About Crassula nudicaulis L.
Crassula nudicaulis L. is a perennial succulent herb that has a thickened taproot and several low rosettes of basal leaves. Plants of this species are somewhat variable in appearance, and several subspecies exist across its wide range. The leaves of Crassula nudicaulis can turn brown, but they never develop the brick red hues that Crassula subacaulis and Crassula clavata sometimes take on. Its inflorescence is a spike with non-ciliate bracts; the lowest one to three pairs of bracts have no flowers in their axils, while all other bracts do. The flowers face upward, have yellow anthers, and bear distinctive dorsal appendages. This species is closely related to Crassula cotyledonis, a more robust species that has marginal leaf hairs arranged in more than one line. Crassula nudicaulis can also be confused with Crassula clavata, but C. clavata has glabrous (smooth), oblanceolate-obovate leaves that turn deep purple-red when grown in sun. Crassula nudicaulis is native to southern Africa, where its distribution ranges from the Western Cape to the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Free State, and Lesotho. It naturally grows on hillside and mountain slopes. This species is easy to grow as a potted plant in gravelly growing medium. Potential issues include mealy bugs and fungal diseases, so over-watering should be avoided. It can be propagated by division, offsets, or leaf cuttings.
