Satellite Plant Chinese Dunce Cap

An attractive small succulent from Japan with soft lavender to gray-green leaves in 1″-2″ wide open rosettes that offset readily producing small plantlets on spaghetti thin stems that radiate up to 6″ away from the mature rosettes to form an open plant to about 1′ across. After several years these rosettes can produce tiny pale yellow flowers with greenish bracts on 6″ tall spikes that are described as the shape of an inverted ice cream cone, or as the common name implies, like a Dunce Cap. Some say Satellite plant because of all the tiny “satellites” orbiting their mother plant. Flowering often starts in early autumn but may begin as late as November. The flowering rosette dies after flowering but is quickly replaced by the “satellites”. Plant in sun or partial shade in a very well-drained porous soil. It is hardy to at least -5°F (some say -35°F) and tolerates infrequent irrigation but looks best when given an occasional to regular watering but does not like to be in wet soil in winter so good drainage is an important requirement.