Fakes in Nature – Nature Tuesday Challenge

This senico barbertonicus is a stunning succulent which looks like a miniature pine tree. The apple green, needle like leaves of this succulent draws all attention towards itself. In South Africa, which is its native terrain  it grows up to a height of almost 2 meters. When grown like a succulent in small pots these plants don’t grow very tall. Although they look like pines have distinct personality and characteristics of their own.

In winter the senico barbertonicus  produces fragrant blooms which are yellow in color. These blooms appear at the tips of the branches and make for a lovely spectacle.  The crassula tetrogona  is another similar looking succulent with slightly darker and shorter leaves which also look like pine trees. These are great for succulent terrariums or even bonsai trays as these have tree like appearances and can be used to create forest like looks.

The woody trunks of these plants give them the look of aged pine trees. The senico barbertonicus and the crassula tetragona can be grow from leaves and stem cuttings. When growing from stem cuttings it is important to let the cut ends scar before planting them. This is a rule with most succulents that we always lay the leaves and stems aside in the shade for a few days before planting them or leaving them on trays with moist soil.

These succulents prefer a slightly acidic soil, but they are not fussy and will grow in any kind of soil, though their growth may mot be as luscious as in soil of their preference.

Since we cannot have pines in our home gardens I love these refreshing looking pine like succulents in my garden.  More than everything the eye-catching bright green of the leaves bring so much freshness and color to my garden.