220 Species of Genus Crassula

A World of Succulents: My Exploration of the Crassula Genus

Hi, I’m Ferb Vu, and I’m fascinated by the world of succulents. Their diverse forms, resilience, and adaptability have always captivated me. Among my favorites is the Crassula genus, a vast and varied group of plants offering a seemingly endless array of shapes, sizes, and colors.

The Crassula genus, belonging to the Crassulaceae family, boasts around 200 accepted species. These plants are predominantly native to South Africa, but they can also be found in other parts of the world. What unites them are their succulent leaves and stems, which allow them to thrive in arid environments.

Diving Deep into Diversity

One of the things I find most intriguing about Crassula is the sheer diversity within the genus. From the familiar jade plant (Crassula ovata) with its thick, oval leaves, to the more unusual Crassula perforata with its stacked, fused leaves that appear to be threaded onto the stem, there’s a Crassula to suit every taste.

Some Crassula species, like Crassula muscosa, have a creeping growth habit, making them ideal for ground cover or hanging baskets. Others, such as Crassula arborescens, can grow into impressive shrub-like specimens. The variation in leaf shape is equally remarkable, ranging from the rounded leaves of Crassula rupestris to the pointed, almost spiky leaves of Crassula tetragona.

This diversity isn’t just aesthetically pleasing; it also reflects the adaptability of the genus. Different Crassula species have evolved to thrive in a variety of habitats, from rocky outcrops to coastal cliffs. This adaptability is part of what makes them such popular houseplants – they can tolerate a wide range of conditions.

More Than Just a Pretty Face

While I admire the beauty of Crassula, I’m also drawn to their resilience. These plants are incredibly tough, able to withstand drought, heat, and even a bit of neglect. This hardiness makes them ideal for beginner gardeners or those who don’t have a lot of time to dedicate to plant care.

But don’t mistake their toughness for simplicity. Crassula can be surprisingly nuanced in their care requirements. Some, like the jade plant, prefer bright, direct sunlight, while others, such as Crassula helmsii, thrive in partial shade. Understanding the specific needs of each species is key to keeping them healthy and happy.

A Closer Look at Some Notable Species

To give you a better sense of the diversity within the Crassula genus, let’s take a closer look at species:

