Synonyms:

No synonyms are recorded for this species name.

Habitat:

Dudleya virens var. hassei is a succulent perennial herb native to Santa Catalina Island. It grows on rocks and cliffs, at altitudes of about 400 meters above sea level. It spreads slowly in all directions like many other Dudleyas, and, when it reaches maturity, it forms a clump up to 1,20 meters.

Description:

Dudleya virens var. hassei is a medium-sized perennial succulent. It forms a clump of short stems, all growing from the same, central caudex, and ending up in many rosettes. The rosettes are formed by elongated, lanceolate, 8 to 20 centimeters long, erect but not rigid leaves, gryish green, pointing upwards. The caudex, instead, is 1 to 3 centimeters thick, branching into a 1 meter wide clump of stems.
The inflorescence appear in Spring and Summer and it’s a cyme borne by an elongated stalk. A cyme is a kind of inflorescence with many flowers, shortly peduncolated and very crowded (like the one of broccoli!). Flowers, instead, are white and 1 centimeter long.
It was formerly recognized as a distinct species, D. hassei, and some authors still call it that way. It is closely related to Dudleya edulis and looks very similar, both species having leaves that are round in cross section. It has less resemblance to the other two subspecies of D. virens, ssp. insularis and var. virens, which have somewhat flattened leaves.

Cultivation:

Here below are our cultivation tips to grow your Dudleya virens var. hassei:

Put it in a bright spot, exposed to direct sunlight. You may provide it with some shade at least during the hottest hours of summer days.
It is preferable to keep it above 7 °C. During the winter, we advice to shelter it or to put it indoors.
Dudleya virens var. hassei is one of the few succulent that prefers moist winters. Its native climate has, in fact, dry hot summers and humid winters. Watering tips are thus the opposite to the usual ones for succulents: the irrigation should be regular in Autumn and Winter and completely suspended in Summer, when the plant goes dormant, even if the leaves start to wither. In Summer, in fact, the roots aren’t able to absorb water because of the and are very prone to rot.
Choose, as usual, a well-draining substrate, better if sandy and very porous. A succulent mix will do good.
They do not need frequent fertilization. It is enough to dilute the fertilizer with watering once a year.
Repotting can be carried out once every two years, as Dudleya virens var. hassei grows more slowly than other Dudleyas.

Propagation:

The propagation of Dudleya virens ssp. hassei can be carried out either through seeds and through offsets. In Spring or early summer, take off the offsets and replant them. Dudleyas should be planted obliquos, at an angle, to prevent the stagnation of water in the leaves, which can cause rotting of the plant. Cuttings should be left to dry out at least for 10 days before planting them. This process should be carried out at temperatures above 20-21 degrees, and the cuttings should be planted in a well-drained rooting substrate, made up of perlite (75%) and cactus mix (15%). The seeds, instead, require a moistened soil for germination. Placing them into a mist house at an optimal 20-21 degrees Celsius with sufficient lighting resulting in germination. Germination occurs in just two weeks.

Curiosity:

The Dudleya genus owes its name to William Russell Dudley, director of the botanical department at Stanford University. It was formerly recognized as a distinct species, D. hassei, and some authors still call it that way. It is closely related to Dudleya edulis and looks very similar, both species having leaves that are round in cross section. It has less resemblance to the other two subspecies of D. virens, ssp. insularis and ssp. virens, which have somewhat flattened leaves.

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