Types of Graptoveria Succulent Plants

Graptoveria is one of the most beautiful succulent genera and contains colorful and compact rosettes.

Their wonderful appearances attract indoor gardeners and even collectors.

Scientifically, Graptoveria is a cross between Graptopetalum (also known as “ghost plant”) and Echeveria.

This means that every succulent plant in this genus has characteristics of both Echeveria and Graptopetalum, so they all belong to the same family.

Most of these succulents come up with a compact rosette that grows up to 8 inches long.

However, there are some varieties, such as “Moonglow,” that grow to approximately 10 inches.

Each of the Graptoveria has come up with vivid colors that change when these plants are stressed, for example, in cool temperatures or underwater.

Therefore, one can easily understand when these succulents need special attention.

A frosty pink variety, for example, is called “Debbi.” When grown in a sunny place, it turns a deep pink color.

Graptoveria plants grow mainly in rosette form like the mother varieties and spread 6 to 8 inches wide.

These succulents produce bright flowers with vivid colors during the blooming period.

If the plant is grown in the summer sun, then the color will become more intense.

Generally, these plants produce star-shaped yellow flowers with a pink touch. Also, the propagation of these plants can be done by stem or leaf cutting [1].

Types of Graptoveria Succulents

Graptoveria is a succulent that comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. They can be grown easily in a container, and many types provide interesting textures and colors.

Graptoveria plants are popular plants for beginner succulent gardeners because they are tolerant of a wide range of climates.

We will go over some of the most popular Graptoveria succulents to grow at home.

Graptoveria Amethorum

Graptoveria amethorum is a slow-growing variety of the Graptoveria genus. It has been crossbred between Graptopetalum amethystinum and Echeveria purpusorum.

It comes up with shorter stems and may reach around 3 inches in height. The color of the compact rosettes is quite strange but attractive.

The color is mainly grayish green, but in the presence of sufficient light, the color becomes red or blush pink. You will also notice pink flowers during the blooming period.

Graptoveria amethorum plants need plenty of sunlight to maintain their color.

Although they do well under partial sunlight, we highly encourage you to keep them under full sunlight.

The ideal temperatures for growing Graptoveria succulents range between 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

Since they store water in their thick leaves, you don’t have to worry about watering them too often.

Let the topsoil dry before applying water. Also, make sure that the growing medium is well-drained.

Graptoveria Bashful

Graptoveria bashful is also known as Graptoveria Jujube or Graptoveria pink ruby. This is a sun-loving plant that comes up with minty green leaves.

The rosettes of these clump forming succulent plants may spread to around 3 inches in diameter.

In cool temperatures and direct sunlight, the leaf color will change to a bright pink. At the very top of the long stems, you will see the pink blooms.

Like the other Graptoverias, this cultivar needs full sunlight to grow. The temperature should be warm.

If the temperature drops below 20 degrees Fahrenheit, you need to move them to a warm location.

Follow a watering schedule based on the temperature and soil type of the garden.

Prepare an ideal cactus mix to facilitate the draining process. You may use a balanced fertilizer during the summer months.

Graptoveria Debbie

Graptoveria debbie is one of the most popular varieties of the Graptoveria genus.

These succulents have beautiful arrowhead-shaped leaves with a frosted pink touch. The rosettes form in a tight formation.

The color of the foliage becomes too intense when the temperature becomes cooler and the plants are exposed to the bright sun.

During the spring season, this plant produces apricot-colored and star-shaped blooms.

These species prefer full sun exposure to grow happily. They can survive in extremely hot regions, but you should be careful if the temperature drops below 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

Water them less frequently and make sure that the surface soil is completely dry. The soil should be well drained.

You can buy a cactus mix for growing Graptoveria succulents. For propagation, you may use the stem cutting method.

Graptoveria Douglas Huth

Graptoveria Douglas huth is a beautifully colored succulent of this genus. This clump-forming succulent plant produces compact rosettes that grow to a maximum of 6 inches in height.

Depending on the sunlight, the color of the leaves changes. When the plant is grown in direct sun, the leaves become pink, and when grown in shady areas, the leaves turn bluish.

