Mexican Snowball


Scientific Name: Echeveria elegans

Mature Size: Up to 8 inches tall

USDA Hardiness Zone: 9-12

Light: Full sun to partial shade

Water: Low moisture needs

Soil: Well-draining, sandy

Flower Color: Pink and yellow

This native Mexican evergreen succulent produces a dense carpet of tightly packed rosettes, as it sends out offsets over time. The rosettes are formed from fleshy foliage that is a pale gray-green. Each leaf is rounded and cupped into a spoon shape, with a matte, almost velvety texture. Foliage can be tipped with flushes of red to give a contrasting two-tone look. In spring and winter, these plants can send out tall, vertical red stems, held high above the foliage at around one foot in height.

Each stem will produce a lantern-like pink bloom with yellow edges. These plants need a consistently warm, dry environment, but can be kept as houseplants in any climate. When kept as a houseplant, these echeverias will rarely flower. They are commonly used as ground cover in hot climates, and also work well in rock gardens or container planting. This succulent needs little water and is drought-tolerant. It should not be watered at all during its dormant period. It is easy to grow and has received the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society.