Life of Graptoveria Debbie Succulent.
Suppose you are looking for a unique small plant with a romantic touch to complement your beautiful garden, balcony, or house shelf. In that case, Graptoveria Debbie Succulent, known as Debbie, is a perfect choice.
This unique flower belongs to the Echeveria hybrid family made of Graptopetalum amethystinum and unidentified Echeveria species, shaped into a rose-colored rosette and lavender-colored leaves. Rosette is covered with thick coat farina (epicuticular wax), which gives Debbie a powdery, pastel appearance.
The rosette usually grows up to 8 inches/20 cm in diameter. What is specific for Graptoveria Debbie is that during cooler months or with some stress, the tips of the leaves turn pink. Opposite in the summer, when exposed to the sun, the leaves get deeper coloring or even show some orange tones.
Furthermore, small apricot flowers may appear during spring. Popular Graptoveria Debbie types include Fred Ives, Opalina, and Fanfare.
If all of this has caught your attention, keep reading further. You will discover how to take care of Debbie Succulent, water it, the difference between Echeveria and Graptoveria, and many more exciting and valuable facts. Let’s dig in.
History of Graptoveria Debbie.
Let’s go back to a few centuries ago. Christopher Columbus is known to be one of the first explorers who took the first few cacti to Europe and presented succulents to Queen Isabella of Spain. At the same time, Vasco de Gama discovered succulents in southwestern Africa and India.
Graptoveria Debbie is a special type of succulent named after Debbie Foster, a daughter of Bob Foster. Bob Foster was a plant and shell collector, born and raised in Los Angeles, California, where his family had an avocado farm. His interest in horticulture began very early; by age 12, he had built his first lath house and cultivated bonsai. He went into partnership with his best friend, the horticulturalists Charles Glass.
They made joint expeditions to hunt for succulents, including 15 in Mexico between 1964 and 197. They discovered 28 species of cacti and reclassification of 26 others. Later their business expanded into a rare shell, becoming the largest specimen shell dealership in the USA. Bob, along with his partner Charlie Glass, founded Abbey Garden Press and Nursery back in 1968. They co-edited the Cactus and Succulent Journal. While he loved shells, his passion was cacti.
Cultivation of Graptoveria Debbie.
Graptoveria Debbie needs a substrate that drains the water quickly, so it is essential how you prepare your potting mix. Combine inorganic minerals like sand with organic material such as compost in a ratio of 60:40. If you are growing them in containers, choose wide pots with drainage holes.
Avoid overwatering due to root rots and several pest infections. When planting succulents, first put a hydrophobic layer, then a small amount of soil, spread the roots, and put them in. Cover the root with planting soil slowly; if you are planting in the garden before the previously mentioned steps, dig a pit 1.5-2 times the size of the root system.
Propagation of Graptoveria Debbie.
Debbie can grow in a beautiful plant from seeds that you can find easily in garden shops and nurseries or from cuttings or offsets you can get from a neighbor who grows Debbie.
If you use seeds, put 10 to 20 seeds into the pot, water the dish every two to three days until the seeds germinate, and cover the basics with extra potting soil. Once the robust root system is developed, you can move them into separate pots.
Graptoveria plants produce new growth after two or three days if you twist off a healthy leaf and plant it.
The third and most straightforward way to grow beautiful Debbie succulents is with offsets. Plant the offset after removing it from the mother plant with a sterilized knife. Using offsets, it’s not only beneficial for propagation but for maintaining the plant’s overall appearance.
Growing Graptoveria Debbie, tips and tricks.
When you have the seeds, cuttings, or offsets, the next step is to decide where to plant them. In case you are growing in small pots, use wide pots with drainage holes. Regarding light, Graptoveria Debbie needs full sun or at least partial for a few hours. It easily adapts indoors and outdoors.
In case you grow it outdoors where the temperatures get low, like 20⁰F (-6.7⁰C), it’s better to plant Debbie in a pot that you can put indoors. Succulent is also not a fan of hot, summery weather, so try to avoid it; otherwise, it will become dormant.
Pruning and Maintenance of Graptoveria Debbie.
Graptoveria Debbie should be pruned if it has heavy branches, unhealthy young leaves, or doesn’t grow straight, but, overall doesn’t require much maintenance. However, in case you grow them together, or one outgrows the pot, you need to repot them. Leave space for roots to extend in the soil.
If you are repotting single Debbie, make sure the pot is at least an inch larger than its width and 1-2 inches longer than its root system make sure the pot is at least an inch larger than its width and 1-2 inches longer than its root system.
Cultivars to select.
There are a few different cultivars for plant diversity lovers, like variegated or crested cultivars.
Graptoveria Topsy Debbi.
Referred to as Topsy Debbie, Lilac Spoons, or Cupid, this hybrid is crossed between Graptoveria Debbi and Echeveria runyonii’ Topsy Turvy”. Since it has spoon-shaped leaves in lilac color, Lilac spoons are the name that best describes it.
Graptoveria Debbi Cristata.
This cultivar’s stems are fan-shaped, with leaves sticking out at every angle. The leaf shape and color are identical to the original, though the rosette pattern is not present. This hybrid is difficult to find but easy to maintain as the original type.
Graptoveria Debbi Variegated.
As the name says, this is a variegated form of Graptoveria Debbi. The only difference between this one and the original is the color of the leaves.
Light and Soil requirements of Graptoveria Debbie.
Debbie is a sun plant. It needs six or more hours of direct light, but it can survive with a minimum of 4 hours as well; just don’t be stingy with the vitamin D. If you give Debbie enough sun, the leaves will start changing color in orange tones. Unfortunately, though, during hot summers, sunlight can burn Debbie’s leaves and stems.
