Synonyms:

No synonyms are recorded for this species name.

Habitat:

Crassula exilis subs. schmidtii is native to South Africa. Plants found in the natural habitat are, tough, different from cultivated ones and similar to another species, Crassula exilis ssp. cooperi. Some authors suggest that Crassula exilis ssp. schmidtii might be just a cultivated form of the wild species above mentioned, Crassula exilis ssp. cooperi.

Description:

Crassula exilis subs. schmidtii is a mapping, perennial succulent, different from the majority of Crassulas, as it consists in elongated, slender succulent stems, slightly brownish and covered in a soft, whitish hair. Stems branch just above the ground level and bear elongated, linear, lanceolated leaves, with a leathery surface, covered in small bumps and with white edges, arranged in opposite pairs along the stem. Stems get crowded and abundant on the pot, and during bloomings they become very attractive and get a high decorative potential. The colour of the leaves is dark, deep green. The blooming season occurs usually from late Autumn and during the winter, but the plant can flower all year long, sparingly, depending on the conditions. Blossomings are abundant and very decorative: the top of the stems get covered in pink heads (inflorescences called false umbels, in botanic language), 5-6 centimeters wide and with the single flowers 4 millimeters across. Fruits are called, in botany, follicles. They are dry, unilocular fruits formed from one carpel (modified leaf), containing two or more seeds.

Cultivation:

The best exposure is in full sun or semi-shade. By the way, intense sunlight enhances the bright red tinges of its leaves, so we advice to put it in a bright spot. Avoid a direct exposure during the hottest hours of summer days. Shade should be only occasional, as plants grown in full shade tend to become more fragile, to loose leaves and turn on a paler colour.
To stay safe, it’s better to keep your Crassula exilis subs. schmidtii indoors in Winter or at least to shelter it, if you live in a temperate climate area and you choose to grow it outdoors. Crassulas in general, in fact, should never grow at temperatures below 7 ° C though, in theory,Crassula exilis subs. schmidtii should survive to temperatures down to -5ºC
Water your Crassula exilis subs. schmidtii every 2-3 days in Spring and Summer during the growth season. By the way, if you forget, the plant will survive. Wait for the soil to dry up completely before each watering. Watering slightly more frequent in spring may encourage flowering. In autumn and winter, the watering can be reduced up to be completely suspended.
Choose a porous and well drained substrate, fed with plenty of well-rotten compost. An acidic substrate is the ideal for Crassula exilis subs. schmidtii.
Fertilization can be done once the growth season, diluting a product specific for succulents with water at half the doses recommended on the label.
Repot once a year, pandering the glowing branch production of this species. Also, you can repot whenever you notice that the plant outgrows its pot.

Propagation:

Crassula exilis ssp. schmidtii can be easily propagated through the removal of the offshoots, by removing a lateral one and planting it in a light, well-drained soil. The time required to root is usually a month. Cuttings are easy to realize and thus we recommend this method, instead of sowing, that can be tough with this plant. Leaf cuttings are also possible for this species, removing them carefully as they are attached to the plant through their very base, and replanting in a light compost after being left to dry out properly for 1-2 days.

Curiosity:

The genus name “Crassula” comes from the Latin crassus, that means “fat”. Crassulas are unpretentious plants, with a high vegetative strength: for this reason, it is sometimes used indoors, in bedrooms or offices, for air purification, due to their capacity to filter air particles and eliminating harmful substances. The species name “exilis” is instead probably due to its slender, elongated stems.

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