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Senecio sempervivus ssp. grantii
I place the plant in full sun, it can tolerate partial shade in summer.
Always water a few days after the substrate has dried out. In winter, limit watering.
It likes room temperatures, but can tolerate short periods of 0 °C. The plant is not hardy.
This plant will impress with its striking flowers and atypical tubers.
Senecio sempervivus ssp. grantii, also known as Kleinia semperviva, is a succulent plant that has two subspecies with different flowers: ssp. grantii (red flowers, stalk up to 40 cm) and ssp. sempervivus (pink flowers, stalk up to 20 cm).
The leaves are blue, grey and purple. They are soft, thick, fleshy and covered with a waxy coating. The lower leaves dry naturally. The plant can reach a height of up to 30 cm and has a caudex-shaped root which requires plenty of space in the container, especially in width. The caudex is a labyrinth of thickened and variously twisted roots. It gives the plant a quirky, exotic look for which it is very popular with growers.
At flowering time, inflorescences 20 to 40 cm tall grow from the tops. The flower will stay open for several days and if pollination occurs, white fluffy seeds will form. The seeds can then fly out with the wind. The flowers are deep red in colour and very distinctive in shape.
The plant is suitable for creating succulent bonsai and produces interesting shapes when the tubers are lifted from the substrate. I recommend planting in a low jardiniere to give the roots more room to grow. Growing this plant is not too difficult and offers an aesthetically appealing view of its unique shapes and stunning flowers.