Jade Plant/ Oreja de Shuek

Shrek Ear / Oreja de Shrek (Crassula ovata ‘Gollum’) is such a fun and unusual succulent. Its thick green leaves grow in long tubes with little open ends, sometimes developing a beautiful reddish edge in stronger light. They really do look like tiny Shrek ears, which makes this one of those plants that people immediately notice and want to touch. As it matures, it develops a thick woody trunk and branching form, becoming almost like a miniature tree or natural little bonsai.

It is a variety of the traditional Jade Plant and carries the same association with prosperity, abundance and good fortune. The thick succulent leaves store water, making the plant extremely resilient and very easy to live with. Older plants can also produce clusters of delicate white to pale pink flowers, creating a beautiful contrast against the strange, fleshy green leaves.

Oreja de Shrek loves bright light and can take plenty of sun once it is accustomed to it. Stronger light often brings out the reddish colouring around the tips of the leaves. It needs loose, well-drained soil and prefers the soil to dry between waterings. Because it stores so much moisture in its leaves and stems, it needs surprisingly little water and is much happier being slightly dry than constantly wet.

It is also wonderfully easy to propagate. A stem cutting can be allowed to dry for a short period and then placed into well-draining soil, where it will begin forming a new plant. With time, the trunk becomes thicker and more characterful, and it can be pruned and shaped into a beautiful miniature tree.

Oreja de Shrek is quirky, hardy and incredibly easy to grow. It brings a little humour into the garden while still being a genuinely beautiful succulent, and every plant seems to develop its own slightly different shape and personality as it matures.