Flowers on short stalks (cymes) arise from compact rosettes of succulent fleshy, often brightly coloured leaves.

Often, numerous offsets are produced, and are commonly known as "hen and chicks", which can also refer to other genera, such as Sempervivum, that are significantly different from Echeveria.

[3][4] Echeveria is named for Atanasio Echeverría y Godoy, a botanical illustrator who contributed to Flora Mexicana.

[5] The genus was erected by A. P. de Candolle in 1828, and is named after the 18th century Mexican botanical artist Atanasio Echeverría y Godoy.

As of June 2018[update], the genus consists of about 150 species, including genera such as Oliveranthus and Urbinia that have formerly been split off from Echeveria.