1. Crassula acinaciformis Schinz
2. Crassula alata (Viv.) A.Berger
3. Crassula alba Forssk.
4. Crassula alcicornis Schönland
5. Crassula alpestris L.f.
6. Crassula alsinoides (Hook.f.) Engl.
7. Crassula alstonii Marloth
8. Crassula alticola R.Fern.
9. Crassula ammophila Toelken
10. Crassula ankaratrensis Desc.
11. Crassula anso-lerouxiae van Jaarsv.
12. Crassula aphylla Schönland & Baker f.
13. Crassula aquatica (L.) Schönland
14. Crassula arborescens (Mill.) Willd.
15. Crassula atropurpurea (Haw.) D.Dietr.
16. Crassula aurusbergensis G.Will.
17. Crassula ausensis Hutchison
18. Crassula badspoortensis van Jaarsv.
19. Crassula barbata Thunb.
20. Crassula barklyi N.E.Br.
21. Crassula basaltica Brullo & Siracusa
22. Crassula bergioides Harv.
23. Crassula bevilanensis Desc.
24. Crassula biplanata Haw.
25. Crassula brachystachya Toelken
26. Crassula brevifolia Harv.
27. Crassula calcarea N.H.G.Jacobsen
28. Crassula campestris (Eckl. & Zeyh.) Endl.
29. Crassula capensis (L.) Baill.
30. Crassula capitella Thunb.
31. Crassula ciliata L.
32. Crassula clavata N.E.Br.
33. Crassula closiana (Gay) Reiche
34. Crassula coccinea L.
35. Crassula colligata Toelken
36. Crassula colorata (Nees) Ostenf.
37. Crassula columella Marloth & Schönland
38. Crassula columnaris L.f.
39. Crassula compacta Schönland
40. Crassula congesta N.E.Br.
41. Crassula connata (Ruiz & Pav.) A.Berger
42. Crassula cooperi Regel
43. Crassula corallina L.f.
44. Crassula cordata Thunb.
45. Crassula cordifolia Baker
46. Crassula cotyledonis Thunb.
47. Crassula crassifolia N.H.G.Jacobsen
48. Crassula cremnophila van Jaarsv. & A.E.van Wyk
49. Crassula crenulata Thunb.
50. Crassula cultrata L.
51. Crassula cymbiformis Toelken
52. Crassula cymosa P.J.Bergius
53. Crassula deceptor Schönland & Baker f.
54. Crassula decidua Schönland
55. Crassula decumbens Thunb.
56. Crassula deltoidea Thunb.
57. Crassula dentata Thunb.
58. Crassula dependens Bolus
59. Crassula depressa (Eckl. & Zeyh.) Toelken
60. Crassula dichotoma L.
61. Crassula dodii Schönland & Baker f.
62. Crassula drummondii (Torr. & A.Gray) Fedde
63. Crassula elatinoides (Eckl. & Zeyh.) Friedrich
64. Crassula elegans Schönland & Baker f.
65. Crassula elsieae Toelken
66. Crassula ericoides Haw.
67. Crassula exilis Harv.
68. Crassula expansa Aiton
69. Crassula exserta (Reader) Ostenf.
70. Crassula extrorsa Toelken
71. Crassula fallax Friedrich
72. Crassula fascicularis Lam.
73. Crassula filiformis (Eckl. & Zeyh.) D.Dietr.
74. Crassula flanaganii Schönland & Baker f.
75. Crassula flava L.
76. Crassula floribunda (Friedrich ex Toelken) N.R.Crouch, Gideon F.Sm. & D.Styles
77. Crassula foveata van Jaarsv.
78. Crassula fragarioides van Jaarsv. & Helme
79. Crassula fusca Herre
80. Crassula garibina Marloth & Schönland
81. Crassula gemmifera Friedrich
82. Crassula globularioides Britten
83. Crassula glomerata P.J.Bergius
84. Crassula grammanthoides (Schönland) Toelken
85. Crassula granvikii Mildbr.
86. Crassula grisea Schönland
87. Crassula helmsii (Kirk) Cockayne
88. Crassula hemisphaerica Thunb.
89. Crassula hirsuta Schönland & Baker f.
90. Crassula hirtipes Harv.
91. Crassula humbertii Desc.
92. Crassula hunua A.P.Druce
93. Crassula inandensis Schönland & Baker f.
94. Crassula inanis Thunb.
95. Crassula intermedia Schönland
96. Crassula karroica N.H.G.Jacobsen
97. Crassula kirkii (Allan) A.P.Druce & Given
98. Crassula lactea Aiton
99. Crassula lanuginosa Harv.
100. Crassula lasiantha E.Mey. ex Harv.
101. Crassula latibracteata Toelken
102. Crassula leachii R.Fern.
103. Crassula longipes (Rose) M.Bywater & Wickens
104. Crassula macowaniana Schönland & Baker f.
105. Crassula manaia A.P.Druce & Sykes
106. Crassula maputensis R.Fern.
107. Crassula × marchandii Friedrich
108. Crassula mataikona A.P.Druce
109. Crassula mesembryanthemopsis Dinter
110. Crassula mesembryanthoides (Haw.) D.Dietr.
111. Crassula micans Vahl ex Baill.
112. Crassula minuta Toelken
113. Crassula minutissima Skottsb.
114. Crassula mollis Thunb.
115. Crassula moniliformis N.H.G.Jacobsen
116. Crassula montana L.f.
117. Crassula morrumbalensis R.Fern.
118. Crassula × mortii Gideon F.Sm. & N.R.Crouch
119. Crassula moschata G.Forst.
