Succulent lovers have a new kid in town, Crassula wine cup
plants. Crassula umbella is a fairly rare and hard to acquire specimen.
The plant is so difficult to source that expert collectors have trouble finding
it, so if you know someone with this succulent, get a cutting quickly!
About Crassula Wine Cup Plants
The succulent group Crassula has many species and
hybrids. They are interesting plants to cultivate and breed. Only true
succulent enthusiasts seem to be growing Crassula wine cups due to the plant’s
scarcity. Wine cup succulents are truly adorable and well worth sourcing, if
possible. Not only having a unique appearance but the ease of wine cup plant
care makes it a succulent well worth acquiring.
The name, wine cup succulents, is a bit misleading. The
plant is a succulent
but its resemblance to a wine cup is a bit of a stretch. The leaf form more
accurately resembles a bowl or upside-down umbrella, with shallow curved leaf
edges. The underside of the green leaves is reddish. The leaves are on erect
stems with new leaves appearing above the old.
The flowers are tiny and in clusters on top of stalks. They
are greenish, rounded with pink edges. The entire plant will only achieve a
height of six inches (15 cm.) when mature.
Growing Crassula Wine Cups
Succulents are among the easiest plants to grow. Although it
is commonly thought they need little water, they actually need regular
moisture. This plant is drought tolerant once established, but really performs
best when kept lightly moist.
Use a well-draining medium such as a cactus
mix or make
your own with equal parts loam, sand, and perlite. Make sure you use a
container with wide drainage holes. Pots that are not glazed are best for
succulents, as they allow any excess water to evaporate easily.
Crassulas are not hardy and should be grown indoors in
bright light unless you live in USDA
zone 9 or above.
Wine Cup Plant Care
The worst mistake in succulent
care is overwatering, which causes rot. Once you have irrigation down, the
plant has few needs. Feed in spring with a half diluted succulent
fertilizer.
Watch for mealybugs
and treat as needed. Repot every few years. Make sure soil is dry prior to
potting and use fresh planting soil. The plants like to be pot bound and do not
need much room in the container.
Since these are so rare, if you are lucky enough to have
one, start some for your friends. Simply take a leaf from the plant and lay it
on moistened sand. Soon it will sprout roots and can be potted in regular soil.
Succulent lovers have a new kid in town, Crassula wine cup
plants. Crassula umbella is a fairly rare and hard to acquire specimen.
The plant is so difficult to source that expert collectors have trouble finding
it, so if you know someone with this succulent, get a cutting quickly!
About Crassula Wine Cup Plants
The succulent group Crassula has many species and
hybrids. They are interesting plants to cultivate and breed. Only true
succulent enthusiasts seem to be growing Crassula wine cups due to the plant’s
scarcity. Wine cup succulents are truly adorable and well worth sourcing, if
possible. Not only having a unique appearance but the ease of wine cup plant
care makes it a succulent well worth acquiring.
The name, wine cup succulents, is a bit misleading. The
plant is a succulent
but its resemblance to a wine cup is a bit of a stretch. The leaf form more
accurately resembles a bowl or upside-down umbrella, with shallow curved leaf
edges. The underside of the green leaves is reddish. The leaves are on erect
stems with new leaves appearing above the old.
The flowers are tiny and in clusters on top of stalks. They
are greenish, rounded with pink edges. The entire plant will only achieve a
height of six inches (15 cm.) when mature.
Growing Crassula Wine Cups
Succulents are among the easiest plants to grow. Although it
is commonly thought they need little water, they actually need regular
moisture. This plant is drought tolerant once established, but really performs
best when kept lightly moist.
Use a well-draining medium such as a cactus
mix or make
your own with equal parts loam, sand, and perlite. Make sure you use a
container with wide drainage holes. Pots that are not glazed are best for
succulents, as they allow any excess water to evaporate easily.
Crassulas are not hardy and should be grown indoors in
bright light unless you live in USDA
zone 9 or above.
Wine Cup Plant Care
The worst mistake in succulent
care is overwatering, which causes rot. Once you have irrigation down, the
plant has few needs. Feed in spring with a half diluted succulent
fertilizer.
Watch for mealybugs
and treat as needed. Repot every few years. Make sure soil is dry prior to
potting and use fresh planting soil. The plants like to be pot bound and do not
need much room in the container.
Since these are so rare, if you are lucky enough to have
one, start some for your friends. Simply take a leaf from the plant and lay it
on moistened sand. Soon it will sprout roots and can be potted in regular soil.