When editing a succulent encyclopedia, I often come across notes like “This hybrid was created by so-and-so.” But surprisingly, there aren’t that many different names—it tends to be the same few people again and again. One of these key figures is none other than Dick Wright, whom I’m introducing today. Who is he? What has he accomplished? Let’s take a closer look.
Born in California in 1928, Dick Wright started hybridizing Echeverias in 1958. In 1975, he and his family moved to Fallbrook, California and opened their own nursery. Unfortunately, in 1985 a fire struck* and destroyed not only the nursery, but also many precious succulent seedlings and years of research. The nursery had to close. But Dick Wright didn’t give up—far from it! Even at his age, he trained in firefighting and became a local volunteer firefighter. He also served as a member of the city’s parks and recreation board, and even worked as a supervisor at the waterworks. And of course, he continued developing new succulent varieties, releasing even more original cultivars. The nursery is still running in California, now operated by his son, Kraig.
Many of his hybrids are named after family members, which gives us a glimpse into his family. He has had two wives: Jane Naylor and Ruth Jane. His son is Kraig, and his daughter is Candy (there may be more siblings). His mother was named Arlie. Clearly, family has always meant a lot to him.
* The fire reportedly started near the nursery during a military training exercise, when dry brush caught fire and spread. Dick himself suffered broken bones in both legs, but didn’t realize it for a week—he talks about the experience in vivid detail in this interview.
Gardening writer Debra Lee Baldwin actually visited Dick Wright’s nursery and wrote an article about his advice on growing Echeverias. Here’s a summary of his key points. How does the Echeveria master himself approach cultivation?
Keep the air moving. Echeverias love dry air and dislike high humidity, so good ventilation is key. Plus, air flow helps prevent pests.
The ideal daytime temperature is 20°C (68°F), while at night it should be 4–15°C (39–59°F). They can’t tolerate soil temperatures above 38°C (100°F) or below 0°C (32°F). During winter nights, he uses heat mats.
After thoroughly soaking the soil, let it dry out before watering again. In the growing season, keep the soil moister; during dormancy, water sparingly.
They prefer well-draining, fertile soil. Dick Wright’s personal mix is 60% pumice or perlite, 20% compost, 20% washed concrete sand. Some readers might not know “concrete sand”—think of it like river sand. He uses a generous amount of compost, combined with lightweight rocky materials. This is noticeably different from typical Japanese soil mixes.
To get Echeverias to bloom, they need both strong light and a long period of daylight. In summer, just two hours of south-facing sunlight is enough (since California’s sunshine is much more intense than Japan’s). In winter, he supplements with bulbs to extend light exposure. To maintain symmetry and avoid uneven growth, he regularly rotates the pots 180 degrees.
He’s produced many famous varieties, but first, I’d like to highlight this wonderful video where Dick Wright himself talks about his favorites. Here are a few highlights:
Jane Naylor: Named after his late first wife.
Ruth Jane: Named after his second wife.
Gloaming: Scored 96 points. A large, “bumpy frill” Echeveria. The colors, the size of both the frills and the bumps… truly his masterpiece.
Phoenix: Scored 90 points. Features slender, tubular leaves with lots of bumps.
Cyana: A frilly Echeveria that turns blue in winter.
Candy’s Best: Scored 95 points. A wonderfully quirky frilled Echeveria with scattered bumps. Named for his daughter, Candy.
Dick Wright (Mojave): Originally called “Mojave,” but his wife Ruth renamed it after him.
Copper Penny: True to its name, has coppery-red ruffled foliage.
Baron Bold: Winner at a Florida show.
Gypsy: Large frilly Echeveria.
Goliath: Another giant frilled Echeveria; reportedly grows up to 4 feet (120 cm) across.
Cobra: Narrow leaves stand upright and spill outward like a fountain, resembling a cobra.
Evergreen: Deep violet-rimmed frilly Echeveria.
Dark Desire: —
Virginia Lee: Named for his father’s youngest sister (his aunt).
Even before making this feature, I’d noticed that Dick Wright’s creations often had “frills” or “bumps.” Turns out he truly loved these traits! When you think frilly bumps, you think Dick Wright. Yet, nearly all of his favorites are rare collector’s pieces in Japan—hardly ever seen! I hope to collect them, little by little, over time.
Because I kept seeing his name linked to so many older cultivars, I always pictured Dick Wright as a legendary figure from the distant past—but after looking into it, he’s actually still around. It’s moving to see recent videos of him on YouTube, even at his age. Huge thanks to Debra Lee Baldwin for her wonderful coverage!
Chasing the new is important and fun, but sharing the hard-earned accomplishments of previous generations—by preserving their legacies and making them accessible online—can also help the succulent plant world grow. I’d love for my work to contribute, even in a small way.
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