• Pachyphytum compactum f. cristatus hort.

• Pachyphytum compactum Rose
• Pachyphytum compactum f. cristatus hort.

Description: This is the crested form of Pachyphytum compactumSN|22247]]SN|22247]]. This succulent tend to grow both in height and in width, giving origin to a rounded mass. Leaves are distinctively patterned with lots of nice colour (especially when stressed by cold or drought).
Rosettes: Fan-shaped up to 5 cm across.
Leaves: Closely set at right angles to the stem, very fleshy, short cylindrical to chubby pointed, but somewhat flattened grey-green heavily veined with white and more or less purplish, somewhat glaucous, 2 to 2,5 cm long; The imprint from the neighbouring leaves gives the plant a distinctive appearance.
Flowers: Its short flower stalk bears but few flowers, dark red with greenish tips with typical scale-like appendages.
Blooming season: Spring.
Remarks: The white pruinose stem coatings of the plants in our collection sometime is not so intense as those of the plants in their natural habitat but the difference in coating is thought due to the higher humidity and less intense sunlight of our climate. Leaves easily fall off the stem.

Cultivation and Propagation: Easy to grow. Does great in succulent pots with other similar plants like Echeverias.
Soil: It will require a free draining compost.
Moisture: It needs regular water in summer, but reduce watering during winter month, but fairly drought tolerant elsewhere.
Sun exposure: It love full sun, with some shade during the hottest part of the day. A good light exposure helps to keep the plants compact and encourage leaf colour and flowering.
Hardiness: It is fairly hardy. During winter protect from freezing.
Maintenance: Like Graptopetalum and Echeveria, Pachyphytum is sensitive to being handled, as skin oil can damage leaves, in particular those with a pearlescent colouration or farina. After growing for several years tend to become untidy, and should be cut very short or restarted from cuttings.
Crested growth: Unlike 'monstrose' varieties of plants, where the variation from normal growth is due to genetic mutation, crested growth can occur on normal plants. Sometimes it's due to variances in light intensity, or damage, but generally the causes are unknown. A crested plant may have some areas growing normally, and a cresting plant that looks like a brain, may revert to normal growth for no apparent reason. If you have any of the crested part left you need to remove the normal growth and leave the crested part behind this will need to be done regularly.
Propagation: Cuttings.