Synonyms:

Crassula lineolata f. gracilis
Crassula lineolata f. magna
Crassula lineolata f. natalensis
Crassula lineolata var. petiolata
Crassula profusa
Crassula marginalis

Habitat:

C. pellucida ssp. marginalis is native to Cape Provinces where the plant grows in shaded moist places under rocks or in forests.

Description:

C. pellucida is a perennial succulent belonging to the Crassulaceae botanical family. The plant is heavily branched and has a prostrate habit. The leaves are small, fleshy, heart-shaped with pointed apex, arranged along all the branches and can be fused in pair to form a disc. The color of the leaves can change from creamy yellow to pinkish and from pale green to red purple depending on climate conditions like temperatures and exposure. The blooming occurs from the late summer to the early autumn and blossom are borne at the apex of the branches. The flowers are small, star-shaped and creamy white in color. The variegation is due to the loss of the ability to produce chlorophyll in some tissues of the plant, so that this tissue is no longer green. Chlorophyll-free tissues are usually white or pale yellow coloured (due to carotenoid pigments) in contrast to the normal green tissue. This plant is perfect for decorations and hanging pots.

Cultivation:

The plant has a slow growth rate but it easy to cultivate. The best sun-exposure is in bright place but is recommended to avoid direct sun-light in the hottest periods. The minimum temperatures that the plant can withstand are 7° C, below this temperature it begins to suffer so it needs to be placed indoors in the coldest periods. The perfect soil is a well-drained soil that let the water to drain away and avoid root rot. To achieve this feature, you can mix the pumice soil, clay and soil. Using a perforating pot, you can drain excess water. Watering is very important for this species and should be done well: during the vegetative period you can water the plant (every 7 days), checking that the soil is completely dry before watering again; in winter you should stop the watering to allow the plant to enter dormancy. About fertilization, for this plant is sufficient to fertilize moderately during the growing season with the specific fertilizers for succulents and stop fertilizing during the winter. You should repot the plant every 2 years in a pot 2 cm wider. Repotting should be done early in the growing season with fresh new potting soil. Be careful to red spiders and mealy bugs.

Propagation:

Propagation can be done by cutting or by seed. By cutting you can make the cut during the spring and then let the cutting dry; after a few days the cut surface will dry and a callus will form, then place the cutting in a mixture of sand, soil and pumice. To increase the success of propagation you can make two or more cuttings at the same time. For cuttings it is recommended temperatures around 20 °C. By seed it is very simple to propagate the plant, it is enough to sow the seed in a sandy loam soil and keep it with a high level of humidity and at temperature of 14 C°.

Curiosity:

From its name you could say that it is the “succulent plant” par excellence: its name comes from the Latin crassus, that means fat. The crassula is a plant unpretentious but with a high vegetative strength: for this reason, it is sometimes used in a closed area for air purification, which is filtered by eliminating harmful substances.

Official Web Site:
www.giromagi.com

Italian Blog:
www.giromagicactus.com

Tips:
Read our advice