The type of soil is essential as well. As we mentioned previously, it will need a substrate to drain water quickly. The potting mix needs to contain inorganic minerals like sand, peat, or river stones in combination with a smaller quantity of organic matter such as topsoil or compost.
Watering Graptoveria Debbie.
You don’t need to be worried about Graptoveria Debbie regarding water supply if you are a forgettable person like me. You should water the plant when the soil is completely dry. To check, you can dip your hand into the potting mix to check. But, when you give the plant the water, give it a proper bath.
Pour the water on the leaves and let the soil absorb all the water. You can stop watering when you see water flowing out of the pot through the drainage holes below. Quick tip, the best time to water your Graptoveria Debbie is morning so that the sun can dry the leaves before the night, not to attract fungi.
Best temperature and humidity conditions for Graptoveria Debbie.
The optimum temperature to grow Graptoveria Debbie is around 40⁰F (4.44⁰C), while the minimum temperature should be 20⁰F (-6.5⁰C). The plant becomes dormant in hot summers or cold winters, so watering and nutrient feeding is reduced. The environment should be kept dry and ventilated, so you should avoid humid places to grow succulent.
Fertilizer.
Graptoveria Debbie is a humble plant that doesn’t require fertilizer. However, if mature plants don’t produce blossoms, a small amount of fertilizer can be added, at a concentration of no more than one-third of the suggested concentration, so as not to burn the roots.
Common Pests and Plant Diseases.
Pests are a significant problem for the Graptoveria Debbie plant. Common pests include aphids, scale insects, spider mites, and white butterflies, mostly seen during summer. Besides insects, ants are also often visitors of Debbie succulent. They work in symbiosis; ants feed themselves with nectar secreted by insects and help them move to other plants.
High temperature and humidity can cause soil bacteria to thrive and infect Debbie with black rot, sooty mold, and powdery mildew, so the soil needs to be sterilized one month before the summer. Black Rot is known as the most lethal disease for Graptoveria plants.
First, the plant becomes black and rotten, then leaves fall off when touched, and in the end, the whole plant turns black and rotten. Black rot happens when the soil is not well drained and excessively wet, mostly during summer days.
Managing Pests and Diseases.
If you see only a few pests, the plant needs to be washed with water, or you can pick them off manually. In case of a larger quantity, pesticide for succulent plants needs to be applied, such as Imidacloprid and avermectin. You should be careful with concentration because too much pesticide can kill the plant. Usually, it’s better to apply it in a ventilated environment in the evening, every two weeks.
If pests are present in the soil, change the soil. If you don’t want to change the soil, leave the pot in liquid pesticide for 1 or 2 minutes until the soil absorbs enough pesticide through holes at the bottom of the flowerpot. In case of soil bacteria or Black Rot, the best way is to apply carbendazim mixed with water at 1:1000, spraying the leaves and stems. The root parts can be treated with the root-filling method.
Put the pot in the sterilization liquid and let the soil absorb it. Cut off the diseased part and apply sulfur powder or carbendazim to avoid secondary infection. The whole plant needs to be sprayed with carbendazim mixed with water. If the whole plant is black and rotten, the leaves transparent, it’s better to remove and dispose of the whole plant.
Common problems with Graptoveria Debbie.
1. Tall stem, few leaves.
If your Debbie is growing weak, tall stem with few leaves, the lack of light could be a problem. Place her in a light-bathed area and bring her back to life.
2. Wrinkled leaves.
Wrinkled leaves indicate your succulent is thirsty. If you see this, try and give her water.
3. Yellow and wither leaves.
If you see your Debbie with Yellow and wither leaves, it may indicate a lack of some minerals, or she has been exposed to the sun too much. In that case, hide her from the direct sun and add a bit of fertilizer.
4. Root Rot.
If you prepare the wrong potting mix or overwater your plant, Debbie could start dying from a fungi attack known as Root Rot. Be sure you don’t put too much water and make a proper organic/inorganic mix for flowerpots.
Conclusion.
To conclude the story, if you like having a lot of plants around but unintentionally you do forget about them, Graptoveria Debbie succulent is your way to go. You will be admired for having this small, pretty plant in your house or garden with the minimum effort given. However, even though it’s a minimum effort, you still have to set the right and optimum conditions. Given all the facts, I summarized all the important ones in a few paragraphs.
1. Propagation by seeds, offsets, or cuttings
2. Mix organic and inorganic matter in the flowerpot
3. Sun is needed, but not direct
4. Avoid too hot or too cold areas
5. Once every two weeks watering, when the soil becomes dry
6. Non-toxic to humans and animals
Frequently asked questions (FAQ’s).
• How do you care for a Debbie succulent?
As I mentioned before, taking care of Debbie is straightforward and requires minimum maintenance. Prepare proper potting mix, water her until the soil becomes very wet, and place her in the area with the sunlight, not too much sun, but not too cold (minimum 20⁰F, -6.7⁰C)
• How do you water Graptoveria Debbie?
Water the plant when the soil is completely dry. Pour the water until the water overflows the pot. Besides soil, you can pour the water on the leaves as well. The best time to give her water is morning, so the sun can dry the leaves and not attract fungi and other plant diseases.
• What is the difference between Echeveria and Graptoveria?
First, Graptoveria is a hybrid succulent, a cross between Echeveria and Graptopetalum. Second, the most visible difference is the thickness of their leaves; Graptopetalum has thick leaves, while Echeveria usually has more delicate leaves. Finally, depending on what variety of Graptopetalum was used to create the Graptoveria, the plant may have leaves similar in shape to Echeveria, so the exact shape of the leaf may not be a proper identification factor.