Types of Graptosedum Succulent Varieties

Graptosedum is a hybrid succulent plant variety cross-bred between Graptopetalum and Sedum succulents.

Since they are hybrids, they have a similar appearance to the Sedum and Graptopetalum succulents, and they also belong to the Crassulaceae family.

Many people grow these plants in their succulent gardens because of their similar growing demands. Graptosedum succulents add a colorful vibe to the garden.

These succulent species have compact rosettes that are arranged spirally around the main stem.

The leaves have a wide range of colors, including white, orange, and purple. These plants are sprawling, which indicates that they can be a great groundcover, and hence, you can grow them in hanging baskets.

These succulents may reach up to 12 inches tall and 9 inches wide. Each leaf can be an inch in length.

They are low-maintenance plants and grow actively in the spring. During this period, they produce beautiful white flowers.

If you notice that your Graptosedum is blooming, then consider it a sign that the plants are healthy and happy.

In this article, we will give you ideas on what type of Graptosedums you can add to your indoor and outdoor garden.

Types of Graptosedum Succulents

Graptosedums are types of succulents that can be found in a wide range of forms and dimensions.

Graptosedums can be found in many different forms, including upright, columnar, rosette, and mat-forming varieties.

In this post, we will cover many types of popular Graptosedums to grow in your home or outside in your backyard or front yard landscaping.

Graptosedum Alpenglow

Graptosedum alpenglow is a common succulent species in the Graptosedum genus.

This is a hybrid cross between Sedum stahlii and Graptopetalum paraguayense (Ghost plant).

This is a sprawling plant, which means that it can be an excellent ground cover and an ideal variety for growing in hanging baskets. This unique and bright succulent is native to Mexico.

The leaves of this species are similar to those of Graptopetalum paraguayense, also known as the Ghost plant.

The bright pink-colored rosette forms tightly. You can also notice the shades of deep coral to light rose color.

This fast-growing succulent can reach up to 8 inches in length and spread around 12 inches.

One can easily grow them either indoors or outdoors. In both places, they will grow perfectly.

Choose a sunny and warm location. Exposure to the full sun will bring color variation. Partial shade isn’t a great choice for growing these succulents.

Also, they cannot tolerate cool temperatures as they aren’t cold-hardy. Move them to a warmer location if the temperature drops below 30 degrees Fahrenheit.

These plants need a good drainage system to thrive. Like the other succulent species, they cannot tolerate waterlogged conditions. You can either buy ready-made cactus mix or prepare it by yourself.

For preparing, you need to mix coarse sand and other inorganic materials, like perlite. Never water them deeply and frequently. Allow the surface soil to dry.

Graptosedum Bronze

Graptosedum bronze is another popular variety of the Graptosedum genus. It is often confused with Graptosedum alpenglow because of its similar appearance.

However, alpenglow has burgundy leaves while this species has bronze leaves. It can adapt easily to different environmental conditions.

This species is native to North America, and especially parts of Canada.

Graptosedum bronze comes up with a bronze-colored rosette. These bronze rosettes form tightly and may grow up to 6 inches tall. Each of the leaves can grow to approximately 1 inch in length.

The cylindrical shape of this succulent gives it a satisfying appearance. During the spring, you will notice beautiful yellow flowers that have four petals.

Like the other succulents, it needs full sun exposure. If you grow them indoors, then place them near a sunny window sill.

Partial sun isn’t a good choice for these plants. The leaves will lose their vibrant colors if they don’t receive enough sun.

Excessively moist soil is deadly for these succulents because waterlogged or soggy conditions increase the chance of root rot and other fungal infections.

A proper soil mixture is necessary for them. Mix garden soil, coarse sand, inorganic materials, and gravel.

Graptosedum California Sunset

Graptosedum california sunset is the most beautiful and popular succulent on this list.

This species is the hybrid cross of Graptosedum paraguayense and Sedum adolphi.

This species is alternatively also known as Graptosedum peach blossom. They are native to the California region.

The most attractive part of this succulent is its rosette, which has a beautiful combination of orange and green (pastel coloration).

The sprawling plant can reach up to 6 to 8 inches tall, and each of the thick leaves may grow to around 1 inch in length. During spring, it produces beautiful white flowers.

