Scientific Name
Crassula barbata Thunb.
Common Names
Bearded-leaved Crassula
Synonyms
Crassula barbata subsp. barbata, Crassula lettyae, Purgosea barbata
Scientific Classification
Family: Crassulaceae
Subfamily: Crassuloideae
Genus: Crassula
Description
Crassula barbata is a monocarpic succulent, up to 1.2 inches (3 cm) tall, with usually solitary rosette or proliferating from the base to form small groups. Leaves are green to grey-green, glabrous but margin with dense long white ascending-spreading cilia, up to 2 inches (5 cm) long and up to 1.6 inches (4 cm) wide. Spikes, up to 1 foot (30 cm) tall, of small, white to pinkish flowers appear in spring. After flowering the rosette will die. Fortunately the dying rosette usually produces a number of basal rosettes which can be detached and grown on to repeat the cycle.
Photo via biodiversityexplorer.org
Hardiness
It is grown as an annual plant, so it has no USDA hardiness zone.
How to Grow and Care
Crassulas are easy to grow, but they are susceptible to mealy bugs and fungal diseases. As with all succulents, overwatering is sure to be fatal, so err on the side of too dry rather than too wet. Never let your plant sit in water. If you water from beneath by letting the plant sit in a saucer of water, make sure to pour off any excess water after a few minutes.
These succulents are generally started by division, offsets or leaf cuttings. Crassulas can be easily propagated from a single leaf. Sprout leaves by placing them into a potting mix for succulents, then covering the dish until they sprout.
Repot as needed, preferably during the warm season. To repot your Crassula, make sure the soil is dry before repotting, then gently remove the pot. Knock away the old soil from the roots, making sure to remove any rotted or dead roots in the process. Treat any cuts with a fungicide. Place the plant in its new pot and backfill with potting soil, spreading the roots out as you repot. Leave the plant dry for a week or so, then begin to water lightly to reduce the risk of root rot.
Learn more at How to Grow and Care for Crassula.
Origin
Crassula barbata is native to South Africa (south-western Great Karoo to Prince Albert, also Victoria West in the Central Karoo).
Links
- Back to genus Crassula
- Succulentopedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
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