According to the USDA, the best hardiness zones for graptoveria douglas plants are zones 9a and 11b.

This Graptoveria succulent needs bright sunlight to grow. If you grow it indoors, then we suggest you place it near the east-to-south facing window.

The drainage condition of the growing medium should be good. Before watering, stick your finger 2 inches deep into the soil.

If you feel that the soil is dry, then it is time for watering. This graptoveria can be propagated by separating the offsets, sowing seeds, or using leaf cuttings.

Graptoveria Fred Ives

Graptoveria ‘Fred Ives’ is another popular and evergreen variety that forms rosettes and spreads in clumps.

The color of the leaves ranges from salmon pink, yellow, and bronze sheen to blue. During the early summer, it produces yellow flowers.

This Graptoveria plant can grow quite long. They can reach around 2 feet tall and 2 feet wide. It can be a perfect choice for gardeners for their succulent arrangements.

This Graptoveria thrives well under the morning sun. We suggest the indoor gardeners place them near the south-east window to ensure bright sun.

During the hot summer months, you may provide shade. They don’t need frequent watering. You need to prepare well-draining soil, which will remove excess moisture.

During the early spring, you can add a thin layer of vermicompost organic matter.

Graptoveria Helios

Graptoveria ‘Helois’ is considered the rarest variety. This succulent has flat green leaves with reddish-pink edges.

The rosettes of this species have a diameter of 4 to 5 inches. This plant is a cross between Graptopetalum paraguayense (famously known as the ghost plants) and Echeveria.

They produce beautiful yellow blooms during the flowering period. Due to their shining yellow flowers, they have received the name Helois.

Graptoveria helios needs full to partial sun. The color of the leaves will intensify when the plant is exposed directly to the sun.

This Graptoveria plant isn’t frost-tolerant. It prefers to thrive in a warm and dry environment.

The growing medium should contain coarser materials and have good drainage conditions.

Never water it too frequently because it can create a waterlogged condition. During the growing season, you can apply organic fertilizers.

Graptoveria Lovely Rose

Graptoveria ‘Loving Rose’ is a wonderful small succulent plant of this genus.

The rosettes have a pale green appearance and are stunningly attractive because of their small size.

If these plants are grown next to one another, they will look like beautiful mats of green roses.

This rare hybrid succulent is mainly Korean. During the spring season, this plant produces a full bloom.

Graptoveria, a lovely rose, needs full sun exposure to grow. They are low-maintenance succulent plants like the others.

This cultivar cannot tolerate frost. Therefore, you need to move them to a warm location when the temperature falls below 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

Prepare a well-draining mix by using sand, gravel, pumice, and perlite. You should avoid using clay soil for planting them.

Graptoveria Marpin

Graptoveria ‘Marpin’ is a hybrid variety of Graptopetalum paraguayense (or ghost plant) and Echeveria pulidonis.

It grows in a tight formation of rosettes that are formed by lanceolate, glabrous, and fleshy leaves with a dark green color and pink edges.

Under direct sunlight, one can enjoy the true beauty of this attractive plant species.

You will see the intense pinkish color when the plant is placed under full sunlight. It produces bell-shaped yellow blooms from spring to summer.

This species of Graptoveria thrives well in full to partial sun. The ideal temperature range for growing this Graptoveria plant is between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

If the temperature drops below 20 degrees Fahrenheit, then it can be harmful to the succulent’s ability to survive.

Water them only when the top 2 inches of the potting soil become dry. Make sure that there are drainage holes beneath the container.

Graptoveria Moonglow

Graptoveria ‘Moonglow’ is an easily distinguishable cultivar that can be easily grown and produces offsets pretty quickly.

The leaves come up with blue-green hues and a pink flush. This color combination will change depending on the sun’s exposure and temperature.

During the winter and early spring, you will notice orange flowers. The rosettes will reach up to 6 inches in height and 10 inches wide.

Like the other succulents, this species requires bright sunlight to grow. The temperature will not be a problem as long as it ranges between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

Remember that these plants cannot tolerate frost. Water them when the top few inches of the potting medium seem dry.

Because you don’t want the soil to become oversaturated, you need to make sure that there are drainage holes under the containers.

