Miniature pine tree (Crassula tetragona)
Description
Crassula tetragona is an evergreen succulent plant up to 3.3 feet (1 m) tall. The narrow, almost needle-like foliage and sparsely branched, shrubby, tree-like habit of this South African native have caused it to be misleadingly dubbed “miniature pine”. The apple-green, awl-shaped leaves occur in well-spaced pairs along fleshy upright stems that can reach waist height. Stem is woody with brown bark. Dense clusters of small creamy-white flowers appear at the branch tips in spring and summer. Crassula tetragona is a succulent plant native to Southern Africa. It is widely distributed from the Orange River boundary of Namaqualand to beyond the Kei River in the Eastern Cape. "Tetragona" comes from the phyllotaxy of the leaves. It is popularly named the "miniature pine tree" among ornamental plant enthusiasts, for its popular use as a "pine tree" in Bonsai. The plant requires a reasonable amount of water; more water is needed if flower buds are present. Most species prefer full sun, although some sub-species could be sensitive to too much sun. The plant is resistant to frost, but temperatures above 40 °F (4 °C) (6C) are best. The plant may be propagated from leaves and cuttings. It does not suffer from pests, other than the occasional mealy bug.
Taxonomic tree
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Domain: Eukarya
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Kingdom: Plantae
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Phylum:
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Class: Magnoliopsida
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Order: Saxifragales
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Family: Crassulaceae
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Genus: Crassula
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