Calico Kitten Succulent

Calico Kitten Succulent (Crassula pellucida 'Calico Kitten') is a small trailing succulent that looks as though it has been painted. The pointed silver-green leaves are splashed with pink and cream, and the colours deepen in cold weather or a dry spell. It stays about 10cm tall but trails to 1m, so it spills from a hanging pot or creeps across a rockery with equal ease.

Why you'll love it

• Patterned leaves. Every leaf carries a splash of pink and cream over silver-green, so the plant has colour all year without needing to flower.
• Colour that improves under stress. Cold nights and dry spells push the pinks deeper, which is the reverse of what most plants do.
• Trails and spills. Long stems hang over the edge of a pot, basket or window box and give a soft, cascading line.
• Waterwise. Hardy and drought tolerant once established, it asks for little more than the occasional drink.
• Forgiving to grow. A good first succulent for a collection, indoors in a bright spot or outside in the garden.

Where it works best

Hanging baskets and window boxes. The 1m stems cascade over the rim. Keep it in bright light and let the mix dry out between waterings.

Waterwise rockery beds. Plant 50cm apart in gritty soil. Over a season or two the stems knit into a patterned mat among the rocks.

Indoor collections. A pot on a bright sill suits it well, and the trailing habit shows off best from a shelf or a macrame hanger.

Growing Calico Kitten Succulent in Australia

Position and climate. Bright sunlight gives the best colour. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, Mediterranean and dry inland gardens. In humid summers, and in the wet tropics, grow it in a pot or a raised gritty bed so drainage does the work. Frost can mark succulent leaves, so in frosty gardens keep it in a pot and move it under cover for winter.

Soil. Free-draining, gritty soil. Use a succulent and cactus mix in pots, and add coarse sand or fine gravel to garden beds. Heavy clay holds water around the stems, which is the quickest way to lose it.

Water and feed. Water sparingly, only when the soil is dry to the touch, and ease off in winter when temperatures drop. Container plants benefit from a slow release fertiliser in the growing seasons. Plants in the ground need none.

Pruning. None needed. If a stem gets straggly, trim it back to a node for a neater shape, and push the offcut into gritty mix to root a new plant.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Calico Kitten Succulent as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly. Tube stock comes from our grower and is not always available. The tube shows as sold out when the grower has none, and the notify button on the page emails you the day it is back. Expect a small plant with short stems at first, which starts to trail as it settles into bright light.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse our succulents
• Jade plants and crassulas
• Plants for rockeries
• Crassula care in our ripple jade guide

Common questions

Why is mine losing its pink?

The colour comes from bright light and cool or dry conditions. In low light the leaves turn greener and the stems stretch, so move the plant somewhere brighter.

How often should I water it?

Only when the soil is dry to the touch, and less in winter. Overwatering rots succulent stems far more often than drought harms them.

Is it safe for pets?

Crassulas are generally listed as toxic to cats and dogs, so keep it out of reach of animals that chew plants.