Graptoveria Olivia

Graptoveria ‘Olivia’ is another mesmerizing hybrid cross between Echeveria and Graptopetalum.

This plant has beautiful green compact rosettes with a bronze sheen at the edges and a pink flush at the tips. The rosettes may spread up to 6 inches wide (diameter).

During the spring to summer, you will see star-shaped pale yellow flowers appearing on 10-inch tall flower stalks.

These Graptoveria plants are soft succulents. They need bright, direct sunlight to grow.

They will be happy plants if you can place them near the south-facing window. Make sure that the potting soil has a good drainage system.

You should water infrequently and always check the soil moisture before watering.

They are easy to propagate. You can use the stem-cutting method to produce a new plant.

Graptoveria Opalina

Graptoveria ‘Opalina’ is one of the most beautiful succulents on this list. This species is a hybrid cross between Echeveria and Graptopetalum succulents.

This perennial cultivar has a tight form of rosettes that stand upright.

Normally, this plant has blue-green leaves, but when it receives too much sunlight, the edges turn pink. You will notice yellow flowers in the spring season.

The plant care process for this cultivar is similar to the other succulents of the Graptoveria genus.

To maintain healthy growth, you should make sure that it receives direct sunlight.

The temperature isn’t going to be an issue as long as it remains between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

They are very easy to grow, and you can grow them by cutting off the stems or leaves with a sterile knife.

Graptoveria Fantome (Phantom)

This cultivar is also known as Graptoveria Fantome or Graptoveria Phantom, and it can be widely found in the mountain crest gardens of South Africa.

It produces a compact rosette that can reach up to 6 inches in height and may spread up to 15 inches.

The mother plant of this cultivar is Graptopetalum paraguayense, also known as the ghost plant, and you can see why because the color is similar to ghost plants.

The leaves have a blue-green color, and a powdery coating appears when the plant is grown under direct sun.

This plant needs bright, direct sunlight to grow. They, like the other Graptoveria plants, are unable to withstand extreme cold.

Frequent watering should be avoided because excessive soil moisture will easily kill these plants. You may either buy an ideal cactus mix or prepare a well-drained pot of soil.

For propagation, you can separate the offset or new plant from the main plant. Moreover, stem cutting is also an effective method for propagation.

Graptoveria Platinum

Graptoveria ‘Platinum’ variety has a pleasing appearance, and the distinctive white foliage makes it easy to identify.

The fleshy and white rosettes have a blue-green touch and are pink at the red edge. All these different hues make this plant a stunningly beautiful succulent.

This plant rarely blooms. Gardeners who have rock gardens can plant this cultivar.

Graptoveria platinum needs direct sunlight to thrive. The morning sun is considered the best for growing this variety.

You can place these near the southeast-facing window to ensure that the plant receives sufficient light. They can not tolerate frost.

Water them sparingly and always check the soil moisture status before watering. You can add compost or other organic fertilizers from early to late spring.

Graptoveria Silver Star

Graptoveria ‘Silver Star’ is another unique succulent plant that comes up with a distinctive appearance.

This cultivar is also a hybrid of Echeveria and Graptopetalum, like the other hybrid crosses. The leaves are long and silver green with red tips.

The diameter of this plant can be around 4 inches, and it can reach up to 3 inches tall. During the spring, this succulent produces pink-white flowers.

To maintain the beautiful silver-green color combination and the red tips, you should maintain the light intensity.

We recommend you provide them with partial sunlight when it is too hot. The water demand is similar to that of a typical succulent.

Always check the soil condition before watering. You can propagate this plant by separating the offsets or by leaf cutting.

Graptoveria Thornwood Star

Graptoveria ‘Thornwood Star’ is one of the most beautiful succulents you can grow. This cultivar has nearly a similar appearance to the Graptoveria silver star.

This species is a hybrid of Graptopetalum filiferum and Echeveria cuspidata.

The leaves have a beautiful light green color with red tips and are curved upwards. During the spring, this Graptoveria plant produces yellowish-pink flowers.

Like the other Graptoveria plants, this species requires full to partial sun.

