Tag: garden

Crassula ovata

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Crassula ovata

Crassula ovata, commonly known as jade plant, lucky plant, money plant or money tree, is a succulent with small pink or white flowers, native to South Africa and Mozambique. It grows as an upright, rounded, thick-stemmed, strongly branched shrub and reaches a height of up to 2.5 metres (8.2 ft).

Here in Southern California, it propagates easily and grows happily with minimal water. Our neighbour has covered her steep downslope with jade by merely tossing cuttings down the hill. It produces small white or pink, star-like shaped flowers in winter, which we’re enjoying now.

Dr. Living Stone, I presume

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livingrocks

Up till now I’ve not had much success in caring for Pleiospilos and Lithops—“living stones” from South Africa—and I’ve envied the ease with which my neighbour manages to grow them. She gave me these ones back in April, and so far things are looking good! New leaves are emerging!

Here’s what I did differently this time:

  • I repotted them into 12 cm deep pots with drainage holes
  • I used a ratio of 25% cactus mix to 75% pumice for the growing medium
  • I put them in full sun, watered them once or twice, then left them alone. They may have got a little splash when I watered adjacent plants, and through June Gloom they‘ve had damp air, but I did not actually water them for six months.

Ideally, these succulents should only get water during the growing season (now!) Fingers crossed I can keep them alive through winter. Maybe I’ll move them under shelter when the rain comes (though my neighbour doesn’t do this). Hmm …

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Whenever I see a curled leaf—especially in my garden—I get curious about what’s inside the burrito. In this case, I’m pretty sure it’s a tobacco budworm or fruitworm, neither of which I want in my veggie garden. Sorry little wormie!