€7,95

🌱 Morphology

Torres de alabastro · Alabaster towers. It is a small, perennial, very compact, and slow-growing succulent that typically does not exceed 8 cm in height, although it can reach a larger size in cultivation. The stems are very short with reduced internodes, causing the leaves to be densely imbricated.

The leaves are fleshy, sessile, and broadly ovate, approximately 6–15 mm in length and width, with an acute or obtuse apex. They are arranged densely around the stem, forming four compact rows that create an almost columnar structure with a quadrangular cross-section. Its surface is covered by tiny, almost spherical papillae that provide a characteristic texture and a coloration that can vary between grey, green, and brown. This extraordinary resemblance to small stones is the reason for the specific epithet deceptor, which means “impostor” or “simulator”.

🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family

Family Crassulaceae. It is native to southwestern Namibia and northern South Africa, primarily in Bushmanland and Namaqualand, extending south to Vanrhynsdorp. It grows in the Succulent Karoo, on slopes and rocky outcrops, frequently among gravel and quartzite outcrops.

❄️ Temperature

USDA Zone 9b–11b. It is a species from arid environments that tolerates relatively low temperatures when dry and well-acclimated. One should especially avoid the combination of cold, persistent humidity, and poor ventilation, conditions that can cause tissue damage and rot.

☀️ Lighting

Very intense lighting is recommended, with a target of 15–25 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹ of DLI PAR.

High light levels help maintain the species' extremely compact structure and encourage the formation of thick, densely packed leaves. SANBI recommends full sun or bright partial shade, noting that with insufficient light, the plant may lose leaves, weaken, and take on a paler color.

💧 Growth cycle and watering

Opportunistic. Crassula deceptor is a good exception to the simplified rule of automatically associating western Crassulas with winter growth. Although it comes from the Succulent Karoo, a region largely characterized by winter rains, in its habitat it blooms in mid-to-late summer, and in cultivation, it can bloom during winter or even at different times of the year if conditions are appropriate.

Therefore, in cultivation, it should be considered an adaptable and not strictly seasonal species. During periods of active growth, it is recommended to water thoroughly and allow the substrate to dry completely before the next watering.

During periods of extreme temperatures or when the plant clearly reduces its activity, watering should be spaced out significantly, and it can be kept practically dry. It is recommended to reduce or even suspend watering during autumn and winter under certain cultivation conditions.

🌸 Flowering

The flowers appear grouped in loose, rounded terminal cymes. They are small, approximately 2–2.5 mm, with cream to pinkish petals, which may acquire brownish tones as they age. The flowers are slightly fragrant.

In its natural habitat, it blooms mainly between January and March, that is, during the austral summer. However, SANBI notes that in cultivation it can often bloom during winter and, under appropriate conditions, practically at any time of the year. In Spain, therefore, it is not appropriate to set a single flowering month: under controlled cultivation conditions, it can appear approximately between December and March, but also outside this interval.

🌿 Nutrition

During periods of active growth, Desert CHOICE® Succulents is recommended, in moderate doses due to its naturally slow growth. Do not fertilize when the plant is clearly dormant due to extreme temperatures or lack of vegetative activity.

This is an inimitable xerophyte grown in Madrid in a high-tech square pot, with the substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi and biofungicides.

📏 Gourmet xerophyte in a 9 cm pot.

* As this is an online purchase, the appearance of the sent specimen may vary slightly from the product image. The plant's measurements are specified in the photo description, but this may also vary slightly, because it is a living being! Each of the Desert CITY plants has unique characteristics.

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