Our August box featuring Anacampseros Variegated, Crassula Cotyledonis, Ghost Plant Graptopetalum, Crassula Brevifolia, and Tillandsia Juncea.
1. Anacampseros Telephiastrum Variegated
Anacampseros Telephiastrum 'Sunrise' is a dense mat and caudex forming succulent up to inches (15 cm) tall, with lanceolate shaped green, bright pink and yellow or cream colored leaves.
They can be grown compact as rosettes, but with time they start go grow longer and longer and offsetting to create a dense mat or trail over the edge of pots. With age they also can form a small caudex as the base of the plant, but because of how very slow growing they are this takes a very long amount of time.
Flowers are pink and up to 1.4 inches (3.5 cm) in diameter and appear in afternoon in summer.
Anacampseros grow well in partial sun with bright light enhancing the leaf colors and keeping them compact.
Water it sparingly but deeply when soil is dry to the touch, then let drain completely and avoid getting water on the leaves to prevent rot.
They require a gritty free-draining soil with added organic material and low to moderate watering. The beautiful caudiciform species are prone to rot and should be watered very sparingly.
Feed with a high potassium fertilizer in summer during the growing season diluted to one-fourth potency and mix into the watering can for application. Anacampseros is an excellent plant for container growing. It always looks good and stays small. It look fine in a cold greenhouse and frame. It do well outdoors in raised beds and terraces as well.
2. Crassula Cotyledonis
Crassula Cotyledonis is a low growing succulent native to South Africa that can reach up to 6 inches (15 cm) tall.
Its grey green leaves are flat, rounded, paddle-shaped, grown in rosettes and covered with fine short hairs. The leaves have red or purple margins. The whole leaves can also turn vibrant red when stressed in cold temperatures.
From spring to summer, Crassula Cotyledonis produces clusters of small cream-yellow tubular flowers from each stem.
Full Sun, Sun to Partial Shade, Light Shade.
Porous and well-drained. Optimal pH is around 6.0 (slightly acidic).
Water thoroughly when soil is dry to the touch, then let drain completely. Avoid letting water sit for too long in the soil to prevent rot and fungal diseases. Reduce watering in the winter.
Average summer temperatures from 65ºF/18ºC to 70ºF/21ºC are ideal. In winter, it can survive temperatures as low as 50ºF/10ºC.
Feed with a controlled-release fertilizer at the beginning of the growing season.
You can propagate Crassula cotyledonis by division, offsets or leaf cuttings. The easiest way is to propagate from a single leaf: put the leaf in a succulent or cacti mix, then cover until it sprouts.
3. Ghost Plant Graptopetalum
Graptopetalum Paraguayense (Ghost Plant) is a colorful, succulent perennial with up to 6 inches (15 cm) wide rosettes, holding thick, triangular, pointed, flat leaves that range in color from pale blue to light purple. The fleshy rosettes spread on stems creating a low spreading colony up to 1 foot (30 cm) tall.
The flowers are 0.8 inch (2 cm) wide and white in color, with small red specks.
Full sun. Perfect for a sunny window.
A well-drained succulent mix, with an ideal pH around 6.0 (slightly acidic).
Water during the summer and spring. Reduce water in the winter, but keep hydrated enough to retain its leaves.
Keep at least 50ºF (10ºC) at all times; if you keep temperatures of 60ºF (16ºC) or higher during the winter, the plant may retain its leaves.
Fertilize during spring and summer with controlled-release fertilizer or liquid fertilizer according to label directions.
4. Crassula Brevifolia
Crassula Brevifolia, native to South Africa, has thick, fleshy, triangulated green leaves with a rough, fuzzy texture borne on woody branches.
It grows small shrubs of up to 20 inches (50 cm) tall. The leaves will get a red-brown margin in full sun.
Pale pink flower clusters bloom in early fall.
Full Sun, Sun to Partial Shade, Light Shade.
Water thoroughly when soil is dry to the touch, then let drain completely. Avoid letting water sit for too long in the soil to prevent rot and fungal diseases.
Porous and well-drained. Optimal pH is around 6.0 (slightly acidic).
Average summer temperatures from 65ºF/18ºC to 70ºF/21ºC are ideal. In winter, it can survive temperatures as low as 50ºF/10ºC.
Feed with a controlled-release fertilizer at the beginning of the growing season.
You can propagate Crassula Brevifolia by division, offsets or leaf cuttings. The easiest way is to propagate from a single leaf: Put the leaf in a succulent or cacti mix, then cover until it sprouts.
5. Tillandsia Juncifolia
Tillandsia Juncea, native to American Southern states, Latin America and Antilles, is a drought tolerant and easy to grow air plant. It has long dark grassy-green needle-like leaves and a brown base. Juncea plants sometimes might have a brick red hue as well.
When the plant is about to bloom, it changes to shades of vibrant deep red to orange and eventually displays yellow/purple/white tubular flowers. Ionantha Guatemala blooms 2 or 3 times a year. It creates many offsets or pups which will clump into a ball as it matures.
Bright indirect sunlight.
No soil is needed. Sand, sea glass, rocks, pebbles & bark chip can be used instead of soil.
Frequent misting several times a week is necessary. Tillandsia Juncea will also benefit from a soaking bath every week. Give it a little shake off afterwards to make sure water doesn't collect in the bottom leaves to prevent root.
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