The Best Guide For Taking Care Of Your Graptoveria (Debbi)

The Graptoveria hybrid succulent is a wonderful and beautiful starter plant for new gardeners and people who don’t have a lot of time on their hands but want to add some color to their living space, or those who just love super interesting succulents in particular.

Since so many people want to know how to take care of their Graptoveria, we have put together a helpful guide with the most asked questions that will help you take care of and grow your colorful succulent into the beauty that it can be.

What Is A Graptoveria?

The Graptoveria is a family of hybrid succulents crossbred from the Graptopetalum and Echeveria. These rosette succulents grow up to 6 to 8 inches (15-20 cm) across in a variety of gorgeous pastel colors, with some few even having the ability to grow up to 10 inches in full bloom.

The Graptoveria is a succulent that needs little care and so is great for starter gardeners who may neglect the plant or want one to gain the experience with before they move on to more needy plants.

What Is The Common Name Of The Graptoveria?

There is no common name for the Graptoveria family, but there are common names for the different varieties of the succulent. Below, we will discuss each common name of each variety that is listed in the article.

The Graptoveria “Debbi” has no recorded meaning of its common name, but the name “Debbi” in Hebrew means “bee”, which one can assume that it attracts bees to the succulent’s bloomed flowers in the spring and summer.

The Graptoveria “Opalina” common name comes from the Indian/Hindu girl’s name meaning “perfect stone”, which refers to the succulent’s opal stone color and appearance.

The Graptoveria “Fred Ives”, syncing its name from the Echeveria “Fred Ives”, which the succulent is named for Fred Ives of Shipley, Yorkshire.

The Graptoveria “Moon Glow” common name refers to the succulent’s light turquoise and pink tipped leaves giving off a “moon glow” appearance.

The Graptoveria “Bashful” common name refers to the succulent’s blushing red and pink color.

History Of The Graptoveria

Since this succulent isn’t an organic achievement and it’s in fact a hybrid, it was created by man and not nature.

The person who created this succulent was Albert Baynes, one of the founding members of the National Cactus & Succulent Society of England in the year 1946.

It was another co-founder for whom the plant was actually named after named Fred Ives who lived in the town of Shipley in Yorkshire, England.

After that, there really isn’t much history recorded on it other than it was a favorite of Nancy Reagan at their 688 acre ranch named Rancho del Cielo (Sky’s Ranch) of Santa Barbara, California.

How To Take Care Of A Graptoveria

These succulents thrive off neglect, but not complete neglection, meaning that you will need the right materials, supplies and watering schedule to help you successfully take care of your Graptoveria.

These succulents grow the best in well-draining soil such as peat, sand, or grit with some compost. If you choose to grow your succulent outdoors, they grow best in rock gardens. Fertilize your Graptoveria once during its growing season in the spring with a balanced diluted plant food.

Just add it to the water of the watering of that season and that’s it, yes, we said, they are super easy to care for.

Use the ‘dry and soak’ method for your succulent, water it deeply around the leaves but not on top of them once the soil feels dry. Reduce how often you water your succulent during the winter in its dormancy period.

Do not over water your succulent, it will cause rotting to the base of the plant which will make it very hard for you to propagate it and it might die.

All varieties of the Graptoveria tolerate partial to full sun. If grown indoors, placing the plant on a windowsill that gets great light will help bring out its vivid colors, but it is suggested to put your succulent in a spot that gets shade in the afternoon to help keep it from getting sunburned.

If grown outdoors, it has the same requirements as grown indoors: leave your succulent in a light place but allow it to be able to get shade in the afternoon.

Temperatures above 45 degrees are ideal for your Graptoveria, but anything below that temperature is considered cold for the succulent and it will need to be brought inside for warmth.

This succulent grows best in the arid, mid temperature climates of Central Mexico and the Southern US. Here the soil and weather conditions are just about right.

What Soil Is Best For A Graptoveria?

The best soil for a Graptoveria is a well-draining soil such as peat, sand, or grit. Something that allows water to be easily drained so that it prevents over watering and rot. Along with well-draining soil, a nice container or pot that provides good drainage is important to help with the draining process.

How Often Should I Water My Graptoveria?

You shouldn’t water your Graptoveria very often, only when the plant’s soil becomes dry. You can use the ‘dry and soak’ method to help guide you to not over water your succulent. Over watering is a major killer for Graptoverias and many succulents, it will cause rotting at the base, and it will be harder for you to propagate and save your succulent from death.

How Much Sunlight Should I Give My Graptoveria?

Graptoverias work well in both partial and full sun. The perfect combo for having the best vivid color for your Graptoveria is plenty of morning sunlight and afternoon shade with minimal watering. If grown indoors, place your succulent on a bright windowsill that gets afternoon shade or move it into some shade in the afternoon.

The same goes for the outdoors, place your succulent in an area that gets plenty of light but can be shaded in the afternoon.

What Fertilizer Should I Use For My Graptoveria?

