Senecio Fulgens - Coral Senecio

This beautiful no-maintenance succulent groundcover with its bright red trumpet flowers and silver leaves are native to KwaZulu Natal, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. It is part of the Aster family and grows 60cm tall. The name ‘Fulgens’ means shining which refers to the bright colours of the flowers. It is a herbaceous perennial subshrub.

The Coral Senecio is a member of the family, Asteraceae. This evergreen fast growing plant is perfect for hot and dry climates, they look great especially during autumn and winter with their bright blooms and silvery leaves in dessert gardens, rockeries and containers.

They flower during autumn April-September), the flower heads look like thistles and each head has 30 tiny small individual trumpet flowers. The leaves are a shining grayish-blue colour with purple on the underside which helps them stand out. The stems grow out over rocks and cliffs and grow towards the light. It has a creeping, tuberous rootstock.

This hardy water wise plant thrives in semi to full sun, well-drained soil and only needs fertilizer if you want lusher blooms. They are a butterfly magnet and can be propagated from seed, stem and leaf cuttings.

Happy Gardening!

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