Propeller Plant

• ​​​Common Name: Propeller Plant
  
• Scientific Name: Senecio crassissimus
  
• Family Name: Asteraceae
  
• Origin: Madagascar
  
• Height: 1 to 2 ft
  
• Width: 1 to 1.5 ft
  
• Growth: Moderate
  
• Zone: USDA Zones 10 through 11
  
• Light needs: Full sun to part shade.
  
• Salt tolerance: Low
  
• Soil/pH/Texture: Grows in sandy, well-draining soil with a pH between 6.0 and 7.0.
  
• Moisture: Water sparingly, allowing the soil to dry out completely between waterings.
  
• Drought tolerance: High
  
• Pests/Diseases: Aphids, mealybugs, and overwatering issues such as root rot.
  
• Growing conditions: Grow in a sunny, warm area with well-drained soil. Water sparingly, as overwatering this plant will cause it to become mushy and lose turgidity. In warmer climates, it grows as a perennial, and its growth season is in winter as opposed to other plants. In colder climates, it will need to be brought indoors when temperatures drop.
  
• Characteristics: This succulent plant has several fleshy, blue-green stems which fade to purple at the tips. Leaves are thick and elliptical and grow alternately along the stem; new leaves are purple, and older leaves retain purple margins. Flowers grow on a bright green peduncle which looks somewhat out of place among the blue-green foliage. The composite flowers have around 7 or 8 yellow ray florets surrounding the yellow center.
  
• Propagation: By seed or by cuttings.
  
• Wildlife: The flowers are attractive to insect pollinators.
  
• Facts: Propeller plants adapt to their hot and sunny environment by orienting their leaves such that none directly faces the sun, thereby reducing water loss.
  
• Designer considerations: Propeller plants fit well in a mixed succulent garden or container, especially when paired with aloe and other long-leafed succulents. 
  

Propeller Plant

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