Pondoland Crassula

Afrikaans name:

Pink flowers of Crassula streyi

Photo © Steven Herbert

Crassula streyi

The Pondoland Crassula is sometimes referred to as the Maroon-leaved Fairy Crassula.

Its preferred habitat is shaded rocky areas in forests as well as shaded area on cliff faces. It is found near the coast. It has a very limited distribution as it is confined to a small area in the north-eastern region of the Eastern Cape province and into southern KwaZulu-Natal.

It has a compact form and only grows to a height of about 35 cm. The leaves are green with white specks on top while underneath they are carmine red. They are almost round in shape. The tiny flowers are greenish white with a bit of red. The stems are red and give them an initial red appearance. The flowers appear in mid-winter.

It is regarded as being rare and wild specimens should not be collected. If you can get hold of a specimen, then it will make an interesting indoor plant as they don’t need much light. They can be grown from leaf or stem cuttings.

References and further reading

Succulent Flora of Southern Africa - 3rd edition - Author: Doreen Court - Published: 2010 - Page: 119

Field guide to Succulents of Southern Africa - Author: Gideon Smith & Neil Crouch - Published: 2017 - Page: 300

Guide to Succulents of Southern Africa - Author: Gideon Smith & Neil Crouch - Published: 2009 - Page: 81

Succulent Flora of Southern Africa - 3rd edition - Author: Doreen Court - Published: 2010 - Page: 96

A Field Guide to Wild Flowers in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Region - Author: Elsa Pooley - Published: 2005 - Page: 56

Wikipedia - Crassula streyi

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