Synonyms:

No synonyms are recorded for this species name.

Habitat:

Crassula “Moonglow” is a nursery hybrid and doesn’t exist in nature. Anyway, Crassulas are generally native to South Africa. The majority of the Crassula species are from the semi-arid region called succulent Karoo desert, a wide biome extended between South Africa and Namibia, famous for its succulent species biodiversity.

Description:

Crassula “Moonglow” is a tiny, beautiful succulent, with fleshy, grey-green, sessile leaves, tightly overlapping upon the stems to form stems like small, square columns. This plant doesn’t exceed a height of 20 centimeters. Leaves are covered of short hair and are, sometimes, tinged in a nice hint of red. This plants can take several years before flowering: its inflorescences are thyrses, born by an elongated, pale orange peduncle. Also flowers are colored in this pale orange, like apricot, and are very small and pretty. The “variegata” form is rather more sought after for the gorgous, yellowish tinges taken on by the greyish green leaves, which make the species adquire a remarkable decorative potential.

Cultivation:

Crassula “Moonglow” is a slow-growing plant, not so difficult to grow. Pay attention to watering: interventions should be moderate and frequent to maintain a moist (never overwet) soil in Spring and Summer and reduced and scarce in Winter, only when the substrate completely dries up, to prevent it from root and stem rot. This plant requires a bright spot but a full exposure in Summer should be avoided. It’s better to keep it indoors to avoid frost damages: temperatures below 5ºC could damage the plant. This species needs a good airflow: its surrounding environment shouldn’t be too humid. Its ideal substrate is a porous potting mix, very well-draining. Choose a shallow pot to provide the best condition for its fibrous roots. Repotting is not so often necessary because of the slow growing attitude of this plant.

Propagation:

Propagation can be realized simply taking of its numerous offsets and planting them in a humid, sandy soil. In addiction, stem/leaf cuttings and seeds are other ways. Being a nursery hybrid, it is better not to reproduce it by seeds: the plantlets obtained by seed may loose the yellow tinges typical of the “variegata” form. To use cuttings, it’s suggested to cut a little branch of around 8 centimeters in length, already equipped with leaves, waiting for the wound to dry up and then planting it in a pot with very wet soil.

Curiosity:

The name “Crassula” comes from the Latin “crassus”, which means fat, referring to the succulent, “fat” leaves. “Moonglow” is instead referred to the colour of the leaves, tinged in moonlight-like pale yellow tinges.

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