P111 – Crassula Brevifolia

Crassula brevifolia is a small, usually much-branched succulent shrub with branches that bear thick fleshy green leaves fading to turning yellowish-green or purplish-red in full sun. It grows up to 20 inches (50 cm) tall. Branches are green, up to 0.2 inches (0.5 cm) in diameter, and become woody with flaking brown bark with age. Leaves are often covered with a thick bloom. They are linear-elliptic, curved upwards, roughly triangular in cross-section, up to 2 inches (5 cm) long, and up to 0.7 inches (1.8 cm) wide.

Flowers are yellowish green, rarely white tinged with pink, and appear in a rounded or irregularly branched thyrse in fall.

Hardiness

USDA hardiness zones 9b to 11b: from 25 °F (−3.9 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).

How to Grow and Care

Crassulas are easy to grow but susceptible to mealy bugs and fungal diseases. As with all succulents, overwatering is sure to be fatal, so err on the side of too dry rather than too wet. Never let your plant sit in water. If you water from beneath by letting the plant sit in a saucer of water, make sure to pour off any excess water after a few minutes.

These succulents are generally started by division, offsets, or leaf cuttings. Crassulas can be easily propagated from a single leaf. Sprout leaves by placing them into a potting mix for succulents, then cover the dish until they sprout.

Repot as needed, preferably during the warm season. To repot your Crassula, ensure the soil is dry before repotting, then gently remove the pot. Knock away the old soil from the roots, removing any rotted or dead roots in the process. Treat any cuts with a fungicide. Place the plant in its new pot and backfill with potting soil, spreading the roots out as you repot. Leave the plant dry for a week or so, then begin to water lightly to reduce the risk of root rot.