Scientific Name
Crassula namaquensis Schönland & Baker f.
Common Name(s)
Namaqua Crassula
Synonym(s)
Crassula namaquensis subsp. namaquensis
Scientific Classification
Family: Crassulaceae
Subfamily: Crassuloideae
Genus: Crassula
Description
Crassula namaquensis is a succulent shrublet with short branches and fuzzy, grey-green to blue-green leaves in dense clusters. It can reach up to 8 inches (20 cm) tall when flowering. The leaves are elliptic to oblanceolate or oblong, up to 1.2 inches (3 cm) long and 0.4 inches (1 cm) wide.
The flowers are small, tubular, with hairy, green to grey-green sepals and white or cream-colored petals. They appear in 1 to 7 terminal clusters on up to 6 inches (15 cm) long stalks in spring.
Origin
Crassula namaquensis is native to southern Namibia, southwards to the Namaqualand, as the name suggests, but also in the Richtersveld in South Africa. It grows on slopes with quartzite gravel and often also in rocky outcrops.
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 susceptible to mealy bugs and fungal diseases. Overwatering is sure to be fatal, as with all succulents, 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, ensure 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, ensure the soil is dry before repotting, then gently remove the pot. Knock away the old soil from the roots, removing any rotted or dead roots. Treat any cuts with a fungicide. Place the plant in its new pot and backfill it 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.
See more at How to Grow and Care for Crassula.
Subspecies
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
Click on a photo to see a larger version.
