- Author: Cindy Yee
Published on: March 3, 2022
One of my favorite succulents is Crassula capitella 'Campfire'. The nursery tag describes it as a 12-inch sun to part shade plant. Here's a picture of a nursery purchase. As in all succulents, the leaves are plump and fleshy because they store water. When the plant is in an all-day shade, the leaves will be green.
There are generally two conditions needed for the plant to change color: Sun stress and water stress. With adequate sun and limited water, the color can slowly change to a brilliant orange-pink hue. Too much water can change it back to green. I watered mine too much at first, and only the tips were slightly pink. The 2-year-old plant below has not had any water for 3 weeks.
Now in winter, 'Campfire' can be in all-day sun. However, during the hot summer (Fairfield, Zone 9b) it will be in morning sun and afternoon shade. It is potted in fast-draining succulent soil.
Seasoned gardeners find 'Campfire' easy to maintain. But as a gardening newbie, I have found Campfire to be highly susceptible to mealy bugs. That's partly because I was doing it wrong at first. Now I know that a weekly scan of the plant is very helpful in spotting and eradicating the pests. The slightest sign of a white cottony dot triggers a thorough spray bath of 70% alcohol to get rid of the buggers. Watering leaves in the evening during wet weather increases the chance of mealies (mealybugs).
To propagate 'Campfire', take cuttings, wait a couple of days to seal off the cut, then stick them in soil. This works for me better than trying to propagate the leaves. I could take cuttings from this plant and start a new pot but have decided to enjoy the trailing effect instead. So pretty.
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