How to grow Echeveria 'Wax Peony'? Master these methods and you can grow it well

Wax Peony, Echeveria nuda, Crassulaceae, Echeveria. As long as there is more light, less water and a large temperature difference, it can become more red and more yellow. In Japan and South Korea, the Latin name of Wax Peony is incorrectly given as Echeveria nuda. In fact, Echeveria nuda is another native Echeveria succulent, while Wax Peony is a horticultural variety, and its parents come from a cross of Echeveria agavoides (the original species of Dongyun) x Sedum cuspidatum, so in Europe it is directly labeled as Echeveria agavoides x Sedum cuspidatum.

The leaf surface of Wax Peony has a waxy coating and is very smooth. However, because it is an intergeneric hybrid, the leaves often show irregular variation, appearing deformed. During the growing season, the leaf color is emerald green to yellow-red. With a large temperature difference between day and night or during low-temperature periods in winter, the leaf margins turn brown-red and the leaves turn yellow. Under weak light, the leaf color is pale tender green, and the leaves also stretch longer. The plant's leaf surface is smooth and not prone to holding water.

Wax Peony needs to receive sufficient sunlight for the leaf color and leaf margins to be vivid, and for the plant shape to be more compact and attractive. Wax Peony is a small to medium-sized variety. After growing in clusters for many years, the plant becomes very spectacular, producing clustered flower spikes, with slightly yellow flowers that are red at the tips and have five lobes.

Many succulent lovers are also not very clear about how to care for Wax Peony. Wax Peony is a very easy-to-grow horticultural variety. Wax Peony needs a sunny, cool and dry environment, tolerates partial shade, fears waterlogging, and avoids stuffy heat and humidity. It has the habit of growing in cool seasons and going dormant in high summer temperatures. From September each year to June of the following year is the plant's growing season (the growing season also varies in length depending on the grower's environment). If light is insufficient, the plant's leaves will become leggy, and the red leaf margins will slowly fade to green or light green; while plants grown in sunny places have a short and sturdy shape, and the leaves are arranged compactly.

During the growing season, Wax Peony needs the soil kept moist, avoiding water accumulation. The soil can use coal cinders mixed with peat and a small amount of perlite, at a ratio of about 5:4:1. Wax Peony can tolerate low temperatures of around minus 2°C, which is an indoor temperature, not outdoors. If it is lower, the growing point at the tip of the leaves will suffer frostbite, dry up and die. Basically cut off water throughout the winter, and below 5 degrees, start gradually cutting off water. In high summer temperatures, the whole plant grows slowly or stops completely. At this time, there must be good ventilation and appropriate shading, avoiding exposure to the sun, and watering should be controlled. It must not be exposed to long periods of rain, so as to avoid the plant rotting.

The propagation of Wax Peony is generally by beheading to produce offsets for cuttings and by leaf cuttings. The beheaded plant can be directly stuck into dry granular soil, and after rooting, a small amount of water can be given. The leaf cutting method is to take complete, plump leaves, place them in a cool place to let the wounds dry (Kite generally directly removes the leaves and throws them on the soil surface, as long as the leaf wounds do not touch the soil), then place them on slightly moist soil. It will slowly grow roots and then sprout. The process is a bit long, but you can get many small offsets. When the offsets grow up, remove them and plant them as cuttings.

(Some of the images, text and opinions in this article come from official online media and other public platforms. The main purpose is to share information and convey news. The copyright of the images and text belongs to the original authors. If infringement is involved, please contact us promptly to inform us, and we will correct or delete the relevant content within 24 hours.)