Just beautiful!

I'll be back tomorrow with my thoughts on this. There are two metallicas. I'll explain after I've had some sleep! :D

Okay, I'm back. Sorry, I got sidetracked (well, that used to be my middle name...now it's "Hectic"!).

Before I get too far...your plant is GORGEOUS! (Not 'Fred Ives')

I said I'd be back to explain there are 2 metallicas. Here goes:
In my Echeveria Cultivars book by Schulz and Kapitany, it tells of E. gibbiflora 'Metallica' ~described as purple/grey & a form of the species. It also lists another E. 'Metallica', described as a hybrid of gibbiflora & often mistaken for the other one above. So...you see my confusion?

There are no pix in the book of either of these two. But there are pix of E. 'Perle von Nurnberg', which is described as growing to 6 inches (150 mm). It has E. gibbiflora 'Metallica' as one of 'PvN's parent plants.

In 2008, I bought 2 (large rosettes-more than 6 in wide) plants like yours that were tagged as E. metallica. I doubted it at the time, as I never see these sold in the trade. I tried researching it at the time, but never figured out definitively, as I just confused myself more (easy to do these days). :P

Click for larger, mine in bud & in bloom:

{{gwi:560694}} {{gwi:560695}} {{gwi:560696}}

I had Echeveria 'Perle von Nurnberg' as well, but they were always much smaller. So, I thought they must be E. metallica. Then, I found others who had very large 'PvN'. So caused me to doubt again.

One site, crassulaceae.net, seems fairly accurate in identifications. They have extensive files on many plants. Margrit B. & Jean-Michel M. there, have photos of E. 'Metallica'. From those pix, I'd say your plant is not 'Metallica' they have shown. See link below. But under different growing conditions, plants can take on different looks. Guess we need to keep comparing through the year.

But...your plant could be the "other" 'Metallica'! LOL I'd leave it tagged as you have it. Ha ha! If I ever find out differently, I'll let you know!

Gee~what a story! ~Rosemarie

Here is a link that might be useful: Echeveria 'Metallica'

Rosemarie

You have no idea how much I appreciate you taking time to explain...I would never be able to come up with so much info, big THANK YOU.

I bought it from a grower for $6; I think that was reasonable for here? I paid $5.50 for a small 'PvN' in April '12 from HD (photo attached).

The guy has few others, but I think he is confused himself about proper ID; he identified (no tags in/on any of his pots) some others he had that I know was definitely incorrect.
But all of his plants are very good looking (size, shape etc.), so he must be doing something right.
I am tempted to go back & get some more, even if they end up being something that I already have. None of mine compares in size or overall look to his - obviously, I don't have greenhouse, and my plants have to suffer winter under lights, most of them in the basement. And I am sure if I get some new ones, they will get paler & etiolated to some extent too..

In the meantime I'll label this as "possible E. gibbiflora Metallica - or E. PvN"

Rina

This post was edited by rina_ on Sat, Jun 22, 13 at 13:52

I am SO glad to hear you appreciate it, Rina! Sometimes I do similar & the person never comments, so I wonder if they ever came back & why I bother. Knowing it has helped you, makes it more likely I will do it again.

This last pic ~ 'PvN' for sure.

Yes, I would go back & get more from that grower, especially with plants in condition you say. You can always figure out ID later (most times). Sometimes mine dwindle after having them a while, too. And there I was, thinking I was the one rescuing it from the store.

HMMM> I am still chewing on this. I got an online ID on this baby as a E. PVN several years back, The center rosette was shaped more like yours until it started to bloom. It measures 8- 10 " here. I never measured it, so this is just a wild guess. The picture is from several years back.
{{gwi:560697}}

Rosemarie

Now, beside being grateful I can also blame you for being enabler.
(I really need excuse to justify getting more succs. I hope the seller will be there on Tuesday, I'll be posting more photos for sure!)

Mara

They are very nice, I didn't know they can grow to such a size. I hope I have some blooms in near future.
I am just a 'little' jealous of you guys being able to grow them outside year-round...(am I assuming they are PIG?)

Rina

Mine is in a pot, a large pot with many succulents. Here they are younger in the pot.They are still alive but after flowering and the stalk getting long, the rosette is smaller. A baby I grew from the leaf is now 7.5" and growing still.

{{gwi:560698}}

Wow! I pulled this one out of hybernation just to say a big thank you to all the cacti & succulent lovers out there, and a thx you again to Rosemarie for your help on the names and types of plants alot of us have and dont even know what kind we have, its always nice to put a name with a plant in our collection.

thxz Greg

Gee, Thank you, Greg! I'm happy to help, when I'm able...and before my memory goes completely!

You've now got me mulling over the ID of Mara's plants (never replied on this earlier). I'm curious if Mara has any pix of the blooms from this one?

It looks somewhat like xGraptoveria 'Fred Ives', somewhat like xGraptoveria 'Douglas Huth' & somewhat like Echeveria 'Perle von Nurnberg'. Yeow! Blooms would definitely help in this case.