Echeveria desmetiana

Common Names

Peacock Echeveria, Mexican Peacock Echeveria

Summary

Native to central and southwest Mexico, this desert-dwelling succulent forms compact rosettes on short stems, with blue-green leaves edged in pinkish-red margins. Rosettes reach about 11 cm across, with leaves 4–5 cm long and 2–3 cm wide, often bearing a white to bluish farinose bloom. Summer flowers rise on a reddish stalk, featuring coral outer petals and yellow inner petals.

Bright light and well-draining cactus/succulent soil (pH 6.0–7.5) suit this plant, and water sparingly, allowing substrate to dry fully between waterings. Hardy in USDA zones 9–11 and frost tender, it is suitable for outdoor use in warm climates or indoor display in cooler areas and can be propagated by offsets, leaf cuttings, or seeds; prune away dead leaves to maintain neat appearance. Common uses include borders, containers, rock gardens, and xeriscaping.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

6-12 inches

Spread

4-6 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 9b-11b

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun; tolerates partial sun (4–6 hours of direct sunlight per day) and partial shade; ranges from full sun to partial shade.

Soil Type

Well-drained sandy soil

Soil Drainage

Well-draining, fast-draining soil (cactus or succulent mix) that does not retain moisture.

Soil pH

6.0-7.0

Bloom Color

Red outside, yellow inside

Bloom Time

Summer

Foliage Color

Blue-green to blue-gray leaves with pink margins.

Fall Foliage Color

Pink or red along the leaf edges

Leaf Lifecycle

Evergreen broadleaf

Growth Rate

Slow

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Summer

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Leaf cuttings, Stem cuttings, Offsets (plantlets), Division

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts hummingbirds, Attracts other pollinators