I also agree about the need for beheading, but if the point is to make more plants, wait until early Spring. I have noticed that summer and fall beheadings produce fewer new rosettes. Once, a summer beheaded stalk took over a year to make a single new rosette. When I behead in February I reliably get four or more new rosettes per stalk within a couple of months.

As described above, cut just below the lowest leaves. The trunk at that point should still have some green in it, and this is the area most likely to produce pups. Leaving longer stalks can extend the time it takes to root.

Thanks! I have a few more questions: Will the existing head be more likely to grow than the existing stem/roots, or will the established plant have an easier time recovering than the separated head will in rooting? And should I attempt to take the small, new growth (last picture, new rosette to the left of the main rosette) as a cutting to use in starting a new plant? And last, is there a special technique specifically for cutting and rooting the inflorescence?

The small new growth in the last picture you mention is not a rosette, it is the top of a developing inflorescence. If you behead the plant soon, cut it off. I have also not had success at rooting flower stalks, so I can't recommend that.

The strange growth on your oldest flower stalk is likely a bulbil, or new rosette. As long as the stalk beneath it stays green and transmits water to the bulbil, let it grow until it is big enough to safely remove and root.

You have a great looking plant. There is no urgent action needed.

Brad

Hi Brad,

This new growth looks to be separate from the other inflorescence stems:

Is it just the early stages of what is about to be a much bigger flower stalk than any of the others that have surfaced so far? Or does this different angle show you that it's something different?

-Robert

I still think it is the top of a new inflorescence. If it is another bulbil it will be obvious in a few weeks,

The new head, once rooted, will do much better over time because if uncut, it will become top heavy, fall over and break resulting in damage you may not want. Keep in mind this plant wants LOTS of sun to maintain a tight head. As for the "plant" at the 11 o'clock position. I question that is a plant. Usually, Echeveria will produce platelets from the base of the stem or from the sides AFTER the leaves have died on the lower portion. I would suggest it might be another inflorescence.

Here is Echeveria 'Pearl' with, what would appear to be new plant heads (arrows). Note one has caruncles while the other does not. These are in truth new inflorescences.

It seems Brad has said it well before me so sorry for the redundancy.

Great, thanks so much for the guidance! I'm excited to see the new inflorescence that arises from such a large growth.

Here's an update -- no blooms have emerged yet from the possible inflorescence, so I'm wondering what to expect from the new growth. Here are some recent pictures:

-Robert

It seems I was wrong, it looks like a ready-to-go bulbil. Usually they form on an inflorescence below the flowers, not replacing flowers altogether. Strange.

The large number of new rosettes on the main stem is what normally happens after beheading. Is it possible that the main stem's apex growth point was damaged in the past, resulting in branching, and the production of new rosettes that cover up the damaged growth point? If so this latest 'bulbil' is just another branch. Something is not normal.

I agree in that it is strange as this has never happened to any of my Echeveria. And now it has happened. Earlier in this thread, I posted a picture of Echeveria 'Pearl'. Here it is today. You can see two inflorescence in the background and what probably should have been another inflorescence but it is a definite offset. Needless to say, I am very happy.

Thanks for following up!

@paracelsus in my latest pictures you may have noticed some wooden sticks behind the plant holding up its heavy head. It could very well have split or have been damaged in the past. I've had to move it a couple of times, which may have been what started this happy accident.

@bikerdoc5968 thanks for sharing your recent rare experience!

So should I still wait until spring before separating the bulbil(s) and the original head from the stem?

Also, note that it had started blooming on June 1st and it's still going! Is this common? I'm really quite shocked at how well this plant has done. And it's a big hit with hummingbirds, so an added bonus!