Scientific Name
Crassula capitella Thunb.
Common Name(s)
Campfire Plant, Saint Andrew's Cross, Red Flames
Synonym(s)
Crassula albanensis, Crassula capitellata, Crassula impressa, Crassula paniculata, Crassula rufopunctata, Crassula spicata, Crassula subbifera, Globulea impressa, Globulea paniculata, Purgosea capitellata, Purgosea spicata, Turgosea capitella
Scientific Classification
Family: Crassulaceae
Subfamily: Crassuloideae
Genus: Crassula
Description
Crassula capitella is a succulent plant with one to several rosettes with leaf pairs spirally arranged and old leaves remaining attached to stems. It grows up to 16 inches (40 cm) in height when flowering. Leaves are thick, fleshy, green to brown, often tinged red or with red spots, glabrous or with few recurved hairs, and often with recurved marginal cilia. They are linear-lanceolate to elliptic, rarely obovate, up to 2.8 inches (7 cm) long, and up to 0.8 inches (2 cm) wide. Flowers are white or cream-colored, sometimes tinged pink, and appear in clusters from mid-summer to fall.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones 9b to 11b: from 25 °F (−3.9 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).
How to Grow and Care
Crassulas are easy to grow, but they are susceptible to mealybugs 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
This species is native to south tropical Africa (Mozambique, Zimbabwe) and southern Africa (Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa).
Subspecies and Cultivars
- Crassula capitella subsp. nodulosa
- Crassula capitella subsp. sessilicymula
- Crassula capitella subsp. thyrsiflora
- Crassula capitella subsp. thyrsiflora 'Pagoda Village'
- Crassula capitella 'Campfire'
Links
- Back to genus Crassula
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
Photo Gallery
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