Family
Crassulaceae
Botanical Name
Orostachys spinosa
Plant Common Name
Spiny Pennywort
General Description
Grown for its ornamental rosettes of fleshy, bristle-tipped leaves, this low evergreen perennial from northeastern Asia resembles a spiny hen and chicks.
The symmetrical, dome-shaped rosettes of this rock-hardy perennial are crowded with numerous gray-green, oblong, succulent leaves, each ending in a white prickle. The rosettes are denser and more compact in winter, and looser and leafier in summer. Winter rosettes are sometimes "sunflower-shaped", comprising a tight central rosette and an outer fringe of relatively long, broad "summer" leaves. Plants multiply via short-stalked offsets to form colonies of rosettes. In summer, older rosettes may bear foxtail-shaped clusters of small, creamy yellow blooms atop broad, compact, densely leaved stalks. Rosettes that flower die soon thereafter.
Like other succulents, spiny pennywort doesn't ask for deep soils but prefers an infertile, sharply drained growing medium, kept relatively dry in winter. It fares poorly in hot humid summers, and may It may require afternoon shade in hot arid regions. Plant this hardy succulent in sandy gravelly infertile soil in sunny to partly shaded rock gardens, stone troughs, or crevices. Offsets may be severed and rooted in sand to create a whole new plant. Severed offsets are also useful for filling the gaps left by dead rosettes.
Characteristics
-
AHS Heat Zone
8 - 1
-
USDA Hardiness Zone
4 - 8
-
Plant Type
Cactus or Succulent
-
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial Shade
-
Height
4"-14" / 10.2cm - 35.6cm
-
Width
4"-12" / 10.2cm - 30.5cm
-
Bloom Time
Summer
-
Native To
Russia/Siberia, Eastern Asia, China
Growing Conditions
-
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
-
Soil Drainage
Well Drained
-
Soil type
Sand
-
Tolerances
Drought
-
Growth Rate
Medium
-
Water Requirements
Drought Tolerant, Average Water
-
Habit
Rosette/Stemless
-
Seasonal Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
