Crassula corallina sp. macrorrhiza | Tuberous-rooted Coral Crassula
€10,60
🌱 Morphology
Small perennial succulent, very low-growing, with short stems that can be erect, decumbent, or prostrate. Its fundamental diagnostic character is its tuberous and greatly thickened taproot, clearly disproportionate in relation to the stems, from which the epithet macrorrhiza, "large-rooted," derives. The branches are relatively thin and, unlike subsp. corallina, normally do not develop adventitious roots at the nodes. The leaves are opposite, sessile, very close together, angular and fleshy, small in size, approximately up to 5 mm, and range from grayish-green to brownish-gray in color.
🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
Family Crassulaceae. Its natural range is more restricted than that of subsp. corallina, extending from southwestern Namibia to the Northern Cape and other areas of the Cape provinces. It lives in arid or semi-arid environments, on sandy terrain, gravel, and rocky outcrops, especially in areas of open vegetation and highly draining soils. It is associated with Succulent Karoo and Nama Karoo environments, where the tuberous root constitutes an important adaptation for storing resources underground.
❄️ Temperature — USDA Zone 9b–11b
It tolerates low temperatures when perfectly dry and acclimated, but the tuberous root must be especially protected from the combination of cold and humidity. During cold spells, it is recommended to keep the substrate dry and avoid watering before significant drops in temperature.
☀️ Lighting
Target guideline of 15–25 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹ of DLI PAR. Intense lighting maintains compact growth and can intensify the reddish tones of the leaves, especially with cool nights. Very bright exposure and progressive acclimation to direct sun are recommended.
💧 Growth cycle and watering
Opportunistic. Its extremely arid habitat and the presence of a tuberous storage root allow it to withstand prolonged periods of drought. However, it should not be kept permanently dry during the active period. It is recommended to perform abundant and spaced waterings, allowing the substrate to dry out completely before watering again. During periods of extreme heat, it may slow down its growth and the frequency should be reduced; at low temperatures, keep it practically dry. The tuberous root makes avoiding waterlogging especially important.
🌸 Flowering
It produces small terminal flowers grouped in short inflorescences. The flowers are creamy-whitish to yellowish. Cultivation sources place flowering from spring to mid-austral summer, although there is less specific phenological information than for subsp. corallina. In Spanish cultivation, it can occur approximately between July and October, depending on temperature and light conditions.
🌿 Nutrition
During the active period, Desert CHOICE® Succulents is recommended, applied after watering and with the substrate previously hydrated. Before flowering, it can be supplemented with Desert CHOICE® Flowering.
This is an inimitable xerophyte grown in Madrid in a technical square pot and with the substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi and biofungicides.
Black gourmet 9x9 cm pot
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