Crassula expansa subsp. fragilis

Crassula expansa subsp. fragilis is an evergreen, ground covering perennial. The leaf succulent reaches heights around 25 cm and spreads to about 50 cm.

The leaves are flattened, succulent discs, sometimes slightly elliptic or obovate. While the leaves are fresh to pale green, the stems are pinkish to maroon. Fine whitish hairs may be scattered along the leaf and stem surfaces, as well as gland dots on the leaves. The stems are brittle as the subspecies epithet fragilis indicates.

The distribution ranges across the eastern part of South Africa, from the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal to Mpumalanga, Gauteng and Limpopo. It grows in some neighbouring countries, at least as far as Angola and Zambia; also on Madagascar.

The habitat is rocky slopes and open grassland in the summer rainfall area. The subspecies is not considered threatened in habitat early in the twenty first century.

As a garden plant this Crassula is slightly cold resistant and needs only limited watering. It will grow in full sun, probably better in partial or dappled shade. It may be semi-deciduous, depending on the living conditions. A container may be a good idea, or a rockery from where it can’t spread more than it is intended to, as some invasive capacity in favourable conditions should be expected (Smith, et al, 2017; Germishuizen and Fabian, 1982; www.kumbulanursery.co.za; http://redlist.sanbi.org).