Echeveria Setosa: Grow & Care for Mexican Firecracker

Echeveria Setosa (Mexican Firecracker) is not exactly a hardy succulent, although it thrives in winter as an indoor plant. In summer, Echeveria Setosa (Mexican Firecracker) shape has spoon-shaped pale green leaves and red flowers.Taking care of Echeveria Setosa is not easy. You must know the correct temperature, light, fertilizer, soil, watering and beauty requirements. But fortunately for you, this article covers everything you need to know about growing, caring for, and propagating Echeveria Setosa.

Where to Grow Echeveria Setosa

Echeveria Setosa (Mexican Firecracker) is not cold hardy, so if you live in a zone that gets colder than 30° F (-1.1° C), it's best to plant this succulent in a container that can be brought indoors. It does well in full to partial sun, but can also be grown indoors if given enough light.

How to Grow Echeveria Setosa (Mexican Firecracker)

Echeveria Setosa Propagation with Seeds

This succulent type is a slow grower so even if it can be propagated by its seeds, this method is not recommended. To propagate from the seeds, plant the seeds in a well-draining soil mixture. This method can be used outdoors. In cooler areas, indoor propagating is recommended.

Echeveria Setosa Propagation with Stem Cuttings

If you are taking a stem cutting of echeveria setosa (Mexican Firecracker), use a sterile knife or sharp scissors and cut a tube from the base of the plant. Allow the cutting to dry for several days before placing in well-draining soil. Wait to water an additional day or two, and then water using the “soak and dry” method.

Echeveria Setosa Propagation with Leaf Cuttings

When propagating Echeveria Setosa (Mexican Firecracker) with leaves. You should get a leave carefully from the mother plant. It should be a healthy leave that has no part left on the stem. In this way, the propagation will work. Before replanting, wait for a few days to allow it to callous. Use well-draining soil for your new succulent plant. Don’t forget to water when the soil dries out.

Echeveria Setosa Propagation with Offsets

Mexican Firecracker propagates from offsets. To be able to propagate from the mother plant, you might wait several years for the main plant to produce an offset. To start this process, use a sharp knife and remove an offset from the main plant. When you remove the offset, clean the extra soil from it. Before replanting, wait for a few days to allow it to callous. Use well-draining soil for your new succulent plant. Don't forget to water when the soil dries out. (Find More Prayer Plant Varieties Here.)

How to Care for Echeveria Setosa (Mexican Firecracker)

Echeveria Setosa Care - Light

Some echeveria species do well under full sun and some need protection from intense afternoon sun.  Most need at least 4-6 hours of bright light, or more. More fragile echeverias or baby plants cannot handle intense, full sun and need filtered but bright light to prevent sun damage. Generally, smaller plants cannot  handle intense heat or sun, especially newly propagated plants and bigger ones can take more intense sunlight . Even still, hardy plants that have been acclimated to full sun can still burn during intense heat or heat waves. Most plants need to be acclimated to the sun’s rays when you plan to increase sunlight.

Echeveria Setosa Care - Soil

The best soil for the firecracker plant is a well-draining soil or cactus mix with low acidity. Make your own soil by combining potting mix and perlite in a 1:1 proportion. Check if the texture of the soil is good by squeezing a small portion in your hand. As you open your hand, the soil should fall apart freely if you mixed it well. If the soil forms a mold, it means perlite quantity is not enough. The drainage of the soil can be improved by use of coarse sand instead of fine sand.

Echeveria Setosa Care - Water

Excess water is its main weakness. That is why it is necessary to have good irrigation habits. To do this, take into account the temperature you are in. In winter times, for example, minimize the frequency of watering, only do it when the substrate is completely dry. In summer and spring, try to water once a week.
Temperature and Humidity
As suggested by its name, these plants like hot, sunny locations. They are not cold hardy and must be brought indoors if you live in areas with cold winters. Otherwise, they can be planted yearly as annuals. Because these succulents are native to semi-desert areas, low to medium humidity is preferred. Too much moisture can cause rot.

Echeveria Setosa Care - Fertilizer

These are desert plants, with a native soil not filled with nutrients. For this reason, this plant may be very subject to fertilizer burn. Early in the growing season, give your plant a treat of a slow release fertilizer. Throughout the growing season provide a very diluted mixture of water-soluble fertilizer. It is best to use a cactus fertilizer which has a lower nitrogen content.

Echeveria Setosa Care - Pruning

The echeveria does not need to be pruned; it will only require that you remove those parts that are in poor condition.

Echeveria Setosa Care - Pests & Diseases

• Pests

It's rare to find pest preying on your Mexican Firecracker houseplant. But on some occasions, you might have to deal with mealybugs, fungus gnats, or spider mites. These three pests tend to find succulents a bit more habitable. Fungus gnats are tiny dark flies that resemble mosquitoes and usually camp around the surface of the potting soil.
They feed on any organic matter, making your succulents desperately compete for essential nutrients. And when the nutrients in the soil are entirely suppressed by the larvae, the plant’s roots will begin to weaken drastically. That’s often the case especially when your Mexican Firecracker is at its early sprouting stages. You can also use sticky traps to effectively eliminate fungus gnats.
To get rid of mealybugs, you can wipe off the infected areas using cotton swabs dipped in isopropyl alcohol. In the infestation is massive and the natural remedies don’t seem to yield solid results, you can opt for remedies such as insecticidal soaps or neem oil that would help control the numbers.

• Diseases

Excessive watering or low light conditions can cause your Mexican Firecracker to suffer from fungal and bacterial infections. If you keep the growing medium in an environment with too much humidity, chances are the foliage will appear discolored or even escalate to stem rot disease which is caused by soft growth. Keep your Echeveria plants somewhere with enough air circulation and make sure not to overcrowd them.

Varieties of Echeveria Setosa (Mexican Firecracker)

Varieties, Forms, and Hybrids of Echeveria setosa
Echeveria setosa var. ciliata.
Echeveria setosa var. deminuta.
Echeveria 'Dondo'
Echeveria 'Doris Taylor'
Echeveria 'Doris Taylor' f. cristata.
Echeveria 'Set-Oliver'

Echeveria Setosa (Mexican Firecracker) FAQ

Can Echeveria grow indoors?

Echeveria Setosa (Mexican Firecracker) cannot be grown indoors for long periods of time in most circumstances and prefer to be outdoors in lots of light. However, they have been known to survive in sun-rooms, conservatories and rooms that receive all day sunlight. Echeveria is a large genus of flowering plants that are native to Central America.

How fast does Echeveria grow?

Fast-growing plants like Echeveria Setosa (Mexican Firecracker), however, can grow from 2 inches to 6 to 8 inches in just one year. The growth rate also depends on the type of propagation. Growing it from stem will take around 4 weeks or more before it starts to root.

Is Echeveria Setosa a perennial?

These perennial plants are tiny, rarely growing more than a few inches tall and slowly expanding across the soil to form small patches

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