The Ugly Duckling's Comeback Story: From Ignored to Widely Popular

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Text and photos: Curator

Photo 1. When purchased from the greenhouse in March 2016, it was still a somewhat presentable old stem of Echeveria 'Pachyphylla' (Su Pi Ya), and it survived the test of the sweltering summer.

Photo 2. March 2017, kept on the windowsill of the work dormitory, compared to when it was first bought it had already pupped quite a bit, and grown a lot. Unfortunately, without enough sunlight it was just a bright green little duck.

Photos 3 to 4. In April of the same year, unable to stand it any longer, I put it out on the big terrace at home for open-air growing, and it gradually turned red and came into color, and its shape was also kept in check. I was still quite pleased, even though it was left to fend for itself, rained on, and weathered wind and rain. I was actually quite satisfied with how it turned out.

Photo 5. In May, as soon as I went to the balcony I was stunned, it was super beautiful, completely flawless from 360 degrees. When I shared it with the seller and fellow succulent lovers, it received quite high praise. It had completely gone from an ugly duckling to a red duckling princess, right!

Can you still tell it is the same plant? In a place as rainy and abundant as Greater Changsha, achieving this kind of color is already quite difficult. I had a PK with a friend's little duck in Lijiang, and won by a landslide, super happy!

Sharing my personal experience. Not everyone has a big terrace at home, and not every succulent can be grown outdoors. Giving succulents plenty of sunlight is a must; if conditions allow, give them a grow light to supplement UV. I have always believed that if you raise it tough, it grows tough, and if you pamper it, it becomes delicate. I put them on the big terrace at home and never took care of them at all, and every time I went back they amazed me. Rainwater is actually more suitable for succulents than tap water and purified water, because in the wild natural environment they are also rained on, restoring the environment they love to grow in. With plenty of sunlight, they naturally become beautiful. Those of you with enclosed balconies can put out buckets and basins at home to collect rainwater and save it to water your succulents.

That is all for now, I will share more gradually in the future. Produced by Jing Xiaoxin

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