It’s best to give your Graptoveria a balanced diluted plant fertilizer once during its growing season in the spring to help boost its growing process and pack in those extra nutrients.

When you are ready for a watering in the spring just add the liquid fertilizer to the water before soaking the ground around the plants but not pouring the water directly on them.

Are Graptoveria Seasonal?

Graptoveria are seasonal. In the spring, they bloom small pink and yellow star shaped flowers on long stems. Although there are many variations of the Graptoveria, they all commonly bloom the same star-shaped flowers but in some different colors that can correlate with the succulent’s color.

Are Graptoveria Poisonous?

Graptoveria are not poisonous to humans or pets, but it is best to keep the succulent out of children and pets’ reach. The reason is the type of fiber they contain can cause vomiting or diarrhea if ingested in large quantities.

How To Propagate Graptoveria

A Graptoveria can be propagated from the plant’s seeds, leaves, or offsets.

If you choose to propagate with a seed, simply plant the seed inside some well-drained soil and lightly water it, the plant will start developing roots in 4 to 7 days.

To propagate from a leaf, use a sterilized cutting tool such as a knife or scissors and carve out the leaf (a fallen leaf works just as well). Let the leaf callous over the next day or two and then plant it in some well-drained soil before watering it.

If you want to propagate from an offset, first use a sterilized cutting tool, a knife is suggested for this propagation method, and cut at the base of the plant, leaving enough stem poking out with no leaves so that it can be easier to plant it.

Let the offset callous over a day or two and then you can place the plant in a pot of well-drained soil and water deeply while following the ‘dry and soak method’. A fallen rosette works just as well as a freshly cut one, though it is suggested to not neglect your succulent just to be able to propagate it from that single offset.

How To Identify A Graptoveria?

Graptoverias have a hard time being identified since they look similar to both of their parent plants, but one simple observation of the plant can help you identify its family. By looking at the thickness of the leaves will help you identify the plant.

Your plants with thicker leaves are more likely to be Graptoverias, inherited from its parent plant, the Graptopetalum. Most species of Echeveria have smooth leaves with pointy ends.

What Are The Common Graptoveria Pests?

The most common pest that the Graptoveria family suffers from are mealybugs and some other small insects, like many other succulents.

You can identify if your succulent has a mealybug infestation by fluffy white wax on the leaves or in hidden areas of the plant. Damage from mealybugs may include yellowing leaves, fallen leaves, or black sooty mold.

You can get rid of mealybugs by cleaning out the pot and plant and applying diluted rubbing alcohol on the plant.

Make a mixture of half water and half rubbing alcohol and spray it onto the infested leaves.

What Are The Common Graptoveria Diseases?

The most common Graptoveria disease is root rot that is usually caused by over watering. As it is for most, over watering is one of the top killers of this succulent as well.

Giving too much water to your succulent and not allowing it to properly drink up the water will cause it to sit in that water and rot at the base of the plant, which usually ends in death for the plant.

Use the ‘dry and soak’ method to help guide the proper watering of your succulent letting it soak up the water before you take care of it again. Giving your Graptoveria to much water during the winter is also a major problem.

During the winter seasons, the succulent goes dormant and doesn’t use up as much water. Really follow the dry and soak method here with the emphasis on dry.

How To Save My Dying Graptoveria?

To save your Graptoveria, you can propagate it from one of three methods: planting from a seed, leaves, or offsets.

Find a leaf or offset that doesn’t look completely rotten and use a sterilized cutting tool to cut and carve it from the dying mother plant. From that, let it callouses over the next day or two before planting it in well-drained soil.

If your Graptoveria looks completely rotten, there may be no way to save it and you’ll just have to get a new one. If you can find even one leaf that is still firm then propagate it as described above and see if it will take.

It may or may not, but it’s worth that shot.

What Is The Graptoveria “Debbi”?

The Graptoveria ‘Debbi’ is a species of the Graptoveria hybrid family that is one of the most well-known variations. The succulent’s common name ‘Debbi’ comes from the Hebrew name ‘Debbi’ meaning “bee”, which attracts bees in the springtime with its blooming flowers.

This succulent has a rosette with purple and pink quartz shaped leaves.

What Is The Graptoveria “Opalina”?

The Graptoveria “Opalina” is a species of the Graptoveria hybrid family. This succulent has opal-colored leaves that give the plant it’s common name of “Opalina”.

What Is The Graptoveria “Fred Ives”?

The Graptoveria “Fred Ives” is a species of the Graptoveria hybrid family that shares the same common name as a one of the species of its parent plant, the Echeveria. The succulent has long leaves that range in a color spectrum of purple, magenta, green, and yellow.

What Is The Graptoveria “Moon Glow”?

The Graptoveria “Moon Glow” is a species of the Graptoveria hybrid family. This succulent has light turquoise leaves with pink tips, giving it its name “moon glow”.

What Is The Graptoveria “Bashful”?

The Graptoveria “Bashful” is a species of the Graptoveria hybrid family. This succulent has a reddish pink hue to its rosette form, giving it a blushing or bashful look.

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