Crassula rupestris buds

This branched cluster of Crassula rupestris buds is nearly flat on top. The tips of the five pink sepals have just been pushed apart by the emerging white petals, not yet unfurled. The buds are about 3 mm long when they open.

Flowering occurs in winter and spring, but this plant can hardly wait at the end of May in the Rooiberg (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; www.plantzafrica.com).