This choice form is “robust and slowly proliferous” with attenuate leaves that “develop a very deep, shiny brown color in the sun.” This is all true of this plant even though that is Bruce Bayer’s description for H. mirabilis var. badia that grows further west near Napier. Our plants also keep good color in the shade where we grow them under shade cloth between two greenhouses. We offer divisions of HBG 101176, a plant from Seymour Linden in 2004 who purchased it from Selecta Succulents in May, 1996 as H. retusa var. magnifica. This synonym suggests a close relationship with H. retusa and with which our plant may be transitional. The collection is attributed to J. D. Venter 92-65 from Kruisrivier (near Riversdale), W. Cape, S. Africa. $15.
Published in the Cactus and Succulent Journal, Vol. 92 (2), Summer 2020