It's Spooky season and what better way to celebrate than some "spooky" looking succulents!
It's October so that means this month's box contains an imported "rare" succulent.
The coloring of the echeveria purpusorum white form reminded me of a witch's pallor with the gray-green and red edges. The sempervivum arachnoideum has the common name of 'Cobweb Houseleek' and definitely lives up to it's spidery name.
The echeveria purpusorum white form will grow best in gritty succulent soil (you can now purchase my favorite soil HERE) in a sunny spot. When sun stressed the white coloring will become more pronounced and there will be a red blush extending out from the red edges on the leaves. These echeveria have lots of freshly growing roots. I've had great success using coco coir as a rooting medium. Coco coir is considered inert so it provides a neutral medium for rooting while reducing chances of rot. Make sure you don't keep the coco coir too wet and you have it in an area with good airflow.
As always be very careful when introducing recently shipped succulents to full sun as they can be damaged by sunburn. This also can occur if placed too close to grow lights. Gradually lower your lights an inch at a time when light adjusting your succulents. This echeveria is not cold hardy so be sure to keep it indoors if temperatures fall below 35⁰F or any weather conditions with freezing rain or frost. Water when dry and give less in the winter when your plant will have slower growth.
The sempervivum arachnoideum or 'Cobweb Houseleek' is cold hardy to zone 5 when planted in the ground. They grow in clusters and can grow well in full sun or filtered sunlight (also called dappled sun). They're monocarpic (bloom once where the growth center of that specific rosette turns into the bloom) but since they put off runners with pups people often confuse the babies for the blooms. Remember "death" or terminal blooms always come from the exact center (growth center) of the plant. Water when dry and give less in the winter when your plant will have slower growth.
These two will be happy as neighbors in the same pot since they're both warn season growers.