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Cotyledon elisae
The spiny plant prefers a sunny habitat.
Water a few days after the substrate has dried out. Reduce watering in winter.
It can tolerate -3.9 °C in the short term. However, the plant is not hardy.
At flowering time, the succulent already illuminates every observer from a distance. The very attractive red flowers are complemented by the contrasting leaves. The dark edges of the leaves contrast with the juicy, rich green.
Cotyledon elisae is a succulent plant native to the Western Cape of South Africa, specifically the Karoo and Bushveld Valley ecoregions. It was named in honour of Mrs Elise Bodley, who illustrated plants of the genera Cotyledon and Tylecodon and other South African species.
The leaves are green with a tinge of yellow-green and have a contrasting red edge from the tip to mid-length of the leaf. They are sticky and glandularly hairy, bilaterally convex and with a petiole 2 - 3 mm long. In the dry season the lower old leaves dry slightly. The stem is woody, grey and up to 5 mm in diameter. When young, it is glandular and hairy with peeling bark. The plant grows as a branched, round and succulent shrub that grows up to 20 cm tall (without inflorescence).
The individual flowers are quite large, bell-shaped and downward sloping. The crown of the flowers is orange-red to deep red in colour, with yellow stamens protruding from it. The flowers usually appear on low stalks in late summer, but the stalks are not always low.
Cotyledon elisae is a hardy and undemanding succulent plant that is easy to grow. The succulent does not benefit from fertilization. It is also suitable for placing in succulent buckets and is an ideal choice for growers looking for an undemanding yet beautiful succulent plant. The attractive flowers are eye-catching from a distance at flowering time, and the dark leaf tips are a delight to behold with their contrast.