Crassula ovata Hobbit

The Crassula ovata 'Hobbit' is a "monstrous" form of the species with unusual, thick, fleshy leaves rolled up in closed cylinders, with a glossy green colour and the tips beautifully turning pink under the intense sun! It is a bush variety reaching about 1m (3ft) in height and with a woody and massive trunk and framework, giving it an attractive natural look. It is a tender perennial that can be grown either in the ground in very sheltered gardens in a hot climate or in a large pot stored in a bright, frost-free room when the first cold weather arrives. This indoor stay promotes winter flowering in charming small umbels of star-shaped flowers, pearly white with pink highlights on older specimens. This frost-sensitive plant is easily grown in full sun or bright partial shade in well-drained, light, sandy to gravelly dry soil in winter.

The Crassula ovata, also known as the Jade Tree, is a long-lived succulent perennial that belongs to the Crassulaceae family. Most species in the genus are native to South Africa, where they thrive in bright environments with well-drained, light, dry soils during winter. Crassula ovata is the most popular species. It is a succulent plant that requires little care and is commonly sold in garden centres and florists. In its native habitat, it can grow into a 2m (7ft) tall shrub. Being sensitive to freezing temperatures, significantly below -4°C (24.8°F), it is mainly grown in pots that are moved indoors, protected from frost, from late autumn onwards. Its weight and shallow root system require a large, heavy, stable pot, preferably stone or terracotta.

The Crassula ovata 'Hobbit' is a horticultural variety developed in California, characterised by a large framework, a good size, and persistent leaves that are partially rolled up into elongated tubes. It is a woody perennial plant with an upright, branching habit and slow growth. Its imposing silhouette, woody framework, thick stems, and branches make it resemble a miniature tree. The plant reaches about 1m (3ft) in all directions. The medium green leaves are fleshy, glossy, elliptical, 2 to 4cm (1 to 2in) long, and rolled up in more or less closed cylinders, with the concave tip turning pink or red in the sun. Flowering occurs in winter, between December and February, on mature plants. It forms very light corymbs of tiny star-shaped flowers, pearly white with pink highlights, measuring 2 to 8cm (1 to 3in) in diameter, grouped at the end of pink to bright red petioles.

Plant the Crassula ovata 'Hobbit' in a rock garden or on a well-drained slope if your garden is located by the sea, where temperatures do not drop below -4°C (24.8°F), alongside the Cape Aster Felicia amelloides, Delospermas, and purslanes that thrive in similar conditions. Elsewhere, you can plant it in a beautiful, heavy pot, alone or in combination with other succulent plants such as sempervivums.