Crassula ovata leaves

The leaves of Crassula ovata are thickly succulent, tapering to more or less pointed tips in an ovate shape as the specific name indicates. They have entire, smooth margins. The leaves grow stalkless in opposite pairs, decussately arranged, i.e. perpendicular to the previous pair.

The leaves become from 3 cm to 9 cm long and from 1,5 cm to 4 cm wide, usually closer to the lower limits. Old leaves drop off, resulting in bare stems, the leaves bunched at or near the stem tips.

The leaf colour is often a shiny bright green, in this picture with dark red colouring on the margins in the upper leaf parts. Some red shading and mottling can also be seen along the hairless surfaces. Leaves of a jade green colour are sometimes seen, although not here. The common name of jade plant is sometimes heard (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2010; Smith and Crouch, 2009; iSpot; www.plantzafrica.com).