Species
Crassula orbicularis
Etymology
Crassula: From the Latin crassus 'thick', meaning 'rather thick'
Authority
Crassula orbicularis L.
Family
Crassulaceae
Flora Category
Vascular - Exotic
Structural Class
Dicotyledonous Herbs other than Composites
Habitat
Known only from one place. Rangitoto Island wheer scattered plants grew in and around the entrance to an old quarry pit. All plants seen were removed. No plants present in 2006.
Flower Colours
White
Year Naturalised
2005
Origin
South Africa
Reason For Introduction
Horticultural - often sold in garden centres (often wrongly named as C. rosularis Haw. or even Aeonium xhaworthii)
Life Cycle Comments
Perennial succulent herb
Reproduction
Asexually through stolons and possibly by seed
Seed
Miniscule, long-lived of variable viablity in New Zealand samples examined
Dispersal
Probably a cultivation escape and/or garden discard. It is slow growing in winter but can grow very fast in summer. The stolons disarticulate readily
Tolerances
Moderately drought tolerant but dislikes cold (even in Auckland).
This page last updated on 23 Mar 2010