Sedeveria (SEE-deh-VER-ee-a) is an easy-care succulent and a favorite addition to rock gardens. These small, attractive plants are the result of a cross between Echeveria (ech-eh-VER-ee-a) and Sedum (SEE-dum).
This perennial cross belongs to the plant family Crassulaceae (krass-yoo-LAY-see-ee).
Sedeveria Plants Care Information
Size & Growth
These small, succulent grow to reach about 8” inches high and typically have a spread of approximately 2.5” inches. The leaves are arranged in a rosette formation and often bear fine hairs along their margins.
These hybrid plants present very attractive rosettes with a flowerlike appearance. Depending upon the species, leaves may be bluish green, silvery green or pure green. Some types have accents of yellow or red.
As the leaves mature, they take on a thickened, padded appearance. Bright sun or very cool temperatures may cause individual leaves to take on a reddish tint.
Furthermore, as the rosettes age, their stems grow longer and thicker.
Flowering & Fragrance
In the springtime, multiple flowers arise from just below the apex of the rosettes. The flowers are borne on tall, slightly curving stalks.
Flowers of all types of Sedeveria are appealing to bees, hummingbirds and other pollinators.
Light & Temperature
Sedeveria succulents do well in part to full sun.
In warm regions of the United States (USDA hardiness zones 10 through 11) Sedeveria are carefree.
In cooler climates, they can be kept in containers outdoors during the warmer months and brought indoors to keep as houseplants during the winter.
Alternately, you may wish to plant Sedeveria directly into your garden in the summertime and then bring in offshoots to keep as houseplants in the winter.
There are some Sedeveria that are winter hardy in USDA hardiness zone 9, but even so, you may wish to cover them if a very cold spell is predicted.
Watering & Feeding
Planted in the landscape, your Sedeveria may not need to be watered at all. They may do well with natural rainfall. During times of drought, you should provide a thorough watering on an approximately weekly basis.
When kept indoors as a potted succulent, use the soak-and-dry method of watering. To do this, provide a complete watering, allowing water to run through the substrate and out the drainage holes of the pot.
Do not water again until the soil is completely dry (approximately once a week or once every two weeks).
You may also wish to simply wait until the Sedeveria leaves begin to shrivel sli1ghtly. This is a sure sign that the plant is thirsty. Using this method, you can be certain that you are not overwatering.
Indoors or outdoors, avoid overhead watering or use of a spray bottle. It’s best not to allow water to collect between the leaves of the rosettes as this can cause problems with fungus.
Of course, Sedeveria planted in the landscape will get wet leaves from rainfall. You needn’t worry too much about this, though.
Outdoor airflow should dry raindrops away in a timely manner.
Soil & Transplanting
Succulents do best in sharply draining soil. This means soil that allows water to run through freely and promotes good air circulation around the roots.
Succulent Sedeveria should never stand in wet soil because this will cause root rot.
The best substrate for succulents and cacti is one that is gritty and soilless. You can use a commercially prepared succulent/cactus mix, or you can make your own with these ingredients:
- 50% Fine Gravel, perlite, vermiculite and/or sand
- 50% Coconut Coir or Pine Bark
Plain potting soil is not a good idea for succulents or cactus because it retains water for too long. Your goal is to have a sharply draining substrate that allows ample amounts of water to flow through quickly.
To repot a Sedeveria, begin by preparing the container you wish to move it to. It should be slightly larger than the container the plant is already in. Fill the container about halfway with prepared substrate.
Do your transplanting at the end of the plant’s watering cycle when the soil is dry.
Remove it gently from its old pot and carefully shake and brush the dry substrate away from the plant’s roots.
At this point, you may wish to dust the roots with a rooting hormone to encourage new growth.
Place the plant on the prepared substrate and backfill around the roots with clean substrate. Water deeply, and place the plant in an area that is sheltered against drafts and receives bright, indirect sunlight.
Providing protection from the elements and from harsh sunlight will help the plant adjust to its new container with less likelihood of transplant stress.
Grooming & Maintenance
Sedeveria need little or no grooming and maintenance. Simply pinch off any damaged or dead leaves as they occur. When you repot, you may wish to separate offsets and put them in their own pots.
How To Propagate Sedeveria Plants
Depending on the type of Sedeveria you have, you can have a great deal of success with a wide variety of propagation methods.
For those that have longer stems, you may wish to simply lay a cutting on top of a fresh, clean potting medium and provide light moisture until the cutting sprouts and roots begin to grow.
At this point, you can move the cutting to its own pot and treat it as a mature plant.
You can also grow these succulents from leaf cuttings treated in very much the same way. Alternately, you can separate offsets and pot them up and treat them as mature plants.
Sedeveria Plants Pests or Diseases
Over-watered Sedeveria are subject to infestation by scale and mealybugs.
Both of these pests damage succulent plants by sucking the juices from the leaves. This weakens and can kill a plant.
You may not realize that your plant has been infested by these pests right away. Signs to watch for include a black, moldy coating near or on the plant and/or a feeling of stickiness on the leaves.
Examine closely, and you will see the culprits. Succulent scale insects may have dome-shaped shells, or they may have a cottony appearance.
They attach themselves to the plants’ leaves and stems, but you can scrape them off with your thumbnail or the edge of a blunt knife.
Slow moving mealybugs are between a fifth and a third of an inch long.
They may have a cottony or waxy white appearance, and you will find them clustered along the spines or veins of leaves. Look on the undersides of leaves and in the joints, where they like to hide.
There are also root mealybugs, which live underneath the soil. They look like white deposits of cotton on the plants’ roots.
Like their aboveground cousins, they damage the plant by sucking away its juices, but they do it through the roots. This causes plants to become very susceptible to fungal or bacterial infections.
Spider mites are another pest that infest cactus and succulents and suck away the plants’ juices. If you notice small brown dots on the leaves and/or webbing over the leaves, you may have spider mites.
These mites are extremely tiny, but if you hold a piece of paper under a leaf and tap it, they will fall off onto the paper and you’ll be able to see them.
Over-watered Sedeveria may be subject to infestation by fungus gnats. These are tiny black flies that may be as small as 1/16” inch in length.
You will see them hovering just above the soil.
The flies, themselves, don’t damage succulents, but their larvae eat organic matter from the soil and also consume the plants’ roots. This is usually not a threat to mature plants, but it can kill young plants.
The good news is that all of these problems can be avoided with proper plant care. Provide the right amount of sunlight, good air circulation and not too much water, and you are unlikely to be bothered by these pests.
Develop a holistic Integrated Pest Management system to keep these pests at bay.
Is The Sedeveria Considered Toxic or Poisonous?
Sedeveria are generally non-toxic, and many are considered edible.
Is Sedeveria Considered Invasive?
Sedeveria is not listed as invasive.
Suggested Sedeveria Plants Uses
Sedeveria is a good addition to almost any plant collection. Sedeveria Letizia and Sedeveria Jet Beads are popular varieties. Their care needs are few, and they will thrive in a setting that has consistent warmth, good air circulation, plenty of light and the right amount of watering.
Because there are so many beautiful varieties of Sedeveria, you can amass an interesting and varied collection of these extremely attractive, easy care succulents.
As houseplants, they make a wonderful addition to your kitchen, sun porch or any room that gets plenty of bright, indirect sunlight. They also do well as office plants.
Outdoors, they are delightful container plants for porch or patio. They make a welcome and pretty addition to your rock or your succulent garden.