Senecio crassissimusVertical Leaf Senecio

Senecio crassissimus solves the heat problem by turning its leaves edge-on to the sun. Thick, flattened, oval leaves in powdery blue-grey, rimmed in purple, are held vertically on upright purple stems, so the plant presents almost no surface to the midday sky.

That gives it a hard graphic quality that suits gravel gardens and raised planters, and it holds the colour without irrigation once its roots are down.

Specifications

• Height0.4 to 0.6 metres
• Width0.3 to 0.6 metres
• Native toMadagascar
• FoliageThick, flattened, oval blue-grey leaves edged in purple and held vertically; evergreen
• Growth rateModerate

Conditions

• SoilRequires sharply drained, gritty soil; will not tolerate heavy or wet ground
• LightFull sun to bright light
• WaterVery low; drought-tolerant and damaged by overwatering
• ClimateThrives in arid, semi-arid and Mediterranean regions; sensitive to frost

Additional Features

• FlowersSmall yellow daisy flowers carried on tall stems above the foliage
• UsesGravel gardens, xeriscape schemes, raised planters, rockeries and low massed succulent beds
• SpacingPlant 0.3 to 0.4 metres apart for a continuous succulent layer
• Low MaintenanceTip prune to keep plants compact; remove spent flower stems
• Pest ResistanceGenerally untroubled in a dry, free-draining position
• Drought ToleranceThick leaves hold reserves and carry the plant through extended drought
• FormUpright purple stems carrying blue-grey leaves edge-on to the sun

The Vertical Leaf Senecio brings a strong blue-grey and a hard vertical leaf line to a dry planting scheme, on almost no water.