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Crassula rubricaulis 'Jolly Blush' (Variegated Red-stem Crassula) - A shrubby succulent to 12 to 18 inches tall to 3 feet wide with reddish branches that root at nodes where they touch the ground, so the plant becomes wider than tall. These stems are clothed with 3/4-inch-long flattened triangular shaped sessile leaves that are green in the center with pale cream margins that are blushed a dark pinkish red, particularly the new growth when growing in bright light. Small star-shaped white flowers that age to reddish are held in large, rounded clusters that rise above the foliage in on reddish stems in summer months.
Plant in full to part sun (best color with full sun) in a well-drained soil. Irrigate Infrequently to occasionally. A great plant for the rock and succulent garden or other areas not regularly irrigated and makes a nice specimen potted plant.
Crassula rubricaulis is native to rocky outcrops and in dry shrubs of the Coastal mountains of South Africa from near Port Elizabeth (now known as Gqeberha) in the Eastern Cape Province west along the coastal mountains to Knysna and the Riviersonderend Mountains in the Western Cape Province. rubricaulis means red-stemmed, from the Latin ruber, red, and Greek caulis, stem of a plant.
Our original cutting stock of this plant came to us in 2021 from Santa Barbara's senior plantsman and Aloe hybridizer John Bleck, who received the plant in 2017 without any label. When it flowered he keyed it to this species and we named it 'Jolly Blush' for its red tinted bicolored leaves and because several other John Bleck originated plants use the name "Jolly". It appears to be very similar to a plant we have since seen called 'Candy Cane' that is marketed by Altman's Plants, but since the plant we have was initially received without any label identifying it, we continue to list it by the name 'Jolly Blush' while we work to determine if these two plants are the same.
This information about Crassula rubricaulis 'Jolly Blush' displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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