PlantFiles: Pig's Ear, Round-leafed Navel Wort
Cotyledon orbiculata

It is hard in my zone to find succulents other than echeveria or sedum to survive the winters. However, this plant has survived frost, uncovered in a pot for two years without damage. I put in in the ground this year. We will see. The orange and yellow flowers seem to last quite a while as well. Love it.

Additional synonyms: Cotyledon orbiculata var. rotundifolia, Cotyledon elata, Cotyledon orbiculata var. engleri, Cotyledon undulata var. mucronata, Cotyledon decussata, Cotyledon flanaganii var. karroensis, Cotyledon orbiculata var. viridis, Cotyledon decussata var. dielsii, Cotyledon orbiculata var. dinteri, Cotyledon orbiculata var. elata, Cotyledon orbiculata, Cotyledon ovata, Cotyledon ramosissima, Cotyledon orbiculata var. ramosa, Cotyledon ramosa, Cotyledon orbiculata var. higginsiae, Cotyledon orbiculata var. ausana, Cotyledon papillaris var. tricuspidata, Cotyledon ausana, Cotyledon decussata var. hinrichseniana, Cotyledon papillaris, Cotyledon engleri, Cotyledon orbiculata var. obovata, Cotyledon mucronata, Cotyledon tricuspidata

Highly variable species... have seen some with small green leaves, large silver leaves, ovoid, long, round, flat... etc. Not sure if all should be divided into subspecies, but it is clear all plants identified as this species are not all the same. The Cotyledon 'macrantha form' is a deep green, as opposed to all the others which are a pale blue or powdery silver blue-green.

Here in Northern California I have the "blue" form growing in several pots by design and other places just by accident. It really will take over if given the room, so I do not grow it in the ground on purpose.

The forms vary a great deal, and not all the plants from the original look exactly alike. Amount of sun, amount of fertilizer, amount of care(less is better) all slightly alter the look of the plant. The flowers in a pot in the greenhouse are definitely "pinkish" as compared to the red/orange/yellow out in the hot sun. The amount of "powder" on the leaves is reduced because I water with a heavy handed hose, but winter in the greenhouse sees the powder return.