Senecio mandraliscae “Blue Chalk Sticks” 2 1/2″

Senecio mandraliscae “Blue Chalk Sticks” 2 1/2″

Names and Synonyms: Kleinia mandraliscae, Kleinia comptonii, Senecio talinoides mandraliscae, Curio talinoides var. mandraliscae
Common Names: Blue Chalk Sticks, Blue Finger, Kleinia
Family: Asteraceae
Origin: South Africa
Size Label: 1 Gallon
Height: 1-2′
Width: 2-3′
Cold Tolerance: 15 to 20°F, -9.4 to -6.7°C
Heat Tolerance: Very high heat tolerance
Light Requirement: Full sun to light shade
Water needs: Drought tolerant

Maintenance: Remove dead flowers and stalks as desired. Plants should be removed and rerooted every three years or so. As the stem becomes longer it seems to grow slower. So every three years or so we dig up an area refresh it and replant with new cuttings. Don’t try this method during the peak summer months or all you get is fried cuttings. Better to refresh bed during mild months.
Uses: This succulent ground cover is well suited to lawn edges, borders and even median strips as it is drought tolerant but can take regular water. Its blue green color makes it an excellent contrast to deep burgundy aeoniums, phormiums and other dark foliaged plants. It works well in containers alone or combined with other succulents. Senecio mandraliscae also is good in xeriscape plantings. This plant tolerates salt spray.
Propagation: This plant is easily propagated from cuttings and can also be grown from seed.
Problems: Prefers well draining soils and requires them in wet, humid climates.
Special notes: This succulent makes a vibrant blue-green colored, fast-growing groundcover. It has pencil-like leaves that are slightly curved upward. This spreading succulent produces stems which crawl along the ground and eventually form fairly dense mats. It’s very drought-tolerant, but grows more quickly with regular irrigation. It is easy to keep it under control by breaking off stems and replanting them elsewhere. In spring it has small white daisy-like flowers followed by typical asteraceae (dandelion-like) seed puffs.