Crassula alba var. alba | White Crassula
€7,95
🌱 Morphology
A perennial or biennial succulent plant, with a habit very different from that of typical shrubby Crassula species. During the vegetative phase, it forms a basal rosette of fleshy leaves and, upon beginning to bloom, it develops an erect stem that can reach about 50 cm in height. The leaves are narrowly ovate to linear-triangular, approximately 6–15 cm long and 0.5–1.5 cm wide, bright green to yellowish-green in color, occasionally with purple spots or hues. The margin features small cilia and the apex is markedly acute. The upper leaves are arranged in pairs along the stem, accompanied by small leaf-like bracts. After flowering, the aerial part may die back, and the plant sprouts again from the base in the following favorable season.
🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
Family Crassulaceae. Crassula alba var. alba has an extraordinarily wide distribution, from Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Sudan to South Africa, as well as the Arabian Peninsula. In South Africa, it is mainly found in the eastern and central regions, extending through Free State, Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, and Limpopo, as well as Eswatini and Lesotho. It inhabits mainly grasslands, scrublands, and rocky areas, on gentle slopes, in crevices, and in small accumulations of soil between rocks, reaching up to an altitude of about 2,500 m. It is a characteristic species of regions where rainfall is concentrated mainly in the warm season.
❄️ Temperature
USDA Zone 9b–11b. The vast geographical and altitudinal range of this variety implies considerable variability in thermal tolerance among populations. Mountain origins may experience frost, but the same resistance should not be attributed to all specimens. In cultivation, it is recommended to keep the substrate dry when temperatures drop and especially to avoid prolonged cold accompanied by humidity.
☀️ Lighting
Intense lighting is recommended, with a target of 15–25 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹ of DLI PAR during the growth phase. It tolerates direct sun once properly acclimated. Insufficient lighting promotes weaker, elongated growth and can significantly reduce flowering. In summer, if temperatures are exceptionally high, it may be advisable to provide light protection during the hours of maximum radiation.
💧 Growth cycle and irrigation
This variety should not be treated as a winter-rainfall Crassula. Its distribution is mainly associated with regions of summer rainfall, so vegetative activity is concentrated during the spring and summer. Under natural conditions, it can grow during the wet season, flower, and subsequently lose its aerial part during the dry season, remaining dormant until the next favorable period.
During active growth, abundant watering is recommended, then allowing the substrate to dry out completely before watering again. When the plant has finished flowering and begins to enter dormancy, watering should be progressively reduced until it is kept practically dry. In autumn and winter, especially with low temperatures, prolonged moisture in the substrate must be avoided. As basal growth appears again in spring, watering can be gradually resumed.
🌸 Flowering
It produces a spectacular flat, highly branched terminal inflorescence, which can reach about 15 cm in diameter and contains numerous tubular flowers. The flowers show notable color variability, from white and pink to yellow and deep red, although red-flowered forms are especially frequent in South Africa. They are also fragrant. Natural flowering mainly extends from late summer to the austral autumn, approximately from January to May, with variations depending on the population and environmental conditions. In Madrid, under cultivation conditions, it can be expected approximately between July and November.
🌿 Nutrition
We recommend Desert CHOICE® Succulents during the active growth period. Before the formation of the inflorescences, it can be supplemented with Desert CHOICE® Flowering, adjusting the fertilizer to the vegetative development and water supply.
This is an inimitable xerophyte grown in Madrid in a high-tech square pot with substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi.
* As this is an online purchase, the appearance of the specimen sent may vary slightly from the product image. The dimensions of the plant are specified in the photo description, but this may also vary slightly because, after all, it is a living thing! Each of the Desert CITY plants has unique characteristics.
- Shipped today? Order within:
- Hassle-free returns
- Free Shipping on orders over €79.99
Expert advice with every purchase
Our team provides you with personalized advice on caring for your plants and growing media.
-
Secure and protected payment guaranteed.
