Ghost plant

Sun

Full sun to light shade; provide afternoon shade in very hot climates and introduce indoor-grown plants to direct sun gradually.

Water

Low; water thoroughly, then let the soil dry out completely. Keep almost dry in cool winter conditions.

Soil

Sharply drained, gritty soil; use cactus compost amended with pumice, grit or perlite in containers.

Height

0.5-1 ft (0.15-0.3 m)

Spread

1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m)

Flowers

Spring to early summer; small, star-shaped white flowers with reddish speckles on slender stems.

Foliage

Evergreen. Fleshy, pointed leaves in loose rosettes, coated with a pale, powdery bloom; grey-blue in softer light and pinkish or peach in stronger sun.

Growth

Moderate in warm weather; stems spread and root where they touch suitable soil.

Care needed

Low

• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.7 ft (0.22 m)

   full size

About 6 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Moderate

• Use a pot with drainage holes and empty any saucer after watering.
• Water the soil rather than the rosettes, and let the mix dry completely before watering again.
• Feed once in spring with a dilute cactus fertiliser; avoid rich compost and frequent feeding.
• Use a thin gravel top-dressing rather than moisture-holding organic mulch.
• Protect from prolonged frost and winter rain; move containers under cover before freezing weather.

Pruning. In spring or early summer, shorten bare or sprawling stems just above a leaf or side shoot; the cut rosettes can be rooted as cuttings. Remove spent flower stems and loose dead leaves carefully, as healthy leaves detach easily.

Spring

Repot only if crowded, using a gritty mix and a container with drainage holes.

Spring

Resume watering as growth starts and give one dilute feed.

Late spring

After frost risk has passed, move overwintered pots outdoors gradually to prevent sunburn.

Summer

Water when the soil has dried completely; take stem or leaf cuttings during active growth.

Autumn

Reduce watering as temperatures fall and move pots into bright, frost-free shelter where winters are cold or wet.

Winter

Keep sheltered plants bright and almost dry; inspect leaf joints for mealybugs.

• Let stems spill over shallow bowls or raised planter edges to show off the rosettes.
• Plant among rocks and gravel in mild, dry gardens, where pale leaves contrast with dark stone.
• Combine with compact aloes and echeverias in containers with matching drainage needs.
• Use along the front of a sunny, frost-sheltered succulent bed as a low, spreading accent.

Garden styles it suits: Modern Mediterranean, Desert modern, Dry gravel garden, Desert / xeriscape, Modern courtyard and Small-space.

Plant it with: Echeveria, Zebra haworthia, Lace aloe, Jelly bean plant and Blue chalksticks.

Wildlife: The small flowers can attract visiting insects, but this plant offers limited food or shelter compared with locally native flowering plants.

• Root or stem rot: soft, dark tissue usually follows persistent wetness; remove affected growth, root healthy tips and improve drainage.
• Mealybugs: inspect rosette centres and leaf joints; isolate affected pots and treat with a product labelled for mealybugs on succulents.
• Stretched, weak growth: move into brighter light gradually and root healthy rosette tips to replace bare stems.
• Sunburn or frost damage: damaged leaves do not recover; provide gradual sun acclimatisation and frost protection, then remove dead tissue once damage is clear.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats or dogs. Horse-specific information is limited, and it should not be offered as feed. It is an ornamental rather than a food plant; eating it may cause stomach upset.

• Mexican snowball (Echeveria elegans)

  Forms tighter, more rounded rosettes with spoon-shaped leaves and short stems; ghost plant has more pointed leaves and develops conspicuous trailing stems.

• Lavender pebbles (Graptopetalum amethystinum)

  Has much plumper, rounded, pebble-like leaves, usually pink to lavender; ghost plant leaves are flatter and distinctly pointed.

The common names ghost plant and mother-of-pearl plant refer to the pale, powdery coating that gives its leaves a silvery, pearly appearance.

Propagation. Take stem cuttings or carefully detach whole healthy leaves in spring or summer. Let cut surfaces dry and seal for several days, then place in or on a gritty propagation mix; water sparingly as roots develop. Leaf fragments without an intact base are unlikely to grow.

Accepted botanical name

Graptopetalum paraguayense

Native range

Mexico Northeast.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.