Crassula ovata 'Minor'

Name and origin of Crassula ovata 'Minor'

'Minor' is also sold under the cultivar name 'Minima'. It is a dwarf cultivated form of the jade plant.

The natural range of Crassula ovata extends from south-eastern Mozambique across much of eastern and southern South Africa. It grows there as a succulent shrub in dry subtropical habitats.

Caring for dwarf Crassula ovata 'Minor'

• Light: Very bright light and direct sun keep the growth dense and can bring out red colour along the leaf edges. Build up stronger sun gradually.
• Shape: Pinch or prune a growing tip if you want more branching. Make a clean cut and keep the fresh wound dry until it has sealed.
• Water: Allow the mix to dry throughout, then water well. Set the pot aside until the excess water has run out.
• Feeding: Two or three light applications during the main growing period are usually enough; use the label rate for succulents.
• Potting mix: Use succulent compost with grit, pumice or perlite for quick drainage.
• Temperature and humidity: Around 18–24°C works well during growth, with temperatures staying above roughly 10°C. Average room humidity is fine.

Crassula ovata 'Minor': leaf texture, spacing and pests

• Leaves wrinkle while the mix is dry: The plant has run short of water. Soak the pot thoroughly and let the excess run away.
• Soft translucent leaves with damp mix: The roots are holding too much moisture. Hold off on watering until the mix is fully dry, then make sure water escapes freely.
• Long, pale gaps between leaves: The plant needs stronger light to keep compact spacing. Move it into brighter light over several days and add direct sun in stages.
• Cottony patches or clusters of small insects: Mealybugs often form cottony patches, while aphids gather as small insects around fresh growth. Check the leaf bases and branch joints and clear small colonies by hand; if they return, use a succulent treatment exactly as its label directs.

Crassula ovata ‘Minor’ is toxic to cats and dogs

• Keep this plant away from cats and dogs that may chew it.
• Chewing may cause mouth irritation, vomiting, stomach pain or weakness.
• Contact a veterinarian after pet ingestion. Seek medical advice if a person swallows the plant and becomes unwell.

Why is it called Crassula ovata?

Crassula comes from the Latin crassus, meaning thick. The epithet ovata means egg-shaped and describes the fleshy leaves of the typical species.

Carl Linnaeus established the genus Crassula in 1753 in Species Plantarum, page 283.

Philip Miller first described it as Cotyledon ovata in 1768 in The Gardeners Dictionary, eighth edition, n.° 8. George Claridge Druce later placed it in Crassula as Crassula ovata in 1917 in Report of the Botanical Society and Exchange Club of the British Isles, volume 1916, page 617.