Dudleya caespitosa is a succulent plant starts from a rosette up to 20 centimeters wide, containing up to 30 leaves. The leaves are fleshy, pale green, and cone-shaped to oblong, one or two centimeters wide and almost a centimeter thick. The stem is a caudex which grows erect up to about 20 centimeters in height before branching into the flower cluster. Its color is variable, from green to red and yellow shades. At the top is a tall flower cluster which may hold 10 or 15 flowers on each of several branches. The flowers are bright yellow with pointed petals.
How to Grow and Care
Water: Dudleyas are known to be happy in a dry climate. Unlike cacti native to the South American highlands and the Amazon forest, they will require far much lesser watering.
Sunlight: Ever wondered why the ‘LiveLong’ succulents have a chalky appearance? The plants love rays from the sun and should be left out for as long as the sun shines. The chalky appearance is useful when you overdo the sunshine exposure.
Soil: The perfect soil mix for dudleya succulents is one that drains excessive water in the fastest way possible. Just like any other cactus plant, its roots are shallow. Too much watering weakens the roots. Rotting roots are also common phenomena of too much water. Conversely, dudleyas will require little watering after all.
Temperature: Think about California and the scorching heat is wholly evident in your mind. To the grower, high temperatures can be an issue but not for a dudleya plant. They thrive in areas where the heat can be as high as what Californians live under.
Origin: It is endemic to California, where it grows along the coastline in the southern half of the state.
Propagation
Dudleya seeds are small, almost dust-like, but seedlings can be quick (1-2 years) to grow full sized rosettes. Hybrids are occasionally seen where two species bloom together. The species which branch can be easily propagated from cuttings in the fall or winter. The species which do not branch can be forced by coring.
No Dudleyas outside the Hasseanthus group can be propagated from leaves. That group is said to bloom at 5 months of age with good greenhouse care, and lose its living leaves in the spring. The other plants in the genus may bloom within their first year from seed, provided nursery care.
- Scientific Name: Dudleya caespitosa (Haw.) Britton & Rose
- Common Names: Sea Lettuce, Sand Lettuce, Coast Dudleya, Coastal Dudleya, Bluff Lettuce
- Synonyms: Cotyledon caespitosa, Cotyledon helleri, Cotyledon linguiformis, Cotyledon reflexa, Dudleya cotyledon, Dudleya helleri, Echeveria caespitosa, Echeveria californica, Echeveria cotyledon, Echeveria helleri, Sedum cotyledon
- Family: Crassulaceae
- Subfamily: Sedoideae
- Tribe: Sedeae
- Subtribe: Sedinae
- Genus: Dudleya
How to Grow and Care
Water: Dudleyas are known to be happy in a dry climate. Unlike cacti native to the South American highlands and the Amazon forest, they will require far much lesser watering.
Sunlight: Ever wondered why the ‘LiveLong’ succulents have a chalky appearance? The plants love rays from the sun and should be left out for as long as the sun shines. The chalky appearance is useful when you overdo the sunshine exposure.
Soil: The perfect soil mix for dudleya succulents is one that drains excessive water in the fastest way possible. Just like any other cactus plant, its roots are shallow. Too much watering weakens the roots. Rotting roots are also common phenomena of too much water. Conversely, dudleyas will require little watering after all.
Temperature: Think about California and the scorching heat is wholly evident in your mind. To the grower, high temperatures can be an issue but not for a dudleya plant. They thrive in areas where the heat can be as high as what Californians live under.
Origin: It is endemic to California, where it grows along the coastline in the southern half of the state.
Propagation
Dudleya seeds are small, almost dust-like, but seedlings can be quick (1-2 years) to grow full sized rosettes. Hybrids are occasionally seen where two species bloom together. The species which branch can be easily propagated from cuttings in the fall or winter. The species which do not branch can be forced by coring.
No Dudleyas outside the Hasseanthus group can be propagated from leaves. That group is said to bloom at 5 months of age with good greenhouse care, and lose its living leaves in the spring. The other plants in the genus may bloom within their first year from seed, provided nursery care.
 |
| source pic: flickr.com |
){kind=link}