Like most succulents, it needs full and bright sunlight. A warm temperature is considered ideal for a growing environment. They are not frost-tolerant, and their minimum temperature requirement is 30 degrees Fahrenheit.

Graptosedum california sunset succulent needs well-draining soil. You should keep at least one drainage hole beneath the container to facilitate the draining system.

Soil that drains well will prevent root rot in many traditional plants. They have a minimal water demand.

Graptosedum Darley Sunshine

Graptosedum darley sunshine is another colorful variety that is a hybrid of Graptopetalum paraguayense and Sedum pachyphyllum.

These plants are native to the hot desert, tropical, and temperate climate zones. They are grown mainly for their green-pink coloration.

Graptosedum darley sunshine plant is also sold as Graptosedum Franceso Baldi.

This species has thick fleshy leaves that are arranged in a rosette form. Each leaf has a beautiful color combination of green, purple, and pink.

These plants can reach up to 8 inches tall if one can properly take care of them. This plant produces beautiful white flowers during the spring.

This succulent plant prefers direct sunlight to thrive. Without this, you should keep its growing environment warm.

This plant isn’t cold-hardy, so lower or freezing temperatures can be dangerous for it.

These Graptosedum plants can be easily propagated by leaf. You only have to gently twist one off the mother plant. In addition, you can also separate the new rosettes from the mother plant.

Graptosedum darley needs well-drained potting mix. Poorly drained soil will damage the roots by causing suffocation. Water the plant when the top few inches of the soil look dry.

It has minimal fertilization needs. Fertilizing during the growing season will accelerate new growth.

Graptosedum Ghosty

Graptosedum ghosty is another wonderful succulent plant that can be easily identified because of its thick red-green leaves.

It is a hybrid of Graptopetalum and Sedum, but the specific mother variety is still unknown. This plant is native to Mexico.

The leaves have a faded green color, and you will also observe a red overshadow.

This variety can reach up to 12 inches in length and be 4 inches wide. The rosettes of this plant look more vibrant in color if they receive full sun.

After buying this succulent plant, don’t directly keep it in the full sun. Instead, wait and move it slowly towards the sun so that it can adapt. This plant cannot tolerate cold weather.

So, you should move them indoors during the frost. For propagation, you can separate the small rosette offsets from the main plant.

Also, you can use a sterile knife to cut a healthy stem for propagation.

Prepare a well-draining soil medium for growing these plants. Water them gently and follow the soak and dry method.

It has minimal fertilization needs, so you can supply fertilizer during the growing season.

For successful propagation, you may either separate the small rosette offsets from the main plant or go for the stem cuttings.

Graptosedum Vera Higgins

Graptosedum vera higgins is a hybrid variety of Sedum and Graptopetalum vera higgins.

These plants can be used to grow on green walls or any vertical greenery systems because of their adaptability [1]. This succulent plant is quite easy to grow.

Graptosedum vera higgins has a similar appearance to Graptosedum bronze, but you can easily distinguish them by observing the leaf color.

Vera higgins succulent has brown-pink stems and purple leaves that form compact rosettes, while Graptosedum bronze has bronze leaves.

This plant can reach up to 12 inches tall and 12–24 inches wide.

Like the other succulent plants, this species needs full sun exposure to thrive at its full potential.

If you grow it indoors, then we suggest you keep it near a sunny location. The temperature should be warm.

Since it is not a frost-tolerant variety, you must move them indoors or to a warm location during the winter.

This succulent plant is xerophytic, which means it is drought tolerant. You need to prepare a well-draining proper soil mix because too much moist soil can damage the roots.

For successful propagation, you need to follow the stem cutting method, in which you have to use a sterile knife to cut a healthy stem and keep it moist until the root develops.

Graptosedum Plant Care

Graptosedum succulents are easy-to-grow plants. They have similar growing demands to the other varieties.

In this section, we will briefly discuss the care guide for Graptosedum plants.

Light

These plants need full sun to grow. Make sure that these succulents receive a minimum of 6 or 7 hours of direct sunlight every day.

If you are growing them indoors, then choose a sunny window sill where they can get a lot of sunlight.

Providing them with a lot of sunlight will bring out beautiful hues. Placing them in partial shade or partial sun isn’t a good choice.

South-facing windows are considered the best spots because they receive sunlight the entire day.

