Faires in the garden

We are at the beginning of winter here in South Africa and the succulents are all starting to respond with their winter finery--the first being the Crassula multicava (Fairy crassula), which is already sporting its beautiful pink little stars. This is a true shade-loving succulent with glossy, oval-to-round leaves that are slightly darker in shade than in full sun. The flowers are petite, charming little stars, hence the common name fairy crassula, and appear in masses above the attractive leaves. The leaves contain hydathodes (water-secreting pores), which serve for rapid absorption of water from the leaf surface.

Because of its free-seeding, easy rooting and perennial nature, Crussula multicava is not endangered and generally occurs in abundance in its natural habitat. Since planting 5 little seedlings a few years ago, they have spread rapidly and I actually have to thin them out every season or else ... or else what? I don't actually know! lol! A garden covered in pink little stars wouldn't be that bad! 

Crassula multicava, indigenous to South Africa, occurs on forest margins, river and stream banks, and in coastal and subtropical thickets from Mpumulanga and KwaZulu-Natal to the Eastern and southern Cape. Plants show a preference for well-composted, deep soils as well as clay soils and occur in partial shade. They are found in sheltered frost-free areas.

During their "dormant" season, which is summer, they form a beautiful ground-cover and are excellent for borders.

Apart from seed dispersal, the plants easily root and spread from leaves that fall or break off from the mother plant. They also propagate themselves by producing plantlets on the flowerhead that drop off onto the soil beneath the parent plant, and develop into independent plants. During late summer they cover the ground in a thick carpet of tiny buds.

So, if you plant a few (maybe stolen from a friend?) multicava's, you will never be without a gift for another gardening friend!

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Crassula multicava

Crassula multicava (pics taken in Sheffield, Ballito, KwaZulu Natal

For months I've been passing this Crassula on my walks and then, suddenly this week, a pink mist of blooms greeted me as I rounded a bend. I knew all along that it was a Crassula, but the flowers finally allowed me to do a full identification.

Pronunciation - KRASS-yoo-la mul-tee-KAH-vuh
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English: Fairy crassula
Afrikaans: Skaduplakkie
IsiXhosa: intelezi; phewula
IsiZulu: umadinsane

    •    Canopy Shade
    •    Deep / Full Shade
    •    Dry Shade
    •    Light or Dappled Shade
    •    Partial Shade
    •    Sun
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Crassula multicava is particularly useful for dry shade and to cover unsightly spots. It is tender to frost. There is a distinct difference in appearance depending on the position in which the fairy crassula is planted: in deep shade the leaves are larger and dark green and the plant has fewer flowers while in full sun the leaves are smaller and light green and flowering is profuse.
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The flowers are tiny stars on thin stems held above the leaves

And just look at all the benefits of this gorgeous ground-cover!

    •    Attracts bees, butterflies or other insects
    •    Border
    •    Container
    •    Edging
    •    Filler
    •    Ground Cover
    •    Mass Planting
    •    Pioneer for new gardens
    •    Rock Garden
    •    Stabilize Banks
    •    Suitable for coastal gardens
    •    Wild Garden

Indigenous to South Africa, it is found from the southern part of the Western Cape, through the Eastern Cape to Natal and Mpumalanga, in thickets, along river and stream banks and in forest margins. Spreads easily, but it  responds well to pruning: use hedge cutters to remove as much of the foliage as you wish - recovery time is short and the reward is a dense carpet from which a pink mist of blooms will arise. Prune after flowering and seeding have taken place and again in early to mid- winter. Although very vigorous in well-composted, deep soils, this tough little crassula will thrive in clay or sandy soils. Give them a good start with some compost and mulch, and water until established. They propagate easily from seed, from stems and leaves that root and from tiny plants that grow on the tips of the flower stalks.

(Info from Khumbula Nursery)