'Gilva' & 'Gilva'

The main succulent in this photo should be familiar to those of you who have seen my garden. It is a hybrid Echeveria I've grown for many years under the name 'Gilva' (discovered and described by Eric Walther in 1935 and presumed to be a E. agavoides × E. elegans cross). The plant habit is very similar to E. elegans, offsetting freely and quickly making a nice ground cover. The arching (like E. elegans) flower spikes branch dicotomously (in two - unlike E. elegans but like E. agavoides).

Notice the potted plant in the left foreground. This is being distributed currently by Succulent Gardens as E. 'Gilva'. The rosettes are strikingly similar, perhaps larger, seemingly slower to offset, and decidedly flushed pink at their tips (the plant above NEVER flushes pink - instead turning yellow when stressed). it also produces many more flower stems per rosette, which are un-branched and whose flowers are a bit larger, with a more distinct yellow tip to the petals.

I've been growing these side by side for some time now and while it is sometimes hard to tell them apart, when they reach this stage it is clear they are different plants. I still prefer the original (to me) 'Gilva' as it makes a much more effective ground cover and there are always lots of offsets to start new colonies or give away. The pinker 'Gilva' is certainly a good pot specimen, perhaps better than the former which quickly outgrows any pot.