Scientific Name
Other Names
Life Form
Family
Ornamental - Popular houseplant due to its ease of care and attractive foliage. Can be shaped into a bonsai. Believed by some cultures to bring good luck and prosperity.
Mozambique to South Africa
Thrives in warm, dry climates with well-draining soil.
It is evergreen shrub typically 100-300 cm tall with a rounded bushy form can be trained into a small tree-like structure.
Stem is thick, woody branches with a smooth surface. New growth is green and succulent, becoming brown and woody with age, stem can reach diameters of 5-8 cm.
Leaves are thick, fleshy, smooth, and glossy, grow in opposite pairs along the stems. Each pair is roughly perpendicular to the one above and below, creating a cross-like pattern. Leaves are oval-shaped, typically 2.5-7.5 cm long and 1.5-3.8 cm wide. They are a rich jade green color, with some varieties developing red edges in bright sunlight.
Flowers are small, star-shaped in clusters at the branch tips, typically white or light pink with five petals.
Fruit is small, dry follicle containing tiny seeds. Not a prominent feature of the plant and rarely seen indoors.
Flowering: Early spring.