Echeveria Agaviodes Romeo
Echeveria Romeo Care & Propagation
Updated: Apr 18
Echeveria Romeo is one of those 'unicorn' succulents people just have to have. And it is no wonder as it is also one of the most beautiful Echeveria out there.
Romeo can be quite hard to get and expensive (less so now than it was a couple of years back). It is no wonder some succulent lovers try and propagate their plants from leaves, because having one Romeo is just not enough.
Some succulents are easier to propagate than others and Echeveria Agavoides Romeo belongs to the ‘others’. The rosettes are usually solitary and if they do produce pups, it is not many. But is there another way to propagate this plant?
Unfortunately, Echeveria Romeo is quite hard to propagate in every way and leaves are no exception. We have tried with as many as 100 leaves and the results were quite disappointing. Only about 4 leaves grew new plants but the great majority eventually died.
If you would like to take your chances nonetheless, and give leaf propagation a go, read on.
Description
Romeo is a plant every succulent lover wants in their collection. The pink, shiny leaves arranged in a rosette shape create a visual delight.
Echeveria Romeo (not to be confused with Echeveria Rubin) is a mutation of another agavoides Echeveria. Mutations in succulents are not unusual and we have them happening often as well. Thankfully this mutation occurred at a nursery where the potential of the plant was realized. It was multiplied (very likely by tissue culture) and shared with the rest of the world.
Romeo can grow to approximately 15cms in diameter as a mostly solitary rosette. Pups can occur but from experience, it varies from one plant to another. To date we've raised close to a 1000 Romeos and had various results. Some plants never grew offsets, some had a couple.
The leaves are pointy and look like they have been polished to shine. This is quite typical for agavoides Echeveria. The colour of the whole plant will change depending on many factors such as the seasons, temperature, sun exposure, pot size and so on.
The biggest influencer are the seasons. In the warmer months Romeo will be a light pink with a bit of green, turning deep pink with almost burgundy edges once the temperatures start to drop.
Position & Care
Romeo can be quite a challenging plant to keep. It likes a bright spot- morning sun followed by afternoon shade or filtered light throughout the day under 30% shade cloth. Romeo is not suitable for growing indoors, unless it is for overwintering during freezing temperatures.
Depending on where in the world you are, you can even have Romeo out in full sun all day when the sun is mild. Our summers here in Australia usually include quite a few heatwaves and so the Romeo needs a bit of extra protection from the harsh sun. We keep our Romeos in a greenhouse with 30% shade factor and hard cover to keep the rain out for most of the year.