Cotyledon orbiculata
Drought-tolerant, sun-loving South Africa Karoo native succulent shrub with waxy, fleshy leaves and tall flowering stalks bearing tubular blooms in pink to orange-red hues.
Common Names
Pig's Ear, Round-leafed Navelwort
Summary
Pig's Ear plant is a South African evergreen succulent shrub native to rocky outcrops in the Karoo, growing to about 1.3 m tall and 60 cm wide, with thick, fleshy leaves that are rounded or oval, grey-green and often coated with a white farinose bloom and sometimes red-edged in bright sun, supported by upright stems bearing bell-shaped, tubular flowers on tall stalks that are usually orange-red (with yellow forms).
Care and cultivation: prefers full sun to bright shade in gritty, well-draining soil; water sparingly, allowing soil to dry completely between waterings; drought- and heat-tolerant; temperature 65–80°F (18–27°C), tolerates brief frosts to about -5°C; container- and bed-friendly for rock gardens, hot dry banks, or patios; propagate by stem or leaf cuttings; repot every 2–3 years and fertilize sparingly; pests such as mealybugs may occur; indoor growth requires very bright light and good airflow.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
20 inches-4 feet
Spread
2 ft 7.5 in - 4 ft 11 in
Hardiness Zones
Zones 9-11
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally full sun; tolerates partial sun and partial shade.
Soil Type
Well-draining gritty cactus/succulent soil with 50–70% mineral grit.
Soil Drainage
Well-drained, gritty, sandy soil.
Soil pH
Tolerates all pH levels
Bloom Color
Orange, red, pink, and yellow
Bloom Time
Winter
Foliage Color
Highly variable; no fixed foliage color.
Fall Foliage Color
Red
Leaf Lifecycle
Evergreen broadleaf
Growth Rate
Moderately fast
Seasons of Interest
All four seasons
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Cuttings, Division
Attracts Wildlife
Bees
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- L.
- Publication
- Sp. Pl. : 429 (1753)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Saxifragales
- Family
- Crassulaceae
- Genus
- Cotyledon
Inferior Taxa
Cotyledon orbiculata var. oblonga Cotyledon orbiculata var. flanaganii Cotyledon orbiculata var. spuria Cotyledon orbiculata var. dactylopsis
Synonyms
Sedum decussatum Cotyledon ausana Cotyledon canaliculata Cotyledon decussata Cotyledon elata Cotyledon engleri Cotyledon mucronata Cotyledon orbiculata f. dinteri Cotyledon ovata Cotyledon papillaris Cotyledon ramosa Cotyledon ramosissima Cotyledon tricuspidata Cotyledon ungulata Cotyledon decussata var. henrichseniana Cotyledon orbiculata var. ausana Cotyledon orbiculata var. higginsiae Cotyledon orbiculata var. oophylla Sedum orbiculatum Cotyledon ambigua Cotyledon orbiculata var. orbiculata