Kingdom Plantae
Phylum Magnoliophyta
Class Magnoliopsida (Dicotyledons)
Sub-Class Rosidae
Order Rosales
Family Crassulaceae
Genus Dudleya
Species Approximately 60
A
polycarpic member of the
succulent family
Crassulaceae very similar in appearance to
sempervivum,
echeveria,
jovibarba,
etc. The primary visible difference between
dudleya and other similar
stonecrops is that
dudleya, when in proper light, tends to have a very
glaucous (and sometimes stark white) leaves. As well, as the plant ages, it will form a stout
stem.
Dudleya's long slender leaves range in colour from white to fuzzy blue-green and are often edged in startling orange, red and purple, or covered in
powder, called
farina. Many species will have bristly hairs (called
cilia) on the leaf margins or covering the entire leaf. Another visible difference is the flowering stem (inflorescence), on
Dudleya this grows laterally from the base of the
rosette and is usually
pink. Small
Spring and
Summertime blooms are usually bell-shaped with five radiating
petals. It is often seen growing in
stone crevasses or
sand dunes with little or no organic soil.
Dudleya is native to the
arid western
United States (in particular, the Southwest, Northern
California, and Oregon),
Baja California. Like
sempervivum, it is a frost-tolerant plant, and will survive temperatures of 20° and less (
fahrenheit).
After having been previously considered a part of the
Cotyledon and
Echeveria genera, the genus
Dudleya was formed, named after the Stanford Professor, William Dudley.
COMMON NAMES:
Live Forver, Canyon Live Forever, Rock Live Forever (note the name similar to the translation of
sempervivum, always live).
CONDITIONS PREFERRED:
As with most
Crassulaceae,
dudleya can tolerate very poor
soil conditions, so long as it is well draining. Bright
light is integral to the proper growth of this genus. Plants grown in low-light will lose their color, grow tall and spindly and will eventually die due to
etiolation.
Allow the
soil to completely dry out before watering, and be careful to avoid getting
water on the leaves (this is of utmost importance, particularly in plants with
farina).
Dudleya is FAR more likely to
survive under-watering than over-watering. Unlike many
crassulaceae,
dudleya should be watered during it's
dormant stage. Although it will not actively grow, it needs
water in the hot
summers.
Although this plant is not uncommon to
succulent hobbyist, it is rare to see the casual
gardener with plants of this
genus. Species vary in difficulty.
PROPAGATION:
The plant
propagates itself through offshoots, and given time one plant will form a dense mat of many. In
cultivation, propagation is usually achieved through gathering and planting
seeds, or
division and repotting of the
offsets. When a "pup" has established its own roots, it can be separated from the mother
plant.
PRUNING AND GENERAL CARE:
Pruning:
No pruning is necessary, although
dudleya will benefit from a beheading (
stem cutting) if the plant becomes tall and spindly or
etiolated. Be sure to keep the plant dry, and remove any leaves which have
died. This will help to avoid
rot and bugs. Avoid touching the healthy leaves of the
plant, as your body
oils will leave marks or remove
farina.
Tips:
- To save a plant which has begin to grow tall due to a lack of light (etiolation), cut the elongated stem as close to the rosette as possible. Allow the cut to callous by leaving it in the open air for a few days. Dip the cut into a rooting hormone (such as RootOne, which can be purchased almost anywhere you buy plants) and place into slightly moist succulent mix potting soil (even better is very lightly moist sand). Soon this will form it's own roots and grow as normal.
Problems:
In the event of an unhealthy plant, the first thing to examine is your watering habits. The most common problem is root
rot due to overwatering. If the
soil is too
wet, don't hope it will safely dry out so long as you don't water it for a while. Replace the
soil immediately, but be very careful in handling your
dudleya.
One of the most common pests to
houseplants is the mealybug, and your
dudleya may fall prey to this pest. However, due to the tightly packed leaves, more often than not the
mealybugs will attack the
roots. This makes them far less visible than
mealybugs which attack leaf-stem junctions. The symptoms of a root mealybug infestation is slowed or stopped growth (though in summer this is a normal sign of
dormancy). If this occurs without apparent cause, remove the plant from the pot and examine the roots. A white cottony substance on the roots and in the soil is a sure sign of mealybug infestation. Remove all
soil and wash the roots gently. Remove any roots which appear damaged with a sharp
sterile knife or
scissors. Let them dry very throroughly before replanting.
OF INTEREST:
- Some species are considered an edible and medicinal plant. The leaves and stems are steamed or boiled
- Some species are considered threatened (Dudleya stolonifera, Dudleya cymosa marcescens, Dudleya traskiae, and many others). This is due mostly to alien animal species which feed on these plants/
- Dudleya brittonii, from Baja California, forms huge rosettes that can reach over two feet in diameter.
- Dudleya grows almost exclusively in areas where frosts are quite uncommon, yet is very frost hardy.
references: Darren H. Burton, of San Diego State University, The Ruth Bancroft Garden