Kleinia ficoides
A large evergreen drought-tolerant succulent with arching 3–5 ft stems and bluish-grey narrow leaves with a powdery bloom, thriving in full sun on well-drained soil and hardy to about 25°F.
Common Names
Flat-Leaved Senecio, Big Blue Chalk Sticks, Silver Senecio
Summary
This evergreen succulent shrub native to South Africa (Cape Province) grows 0.5–1 m tall with blue-grey to grey-green elongated, flattened leaves and stems in a scrambling to upright habit, and white, inconspicuous flowers without ray florets at stem ends in autumn/winter after dormancy; leaves measure 8–15 cm long and 7–9 mm wide.
Prefers full sun to light shade with well-drained soil and very low irrigation; drought-tolerant and tolerant of poor soils; suitable for groundcovers and xeriscaping, and well suited to dry Mediterranean and Karoo gardens, rockeries, slopes, and containers; propagated by cuttings; wind- and salt spray-tolerant.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
1 ft 7.5 in - 2 ft 3.5 in
Spread
4-6 feet
Hardiness Zones
Zones 9a-12
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally full sun. Tolerates partial shade.
Soil Type
Well-drained soil
Soil Drainage
Well-drained soil
Soil pH
Mildly acidic to mildly alkaline.
Bloom Color
Insignificant
Bloom Time
Fall to Winter
Foliage Color
Blue to blue-green, bluish grey-green
Fall Foliage Color
Blue and green
Leaf Lifecycle
Evergreen broadleaf
Growth Rate
Fast-growing, vigorous, time to ultimate height 2–5 years
Seasons of Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Cuttings, Layering, Division
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- Haw.
- Publication
- Syn. Pl. Succ. : 313 (1812)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Asterales
- Family
- Asteraceae
- Subfamily
- Asteroideae
- Tribe
- Senecioneae
- Genus
- Kleinia