Alabaster plant
From Biocrawler, the free encyclopedia.
| Alabaster plant Conservation status: Endangered | ||||||||||||||
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| Dudleya virens (Rose) Moran |
The Alabaster plant (Dudleya virens), also known as the Island live-forever, is an uncommon species of perennial, succulent plant in the family Crassulaceae. It grows slowly, often on on rocky, costal bluffs below 1500 ft. They are native to California and Mexico, growing in Los Angeles County, the Channel Islands, and Guadalupe Island. It is listed as an endangered species.
The interesting, finger-like leaves of this plant are fleshy and strap-shaped, tapering from the base (or from near middle) and are mostly green. They are arranged in the form of a rosette. They often grow from 6-12 inches.
It blooms in April, May, and June with white flowers. It grows best in full sun or light shade inland, preferring well-drained soil. The Alabaster plant serves as excellent drought-tolerant groundcover to replace common forms of Ice plant and is ideal for succulent or rock gardens.
Hummingbirds like the flowers for their nectar.
External links
- Dudleya virens Picture (http://www.theodorepayne.org/gallery/pages/Dudleya_virens.htm)
- Genus Dudleya (http://www.globetrotters.ch/botanik/pflanzen/botspezies_menu_en.asp?menu=1&bgt=gc&genus=DUDLEYA&gnr=1510)
- Treatment from the Jepson Manual (http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?Dudleya+virens)
