Crassula ausensis ssp. titanopsis (3 pics)

It's spring for everybody!

I wanted to grow more Crassulas several years ago but was not very successful in it. I'm not that good with bigger plants. The only plant that stayed with me in its initial form is this Crassula ausensis ssp. titanopsis. There is a good and a not-so-good side to this plant. The good side is that it is flowering a lot. And by that I mean really a lot. Like going on for half a year, at least. It's wonderful and beautiful and makes me happy. Unfortunately all this flowering leaves the plant very weak when it ends. The poor thing gets yellow and sad. And then the winter comes and it stays yellow and sad. I'm always worried it won't recover.

But then, when it gets sunnier and warmer outside, it starts pushing all those fresh green leaves with cute red tips and snowflake patterns. What a sight! All plumped up and pretty. The more leaves it grows during this short period of time the better. Because once it starts pushing flowers, almost no more new leaves will grow. 

Luckily the growth spurt is usually massive and you can easily get cuttings as backup copies. Mine have been flowering, too. And looking miserable afterwards. But like their mother plant they have recovered in the spring and are now perfect cute little planties, growing more branches out of their sides.