Crassula marginalis rubra Variegata ‘Calico Kitten’ Succulent Live Plant

Overview

Introduce a splash of vibrant color and unique texture to your plant collection with the stunning Crassula Calico Kitten succulent. This captivating live plant, botanically known as Crassula marginalis rubra Variegata ‘Calico Kitten’, is cherished for its distinctive foliage. Native to South Africa, this charming succulent is a compact grower, typically reaching up to 6 inches in height. Its small, heart-shaped leaves display a beautiful variegation of green, pink, and creamy white, with the pink hues becoming more pronounced when the plant receives ample sunlight or experiences mild stress. The ‘Calico Kitten’ is an excellent choice for succulent enthusiasts and beginners alike, offering visual interest and requiring minimal maintenance. It thrives in bright environments and makes a wonderful addition to rock gardens, container arrangements, or as a delightful standalone potted plant indoors.

Key Benefits

The Crassula Calico Kitten succulent offers numerous advantages, making it a highly desirable plant for various settings. Its striking appearance and drought-tolerant nature contribute to its widespread appeal, ensuring it remains a favorite among plant lovers. This variegated succulent plant is not only beautiful but also resilient.

• Stunning Visual Appeal: The ‘Calico Kitten’ boasts gorgeous heart-shaped leaves with a captivating blend of green, pink, and cream. This colorful variegation adds a unique aesthetic to any space, making it a focal point in your plant display.
• Low Maintenance: Ideal for busy individuals or those new to plant care, this Crassula requires minimal attention. It is drought-tolerant and forgiving, thriving on infrequent watering and bright light.
• Compact Growth Habit: Growing to a maximum of 6 inches, the Crassula Calico Kitten succulent is perfect for small spaces, windowsills, terrariums, or as part of a mixed succulent planter. Its manageable size makes it versatile for various indoor and outdoor applications.
• Color-Changing Foliage: The intensity of the pink coloration in the leaves can increase with more sunlight exposure, offering a dynamic and evolving display throughout the seasons. This natural color transformation adds an extra layer of enjoyment.
• Air Purification: Like many succulents, the ‘Calico Kitten’ contributes to a healthier indoor environment by helping to purify the air, albeit on a smaller scale than larger plants. It’s a small but mighty addition to your home.
• Easy Propagation: This succulent is relatively easy to propagate from stem cuttings, allowing you to expand your collection or share with friends. This makes it a rewarding plant for those interested in growing new plants.
• Drought Tolerant: Its succulent nature means it stores water in its leaves, making it highly resilient to periods of drought. This characteristic reduces the need for frequent watering, perfect for forgetful gardeners.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your Crassula Calico Kitten succulent is straightforward, making it an excellent choice for both novice and experienced gardeners. Providing the right conditions will ensure your Crassula marginalis rubra thrives and displays its most vibrant colors. This plant prefers conditions that mimic its native South African habitat.

For optimal growth and coloration, provide your ‘Calico Kitten’ with full sunlight. This means at least 6 hours of direct sun per day, especially if you want to encourage those beautiful pink hues. If growing indoors, a south-facing window is ideal. Ensure good air circulation to prevent fungal issues. When it comes to watering, the key is to allow the soil to dry out completely between waterings. Overwatering is the most common cause of succulent demise. Water thoroughly until water drains from the bottom of the pot, then wait until the soil is bone dry before watering again. Reduce watering significantly in the cooler, dormant months.

The best soil for this heart-shaped succulent is a well-drained mix specifically formulated for succulents and cacti. A good blend typically contains a large proportion of granular matter like pumice, perlite, or grit, with less peat soil, to ensure quick drainage and prevent root rot. Ceramic pots are recommended over plastic or unglazed clay, as they offer a good balance of permeability, preventing the soil from staying wet for too long. The ideal temperature range for ‘Calico Kitten’ is 64-77°F (18-25°C), preferring a warm growing environment. It can tolerate average household humidity levels when grown indoors, making it an easy companion for most homes. Fertilize sparingly, once or twice during the growing season (spring and summer) with a diluted succulent fertilizer.

Size & Details

The Crassula Calico Kitten succulent is a delightful, small-growing plant that adds charm to any collection. Typically, these plants can grow up to 6 inches in height, forming a dense mat or trailing over the edges of pots. The leaves are small, heart-shaped, and densely packed along the stems. We offer these plants in various sizes, with 2-inch plants typically shipped with their pot and soil to ensure minimal disturbance during transit. Larger 4-inch plants and above are generally shipped bare-root, which helps to preserve the plant’s health and reduce shipping stress. You will receive a plant very similar to the one pictured, though natural variations in shape and color are to be expected. This Calico Kitten care guide ensures you’re ready for its arrival. It has a moderate growth rate and will gradually fill its container, eventually trailing gracefully if given the space.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this Crassula Calico Kitten succulent get? A: The Crassula Calico Kitten succulent typically grows to a compact size, reaching up to 6 inches (15 cm) in height. It forms a mounding or trailing habit, making it ideal for small spaces and hanging baskets.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: While it can thrive outdoors in warm climates (USDA zones 9-11), the Crassula ‘Calico Kitten’ is also an excellent indoor plant, especially when provided with ample bright light. It’s versatile for various settings.
• Q: How much sunlight does the variegated succulent plant need? A: This succulent requires full sunlight to partial sun, ideally 6 or more hours of direct sunlight daily, to maintain its vibrant pink and cream variegation. Less light may result in greener foliage.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Yes, the Crassula Calico Kitten succulent is considered an easy-care plant, suitable for beginners. Its drought tolerance and minimal needs make it very forgiving, provided it gets enough light and proper watering.
• Q: What condition will it arrive in? A: Smaller 2-inch plants are typically shipped in their pot with soil. Larger sizes (4 inches and up) are often shipped bare-root to ensure health and safety during transit. You will receive a healthy, similar plant to the one shown.
• Q: What is the best soil type for this heart-shaped succulent? A: A well-draining succulent or cactus potting mix is essential. This prevents waterlogging and root rot, which are common issues for succulents. You can amend regular potting soil with perlite or pumice for better drainage.
• Q: How often should I water my Crassula marginalis rubra? A: Water only when the soil has completely dried out. This could be every 2-4 weeks depending on your climate and pot size. Always err on the side of underwatering rather than overwatering.
• Q: Can the color of the Calico Kitten change? A: Yes, the pink and cream colors in the leaves of the Crassula Calico Kitten succulent intensify and become more vibrant with increased sunlight exposure and cooler temperatures. This natural stress brings out its best coloration.
• Q: What is the ideal temperature for this succulent? A: It prefers warm temperatures between 64-77°F (18-25°C). It should be protected from freezing temperatures, as it is not frost-hardy.
• Q: Does this plant have any specific humidity requirements? A: No, the ‘Calico Kitten’ thrives in average household humidity levels, making it well-suited for most indoor environments without special humidity considerations.