Senecio crassissimus

vertical leaf senecio
Shrubby upright succulent with waxy leaves on bendy purple stems. Yellow daisy flowers may form in winter at branch tips. Chose protected spots in marine influence areas.
Senecio crassissimus
height 18–24in
width 1–2ft
tolerates Drought, Heat, Pots, Wind
water
needs		 Low
water
info		 This senecio is from arid areas of the Madagascar spine forest and as such likes to go totally bone dry between waterings, making it a very low-maintenance shrub. To get good healthy growth your plant doesn’t want to sit around totally dried out during its growing season. Once it is dry, water it.

This plant comes from an area with summer rainfall and is actively growing during that time, when it is forgiving of overwatering errors. During winter dormancy it should be kept extra dry and won’t tolerate overwatering. It especially dislikes long cold wet winters.

Remember that if kept in a small pot your plant will want more frequent watering.

Remember your watering schedule will depend on the size of the pot (smaller pots needing more frequent watering) and environmental factors such as the season, weather, humidity and exposure.

Don’t leave succulents in standing water, such as a saucer, for more than a day.
hardy
to		 30F
exposure Full Sun
indoor
outdoor		 Outdoor
drainage In Ground: Cactus Mix, In Pots: Cactus Mix, Tolerates Sandy Soil
fertilizing All Purpose
origin Madagascar
california
native		 No
sunset
zones		 13, 16, 17, 20–24

Sunset Zones Map

Outdoor Exposure Guide

Growing Notes

After blooming cut flowers down to the leaf stalks to rejuvenate the shrub.

Special Interest

Curiously, the leaves of this succulent are on a vertical axis, rather than horizontal. This is thought to be an adaptation that prevents water loss from the baking sun of Southern Madagascar.