Crassula ovata ‘Ladyfingers’ on 7-30-13, #165-24.
The genus Crassula L. was named and described by Carl von Linnaeus in the first volume of the first edition of Species Plantarum in 1753. It is a member of the plant family Crassulaceae.
As of 12-14-23 when this page was last updated, Plants of the World Online by Kew lists 211 species in the Crassula genus. It is a member of the plant family Crassulaceae with 36 genera. Those numbers could change as updates are made on POWO.
I have grown several species and cultivars of Crassula BUT where I am currently living I don’t have the correct light over the winter for most of them. I still have a few that seem to do OK. As with any plant, it is a trial and error process and you have to find out what species do well and what don’t for your lifestyle.
Some members of the genus (and the family) have a tendency to attract brown scale which also is a trial and error issue…
There are a few links below for further reading. I didn’t write a lengthy description about the genus when experts have already done that. You can click on the plant names under the photos to go to their own pages.
PLANTS OF THE WORLD ONLINE
WIKIPEDIA
INTERNATIONAL CRASSULACEAE NETWORK
THE CRASSULA PAGE
THE SPRUCE: HOW TO GROW AND CARE GUIDE
Crassula arborescens subsp. undulatifolia on 5-31-12, #95-9.
The owner of Pleasant Acres Nursery gave me this plant labeled Crassula ovata undulata ‘Jitters’ in 2012 when I lived in Leland, Mississippi. It is actually Crassula arborescens subsp. undulatifolia (Ripple Jade). This is one of the first bad experiences I had with brown scale, or something similar. I brought this plant with me when I moved back to the family farm in 2013 despite its issues. It finally died… Now, I am very leery about bringing “certain types” of any plant in the plant family Crassulaceae with big leaves home with me… Of course, I did it again with the Cotyledon orbiculata ’Silver Storm’ and the same thing happened. I don’t think the issue was brown scale because you can pick them off with your finger.
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Crassula capitella subsp. thyrsiflora on 2-17-13, #139-20. The last photo of it taken at the mansion in Leland, Mississippi.
Well, I brought this Crassula capitella subsp. thyrsiflora home from Lowe’s in August 2021 when I lived in Leland, Mississippi. I brought it with me when I moved back to Missouri in 2013 and it started growing weird. Information says you are supposed to trim the plant back after it flowers. Of course, it also needed brighter light. This plant was labeled Crassula ‘Caput Minima’.
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Crassula cotyledonis on 2-17-13, #139-22.
I brought this Crassula cotyledonis home from Lowe’s in 2012 when I lived in Mississippi which was labeled Crassula Dudia and it said it was a Propeller Plant. Thanks to Margrit Bischofberger of the International Crassulaceae Network, I found out the proper name… I brought this plant with me when I moved back to Missouri but it just kind of fizzled out because it had to stay in the basement (with poor light) for a while… Some day I will find another one…
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Crassula ovata ‘Gollum’ at 9 3/4″ tall x 9 1/2″ wide on 8-17-21.
SO, I brought home my first plant like this from Lowe’s in Greenville, Mississippi in August of 2012 when I was living in Leland. It was labeled Crassula argentea ‘Gollum’. Margrit Bischofberger explained the plant I had was actually Crassula ovata ‘Ladyfingers’. Well, I brought it with me when I moved back to the farm in Missouri but gave it up in 2014. Then, I found another similar plant that was unlabeled in 2018. Because of its somewhat different leaves, I believe it really is a Crassula ovata ‘Gollum’. I have both of them on their page together, Crassula ovata ‘Ladyfingers’ and ‘Gollum’, with lots of photos and information… These are great plants!
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The last photo of my Crassula ovata on 7-12-14, #231-42.
When I was living in California for a few months in 2008, I took a couple of cuttings from a huge Crassula ovata (Jade Plant) before leaving for Mississippi. They were with me in Mississippi until I moved back to the family farm in February 2013 and did great. I brought the biggest plant with me and gave the smaller one to a friend. Unfortunately, I gave most of my plants up in the summer of 2014 and started over again in 2015. I haven’t found a suitable replacement. It was a great plant…
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Crassula perfoliata var. falcata (Propeller Plant) at 5″ tall x 5 7/8″ wide on 8-17-21, #826-15.
I always wanted a Crassula perfoliata var. falcata (Propeller Plant) and I finially found one at a local greenhouse on March 29 in 2021. It has done great so far. Common names include Propeller Plant, Airplane Plant, Buddha’s Temple, Red Crassula, Scarlet Paintbrush, and possibly others.
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Crassula perforata (String of Buttons) in the kitchen windowsill on 5-27-13, #150-2.
The Crassula perforata (String of Buttons) was a very interesting plant. Its stems would grow longer and as they started hanging downward they would break off because they were so stiff…
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Crassula tetragona (Miniature Pine Tree) at 16 1/2″ tall on 10-26-19, #645-4.
I brought this Crassula tetragona (Miniature Pine Tree) home from a local greenhouse on 2018. It did great and was 16 1/2″ tall when the above photo was taken on 10-26-21. Well, it died over the winter so I brought another one home in 2020 which also died over the winter… I don’t know… How can a plant do so well then just die?
That’s all I have for the Crassula genus for now…
The Belmont Rooster 