1. Kalenchoe 'Fang'

2. Graptoveria 'Silver Star'

3. Sempervivum arachnoideum

I agree. =)

Thank you!

Is K. Fang always a K. beharensis? I can't get over what this plant looks like!

I want to get better at being able to tell Echeverias from Graptoverias from Sempervivums. What are the defining characteristics that tell you a plant is an Echeveria vs say a Graptoveria?

The biggest difference, in my opinion, are the flowers Echeveria and Graptoveria are quite different.

Thanks, I will keep that in mind. But the two of you could just tell me that what I thought were Echecverias, were not, even without the flowers. Why? What gave it away? I feel I can ID Aeoniums because of the tightness and flatness of the rosette. But that is the only rosette forming succulent I can identify reliably. I want to get better.

This video I just found on YouTube is a little helpful. Take everything she says with a grain of salt because you will always find a plant that will go against the norm. You will get better just takes time. It's also good to google images:)

Oh! Graptoveria 'Silver Star' has very thin points on the leaves and many smaller leaves in that distinctive shape.

Sempervivum in this case has a soft fuzzy appearance, almost serrated edge in many cases. The threads on the top of the rosette were the big clue for that one.

I'm not sure that really helps, but it took me a while to 'see' the differences too.

Thank you both very much! I am quite excellent at IDing most houseplants and tropical plants, but am really just starting to branch out beyond jade into the world of succulents. I draw the line at cacti though. :) Anyway, I am anxious to have more succulent IDing expertise. Thanks for trying to teach me to fish!! :) :) I'll watch the video now,

odyssey

IMO, just keep getting correct botanical names (common names are confusing as same name is often used for very different plants; and also some ppl give interesting names to their plants to draw attention...). Difference in growth habit, shape of leaves, rosettes or not, how the leaves grow on stems...Eventually, little differences become more noticeable.

There are threads here that I find very 'educating', like current Haworthia thread. With great photos of so many different plants, it becomes little easier to be able to recognize plants that belong to that genus, eventually species and cultivars (it is taking long time for me, haha).

One way to learn to distinguish echeverias from sempervivums or whatever is to simply look at hundreds upon hundreds of examples. All widely available on the google machine.

Thanks Rina! I am following threads here, especially the ID threads, to try to educate myself. And spending too much time at BBSs, ha! I think the hardest species for me to differentiate between are Echeveria and Graptoveria and Pachysedum.

I am working on it, tcstoehr! :)

A fun exercise is to go to the BBS, garden center, or local greenhouse and try to ID all the plants they have. Helps fuel the decision of what to buy or particularly what not to buy along with imagining how they could be cared for.

Over time, I've been able to understand even enjoy how many succulents look as they grow from juveniles to adult, just from seeing them in stores so often.

ewwmayo, you have crystalized one of my major plans to improve on IDing! I try to ID the plants at the BBSs before I pick them up to read the label. This is also why I have been coming to the forum with so many ID requests lately! :) I always find something I want.