Why do echeverias shoot up and grow wildly instead of forming the perfect dense carpets shown in books? Do they need to be cut and replanted constantly?
Echeverias, aeoniums and most rosette succulents form new leaves from the center of the rosette, and older leaves dry and fall off, exposing an ever-lengthening stem. So, yes, they’ll need to be cut back if you want to keep the planting dense and low to the ground. The tighter you want a composition, whether garden bed, wreath or container, the quicker you’ll have to cut it back due to plant growth. And don’t fertilize. If they’re not fed, they tend not to grow too rapidly.
