If you ask me, which succulent do you think is a collector's must have, the very famous and sought after lavender pebbles is the first one that comes to mind. But given a bit more thought, my recommendation would be Monanthes polyphylla.
This is simply a very unique and lovely succulent. It looks strange, like it is completely from out of this planet. The tiny lush green leaves form clusters of stacking round balls. Offsets forms from the bottom of the plant, the top of the plant, the side of the plant, everywhere! It looks even more strange when it flowers.
The flowers are tiny and soft, slightly hairy, looking like tiny alien antennas.
This unusual looking plant requires very different care compare to the 'normal succulents'. This plant is particularly carefree if it is put at a right spot, and would be very fussy if not.
It does not require direct sun at all. In our nursery, we keep them under the shelving on the ground. It also grows quiet happily in a south facing spot under the eaves in Australia. And if you are in the Northern hemisphere I recommend a north facing spot under the eaves. Growing under shade cloth is another option. The preference to shade over sun makes it one of the few succulents that will grow happily indoors.
Monanthes polyphylla has very short and thin roots. Which means it is hard for it to root in between rocks. It does a lot better in a normal potting mix than a gritty succulent mix. This is one of the common reason why this carefree plant does do well for some of the best growers - it has opposite requirements!
The least you need to worry about when growing Monanthes polyphylla is watering. It loves a good drink. In fact, it is very hard to over water them. They can endure very dry environments but will flourish and multiply if given enough water.
I hope you will find this article helpful. Growing a full bowl of monanthes polyphylla is not just beautiful but also very rewarding, I hope you all enjoy this journey!
Monanthes polyphylla is available from our online store:
https://rntsucculents.com/products/monanthes-polyphylla?_pos=2&_sid=56ef6a1f1&_ss=r
Below are some photos of a mutated Monanthes polyphylla - a crested one. It looks like a mini frosty landscape in it's own.