We recommend you provide them with the morning sun to maintain their light requirements. Beware of the cold temperatures.

If the temperature drops below 22 degrees Fahrenheit, then move the plant to a warmer location. This species needs an excellent drainage system.

Graptoveria Plant Care Guide

Graptoveria succulents are very easy to grow, and their demands are more or less similar to succulents.

As a succulent, it needs plenty of sunlight, careful watering, warm temperatures, and a well-draining soil mix. In this section, we will take a look at some Graptoveria care tips.

Light

Graptoveria plants grow well under full sunlight, but they will also grow under low light or partial shade.

Keep these succulents near an east or southeast-facing window to ensure they get plenty of light.

However, during the afternoon, when the sunlight becomes too intense, you can provide shade.

Place the Graptoveria in such a spot where they can enjoy the morning and late afternoon sun. Perfect positioning is important to maintain their color variation.

Temperature

Graptoveria plants can survive well under a wide range of temperatures. Until the temperature in your area doesn’t get too extreme, these plants will grow well.

If you live in a very hot region, we suggest you move them to a shady area because prolonged sun exposure can ruin their color variation. Also, Graptoveria cannot grow well when the temperature is too cold.

If the temperature in your region drops too much and there is a risk of frost, then you must move these succulents indoors. These succulents don’t like a highly humid environment.

Water

Graptoveria plants are drought tolerant, but still need water to maintain their beautiful rosettes.

While watering these plants, you have to be careful and make sure that they don’t receive excessive water.

Overwatering will cause root rot and spread fungal infections .

Observe the soil moisture conditions before watering them. You can push your finger 2-3 inches deep. If the potting mix looks dry, you can water the plants.

Moreover, the green leaves will look shriveled if the plant suffers from water stress.

Soil

Graptoveria succulents need well-draining soil. Gardeners mainly grow Graptoveria plants in a potting mix because of their small size and colorful rosettes.

While preparing the growing medium, you should be aware of the materials used during the process.

Hence, we suggest you use peat moss or coco peat. You may also use sandy or gritty soil with compost.

Here is a recipe to prepare an ideal potting mix for Graptoveria:

• 2 parts inorganic materials or minerals, such as perlite or pumice
• 1 part sandy soil
• 1 part organic potting soil

Fertilizer

Although Graptoveria succulents are slow-growers, you may fertilize them once a year during the summer months. You can either use cactus or succulent fertilizer directly or prepare fertilizer by yourself. We recommend that you use organic fertilizers because these fertilizers will keep giving your plants nutrients for a longer time.

Common Problems with Graptoveria Plants

Here are some common problems that many indoor gardeners experience while growing Graptoveria succulents:

Root rot

Root rot is a major problem that is caused by overwatering. Graptoveria succulents can tolerate drought conditions, so anyone can overwater by mistake.

Symptoms of overwatering include bottom leaves (leaves near the soil) starting to rot.

If you notice leaves rotting, the only way to check if the roots are rotting is to pull your plant out of the pot.

Remove carefully. If you do see root rot, you need to trim the rotten roots and transfer the plant to a fresh soil medium.

Blotchy leaves

When leaves have a transition color from green to vivid colors, they look blotchy. It happens when there is an imbalance of light intensity.

The rosettes have a colorful appearance when they are exposed to more sunlight.

Mealybugs

Mealybugs are tiny insects that infest Graptoveria plants.

They are a real headache for many indoor gardeners because of their resistance to insecticides and how to feed off the plant.

Mealybugs extract the plant’s sap and live off this sap causing the plant to dry out.

These insects are very hard to eliminate, which is why you need to treat the plants as soon as you notice them.

You can spray soapy water or Neem oil on the infested plants.

FAQ

Conclusion

Graptoveria plants can be a great addition to any succulent garden.

With their compact rosettes and olive green leaves, they will add a cactus vibe to your collection.

These succulents are very easy-to-grow, and anyone can take care of them.

You need to ensure that these succulents are placed under full sunlight, but during the summer months when the heat is too extreme, you can provide shade.

Also, they cannot tolerate frost, so, you will have to move them indoors when it is too cold. Lastly, you must e careful of watering as excess moisture can kill these plants.

References