Scientific Name
Crassula perforata subsp. kougaensis van Jaarsv. & A.E.van Wyk
Common Name(s)
Necklace Vine, String of Buttons
Scientific Classification
Family: Crassulaceae
Subfamily: Crassuloideae
Genus: Crassula
Origin
Crassula perforata subsp. kougaensis is native to South Africa. It grows on the hotter aspects of sandstone cliffs in the Outeniqua and Kouga mountains in the Eastern Cape province.
Description
Crassula perforata subsp. kougaensis is a small shrubby succulent with fused leaf pairs densely arranged on numerous pendent branches. This subspecies grows smaller than Crassula perforata subsp. perforata. It has shorter branches and shorter internodes, producing a denser arrangement of the paired leaves and forming four-angled columns up to 0.4 inches (1 cm) thick. The slender branches can grow up to 12 inches (30 cm) long. The leaves are thick, fleshy, gray-green to bluish-green with purplish-red margins.
The shortish inflorescences bear small, tubular, cream to pale yellow flowers in late summer and early fall.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zone 9a to 11b: from 20 °F (−6.7 °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 being too dry rather than too wet. Never let your Crassula sit in water. If you water from beneath by allowing the plant to sit in a saucer, pour off any excess water after a few minutes.
Crassulas are generally started by division, offsets, or leaf cuttings. Plants can be easily propagated from a single leaf: sprout leaves by placing them into a succulent or cacti mix, then covering the dish until they sprout. Repot as needed, preferably during the warm season.
To repot a succulent, 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.
See more at How to Grow and Care for Crassula.
Hybrids
Links
- Back to genus Crassula
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
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