Fauna
Plant

Red Treasure

Crassula perfoliata

Also known as Propeller Plant, Airplane Plant, Scarlet Paintbrush

Crassula perfoliata produces striking, sickle-shaped grey-green leaves arranged in opposite pairs that clasp tightly around a sturdy stem. During midsummer, mature plants send up dense, flat-topped flower heads packed with tiny, brilliant scarlet or white blossoms that act as beacons for butterflies and long-tongued bees. Highly adapted to arid rocky slopes, it utilizes specialized Crassulacean Acid Metabolism to exchange gases at night, conserving vital moisture during intense heat.

SucculentDrought TolerantFlowering
Red Treasure reference1 / 7
(c) Karen Eichholz, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Karen Eichholz · cc-by
—observations
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyAutotroph (Photosynthesis)
Predators
  • Baboons
  • Tortoises
  • Herbivorous insects
ThreatsIllegal succulent harvesting, land development, overgrazing
HabitatsRocky outcrops, succulent thickets, dry bushveld
Life span10–30 years
Classification
  1. OrderSaxifragales
  2. FamilyCrassulaceae
  3. GenusCrassula
  4. SpeciesCrassula perfoliata
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskHigh
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is high
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Cultivation: Provide gritty, sharply draining soil and intense sunlight to maintain compact leaf growth.
  • Seasonal observation: Look for bright scarlet flower umbels during the heat of midsummer.
  • Wild etiquette: Refrain from taking cuttings or collecting specimens in native Southern African reserves.
Related species
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