120. Crassula multicaulis (Petrie) A.P.Druce & Given
121. Crassula multicava Lem.
122. Crassula multiceps Harv.
123. Crassula multiflora Schönland & Baker f.
124. Crassula muricata Thunb.
125. Crassula muscosa L.
126. Crassula namaquensis Schönland & Baker f.
127. Crassula nanshanchunensis (S.S.Ying) S.S.Ying
128. Crassula natalensis Schönland
129. Crassula natans Thunb.
130. Crassula nemorosa (Eckl. & Zeyh.) Endl.
131. Crassula nodulosa Schönland
132. Crassula nudicaulis L.
133. Crassula numaisensis Friedrich
134. Crassula nyikensis Baker
135. Crassula oblanceolata Schönland & Baker f.
136. Crassula obovata Haw.
137. Crassula obtusa Haw.
138. Crassula orbicularis L.
139. Crassula ovata (Mill.) Druce
140. Crassula pageae Toelken
141. Crassula pallens Schönland & Baker f.
142. Crassula papillosa Schönland & Baker f.
143. Crassula peculiaris (Toelken) Toelken & Wickens
144. Crassula peduncularis (Sm.) Cambess.
145. Crassula pellucida L.
146. Crassula peploides Harv.
147. Crassula perfoliata L.
148. Crassula perforata Thunb.
149. Crassula phascoides (Griseb.) M.Bywater
150. Crassula planifolia Schönland
151. Crassula plegmatoides Friedrich
152. Crassula pruinosa L.
153. Crassula pseudhemisphaerica Friedrich
154. Crassula pubescens Thunb.
155. Crassula purcellii Schönland
156. Crassula pustulata Toelken
157. Crassula pyramidalis Thunb.
158. Crassula qoatlhambensis Hargr.
159. Crassula quadrifaria N.Jacobsen
160. Crassula radicans (Haw.) D.Dietr.
161. Crassula rattrayi Diels ex Schönland & Baker f.
162. Crassula rhodesica (Merxm.) Wickens & M.Bywater
163. Crassula rogersii Schönland
164. Crassula roggeveldii Schönland
165. Crassula ruamahanga A.P.Druce
166. Crassula rubricaulis Eckl. & Zeyh.
167. Crassula rudolfii Schönland & Baker f.
168. Crassula rupestris L.f.
169. Crassula saginoides (Maxim.) M.Bywater & Wickens
170. Crassula sandrae N.H.G.Jacobsen
171. Crassula sarcocaulis Eckl. & Zeyh.
172. Crassula sarmentosa Harv.
173. Crassula saxifraga Harv.
174. Crassula scabra L.
175. Crassula × scabrella Haw.
176. Crassula schimperi Fisch. & C.A.Mey.
177. Crassula sebaeoides (Eckl. & Zeyh.) Toelken
178. Crassula sediflora (Eckl. & Zeyh.) Endl.
179. Crassula sericea Schönland
180. Crassula × serpentaria Schönland
181. Crassula setulosa Harv.
182. Crassula sieberiana (Schult. & Schult.f.) Druce
183. Crassula simulans Schönland
184. Crassula sinclairii (Hook.f.) A.P.Druce & Given
185. Crassula sladenii Schönland
186. Crassula smithii van Jaarsv., D.G.A.Styles & G.McDonald
187. Crassula socialis Schönland
188. Crassula solieri (Gay) F.Meigen
189. Crassula southii Schönland
190. Crassula spathulata Thunb.
191. Crassula streyi Toelken
192. Crassula strigosa L.
193. Crassula stylesii Gideon F.Sm. & N.R.Crouch
194. Crassula subacaulis Schönland & Baker f.
195. Crassula subaphylla (Eckl. & Zeyh.) Harv.
196. Crassula subulata L.
197. Crassula susannae Rauh & Friedrich
198. Crassula tabularis Dinter
199. Crassula tecta Thunb.
200. Crassula tenuicaulis Schönland
201. Crassula tenuipedicellata Schönland & Baker f.
202. Crassula tetragona L.
203. Crassula tetramera (Toelken) A.P.Druce & Sykes
204. Crassula thunbergiana Schult.
205. Crassula tillaea Lest.-Garl.
206. Crassula tomentosa Thunb.
207. Crassula tuberella Toelken
208. Crassula umbella Jacq.
209. Crassula umbellata Thunb.
210. Crassula umbraticola N.E.Br.
211. Crassula undulata Haw.
212. Crassula vaginata Eckl. & Zeyh.
213. Crassula vaillantii (Willd.) Roth
214. Crassula venezuelensis (Steyerm.) M.Bywater & Wickens
215. Crassula vestita Thunb.
216. Crassula viridis (S.Watson) M.Bywater & Wickens
217. Crassula volkensii Engl.
218. Crassula werneri N.H.G.Jacobsen
219. Crassula whiteheadii Harv.
220. Crassula zombensis Baker f.

My Continued Fascination

My journey with Crassula is far from over. I’m constantly learning new things about these fascinating plants, and I’m always on the lookout for new species to add to my collection. The world of Crassula is vast and varied, and I’m excited to continue exploring it.

Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting out, I highly recommend giving Crassula a try. These resilient and beautiful plants are sure to bring you joy for years to come.