Family: Crassulaceae

Native to Africa, this disparate genus of succulents, comprising mostly shrublets, form clumps with age. Crowded, spiralling branches, thick, fleshy foliage and terminal inflorescences characterize this genus. The leaves are arranged in pairs, and the flowers are mostly bell-shaped, with reflexed petals and yellowish, orange or red, or occasionally violet. The foliage is sometimes deciduous in what is the dormant season for that species.

Species

C. buchholziana, from Cape Province, a low-growing species, has grayish green stems and red scales on the younger twigs. The deciduous leaves are linear, thickened and grooved and the flowers are a reddish brown on the outside.

C. macrantha grows 30-80 cm (12-32 in). It is a robust, branching plant, with large, thick, almost round, glossy green leaves with red margins. Pendulous, bell-shaped, bright red flowers appear in abundance in summer and autumn, lasting for about a week.

C. orbiculata, growing to 80 cm (32 in), has leaves that are thickly coated with a white, waxy bloom. Var. oblonga has thick, wavy-edged leaves, frosted white; oophylla, a lovely miniature, has thick, egg-shaped, downy leaves.

Cultivation

In frost-prone climates, cotyledons are grown in pots in an intermediate greenhouse or conservatory, or as house plants. Grow in well-drained cactus compost, available from garden centers, and provide maximum light but shade from direct sun. Do not wet the foliage and keep the plants dry in winter. Propagate from seed or from stem cuttings.

Climate

Zone 10.