be its grandchild generation! Haha

This is also one.

I have rambled on quite a lot. Thank you for reading patiently!

The culture of succulents needs you and me to promote it! Remember to share good articles more, so that more people fall in love with succulents!

Appreciate this article

At present, the official account's appreciation function has been adjusted. The author's WeChat appreciation code is used instead of the system appreciation. If you want to appreciate the author, please directly scan the WeChat appreciation code and give the appreciation to the author of this article!

Advertisement ADVERTISEMENT

This article has beenexclusively authorizedby the author to WeChat official account: Succulent Plant Encyclopedia (ID: duoroubaike). The content of the article does not represent the views and stance of the official account! The Encyclopedia has signed with a third-party internet copyright enforcement company and opened whole-network rights protection. Without authorization, other platforms are strictly prohibited from reprinting privately! If unauthorized reprinting is found, infringement liability will be pursued! Readers are welcome to report it!