''Dudleya virens'', the green liveforever or bright green dudleya, is an uncommon species of

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wid ...

, succulent plant in the family

Crassulaceae The Crassulaceae (from Latin ''crassus'', thick), also known as the stonecrop family or the orpine family, are a diverse family of dicotyledon flowering plants characterized by succulent leaves and a unique form of photosynthesis, known as Crass ...

, native to several coastal southern

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

and

Baja California Baja California (; 'Lower California'), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California), is a state in Mexico. It is the northernmost and westernmost of the 32 federal entities of Mex ...

locations.

Distribution

The succulent is found growing in the

Palos Verdes Hills The Palos Verdes Hills are a low mountain range on the southwestern coast of Los Angeles County, California. They sit atop the Palos Verdes Peninsula, a sub-region of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Palos Verdes Hills are the landed end o ...

on the Palos Verdes Peninsula coast in Los Angeles County; on several of the

Channel Islands The Channel Islands ( nrf, Îles d'la Manche; french: îles Anglo-Normandes or ''îles de la Manche'') are an archipelago in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two Crown Dependencies: the Bailiwick of Jersey, ...

in California; and on

Guadalupe Island Guadalupe Island ( es, Isla Guadalupe, link=no) is a volcanic island located off the western coast of Mexico's Baja California Peninsula and about southwest of the city of Ensenada in the state of Baja California, in the Pacific Ocean. The ...

off the northwestern Baja California Peninsula, Mexico.

Description

''Dudleya virens'' leaves are fleshy and strap-shaped, 8–20 cm long and 1.5–3 cm broad, tapering from the base (or from near middle) and are mostly green. They are arranged in a rosette. The flowers are white, with five petals 7–10 mm long. They are produced in April, May, and June. Hummingbirds visit the flowers for their nectar.

Subspecies

Cultivation

''Dudleya virens'' is cultivated as an

ornamental plant Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that ...

in the specialty

native plant In biogeography, a native species is indigenous to a given region or ecosystem if its presence in that region is the result of only local natural evolution (though often popularised as "with no human intervention") during history. The term is equ ...

s and succulents

horticulture Horticulture is the branch of agriculture that deals with the art, science, technology, and business of plant cultivation. It includes the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs, sprouts, mushrooms, algae, flowers, seaweeds and no ...

trade.Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden: Native Plants for Coastal Gardens
. accessed 6.30.2013 It is used in

containers A container is any receptacle or enclosure for holding a product used in storage, packaging, and transportation, including shipping. Things kept inside of a container are protected on several sides by being inside of its structure. The term ...

, drought tolerant landscapes, and habitat gardens. It prefers well-draining soil, and grows best in full sun or light shade.

References

External links

Jepson Flora Project: ''Dudleya virens''USDA Plants Profile: ''Dudleya virens'' (Green liveforever) Theodore Payne Foundation—California Natives Wiki: ''Dudleya virens''
— ''images''.
''Dudleya virens'' — U.C. Photo gallery
{{Taxonbar, from=Q5312069 virens Flora of California Flora of Baja California Flora of Mexican Pacific Islands Natural history of the California chaparral and woodlands Natural history of the Channel Islands of California Natural history of the Peninsular Ranges Natural history of Los Angeles County, California Taxa named by Reid Venable Moran Garden plants of North America Drought-tolerant plants Flora without expected TNC conservation status