Method of cultivating Echeveria 'Chocolate Soldier'
This article introduces topics related to the succulent plant Echeveria 'Chocolate Soldier', including its cultivation methods. Keep reading to find out more!
Echeveria 'Chocolate Soldier' requires a sunny, cool, and dry environment, is tolerant of semi-shade, dislikes waterlogging, and avoids hot and humid conditions. It has the habit of growing in cold and cool seasons and dormant in high summer temperatures. From September of each year to June of the following year is the growing period for the plant (the growing period varies depending on different environments of plant lovers). Insufficient sunlight can cause the plant to stretch, resulting in longer distances between leaves, a loose plant shape, fragile stems, elongated leaves, and faded color.
Echeveria 'Chocolate Soldier' Kalanchoe tomentosa 'Chocolate Soldier' belongs to the Kalanchoe genus of the Crassulaceae family, native to the highland regions of Namibia. It is an upright, succulent shrub that doesn't grow tall, and is a miniature variety. The leaves are opposite, elongated, and covered with dense, disordered fuzz. New leaves are golden yellow or chocolate-colored, while older leaves fade, with rounded leaf tips. The whole plant turns golden yellow in winter, which is very beautiful. It blooms in early summer with a corymbose inflorescence, higher in stature, with small, tubular flowers facing upwards, white-pink in color, with 4 petals, and a long blooming period.
Plants growing in sufficient sunlight will have a shorter and sturdier shape, with relatively compact leaf arrangement. Echeveria 'Chocolate Soldier' grows relatively slowly. 'Kite's Chocolate Soldier' is cultivated in a sunroom with full-day sunlight. During the growing period, the soil should be kept slightly moist, avoiding积水.
The soil used is a mixture of coal slag, peat, and a small amount of perlite, in a ratio of about 6:3:1, with river sand spread on the surface. Echeveria 'Chocolate Soldier' can tolerate temperatures as low as -2°C when the potting soil is dry, which is the indoor temperature, not outdoors. Watering is almost stopped throughout the winter, and watering should be gradually reduced when temperatures drop below 5 degrees.
When temperatures exceed 35°C in summer, the plant's growth basically stops. At this time, watering should be reduced to prevent root rot due to overly moist potting soil. Ventilation should be enhanced, and proper shading should be applied to avoid direct sunlight, following this care routine throughout the summer. It's worth noting that during the summer, 'Kite' does not completely stop watering, but provides a small amount of water on the edge of the pot, about twice a month, between 7-9 PM when the sun has already set, which does not affect the plant's roots.
Long-term exposure to rain should be avoided during cultivation, as it can lead to rot. Although the fuzz on Echeveria 'Chocolate Soldier' can prevent moisture invasion, it can still penetrate the leaves over time and is not easy to dry. Since Echeveria 'Chocolate Soldier' grows relatively slowly, repotting every 3-5 years is sufficient, usually before the first watering in early spring.
Echeveria 'Chocolate Soldier' has a relatively small shape with branching. Propagation can be done by cutting the top and dividing the plant. Stem cutting is simple: take healthy old branches, let them dry, and plant them in slightly moist sandy soil. The roots will generally grow in over 30 days in a shaded and ventilated environment. This is a slow-rooting variety, and cutting should be done in spring and autumn.
The above sharing is a detailed introduction to the cultivation methods of Echeveria 'Chocolate Soldier' for reference by netizens.