You can also rotate the container often as it will ensure that all the parts are getting a good amount of sunlight.

However, keep in mind that too much sun during the hot summer can be harmful as it will cause sunburn.

Temperature and Humidity

Graptosedum succulents prefer dry and hot climates. The ideal temperature for growing them is between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

They aren’t cold-hardy and cannot withstand temperatures lower than 30 degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore, they need to be brought indoors during the winter.

A highly humid environment should be avoided since these plants require a dry climate.

The natural humidity level seems alright, but excess humidity can result in root rot.

Don’t place them in the bathroom or kitchen where the humidity level is too high.

Soil

Graptosedum plants need well-draining soil because they cannot tolerate excess moisture. It is often recommended to mix cactus soil and perlite at a 7:3 ratio.

Apart from perlite, you can also mix other inorganic coarse materials like pumice, vermiculite, and other organic materials.

Drainage holes are a must for growing these succulents.

You don’t have to worry about repotting these succulents too often because they are sprawling plants.

However, if you still want to change the container, transfer them to a marginally bigger pot.

Make sure that the new container has drainage holes to remove excess moisture.

Water and Fertilization

Graptosedum succulents don’t need frequent watering.

Like other succulent plants, Graptosedum is susceptible to moist soil, and it can die because of root rot. Create a watering schedule depending on the temperature and soil type.

You can water them once every week during the summer months, but before watering, check the soil moisture and always water the dry soil.

Fertilize them during the growing season. You can use organic fertilizers like vermicompost, compost, worm castings, blood meal, etc.

These are slow-release fertilizers, which will keep supplying essential nutrients for a longer period.

Propagation

One can propagate a Graptosedum plant in different ways, such as through leaf or stem cuttings, or even by separating the offsets.

For leaf cutting, you need to carefully twist off an entire healthy leaf.

Experts recommend that gardeners allow these leaves to callus for a few days (2 or 3) before planting them in the soil.

For successful propagation, you should follow stem cuttings or the offset separation method.

Take a sharp knife and cut the stem 1.5 inches under the rosettes. Leave it to callus, then plant it in a porous soil medium.

You can also separate the offset or new plant from the mother variety carefully for propagating.

Common Problems of Graptosedum

Like the other succulents, Graptosedum plants face a few common problems, like leaf fall, faded leaf color, root rot, mushy appearance, and so on.

In this section, we will mention e few problems that many gardeners may face.

Leaves Are Falling (Leaf Drop)

Leaf drop is often a common problem among succulent gardeners. When these species lose leaves from the bottom, it is quite normal, but when the leaves start falling off from the top, they need special attention.

In this condition, you need to make sure that the Graptosedum is planted in well-draining soil and that the soil is dry. It may also happen due to high humidity.

Mushy and brownish appearance

If you notice that your succulents are getting mushy and have a brownish color, then it is an indicator that there is excess moisture in the soil, and the succulents are suffering from root rot.

In the beginning, the bottom leaves turn mushy and yellow, and slowly the stem becomes brownish. If you don’t remove the excess moisture, the plants will die.

Allow the soil to dry before you water it further, and make sure there are holes at the bottom of the container to remove moisture.

Mealybugs

These white, fuzzy bugs can be a real pain if they manage to spread. Mealybugs are very hard to control. They feed on the plant sap and cause leaf deformation.

If you notice the small white bugs, move the plant away from the others to stop the infection.

Spray rubbing alcohol or neem oil to kill these bugs. You can also use the water from the fermented rice to remove them. Alcohol destroys the bugs’ white coats.

Color of Leaves Is Fading

Graptosedum leaves lose their vibrant colors when there is a lack of sunlight.

Most of these succulents have different colors, ranging from pink, yellow, and purple.

The leaves lose these color variations when they don’t receive enough sun. It can also happen because of perfect watering (no stress).

FAQ

Conclusion

To sum up, these are the most popular types of Graptosedum succulent species that can be easily grown outdoors or indoors. Since these plants have fewer demands, you don’t have to worry about growing them.

However, you should be careful about the light intensity and watering schedule. Lack of sufficient light can inhibit their growth. Also, the succulents even lose their vibrant colors.

On the other hand, frequent watering can result in root rot. You should water the dry soil.

Overwatering can lead to several pest infestations, which can severely damage the rosettes.

References