Frithia pulchra

Frithia pulchra, fairy elephant's feet, is a species of flowering plant in the fig‑marigold family Aizoaceae, endemic to Gauteng Province, South Africa (where it is classified as “Vulnerable” by the IUCN Red List). Its natural habitat is temperate grassland with high summer rainfall. A tiny stemless succulent growing to just 10 cm (3.9 in) tall and 20 cm (7.9 in) broad, it has bulbous oblong leaves with leaf windows at the tip; and magenta and white daisy-like flowers in winter. During periods of drought it has the ability to shrink beneath the soil surface, thus avoiding excessive desiccation, but making it extremely difficult to find.It is named for Frank Frith, a Johannesburg gardener who showed specimens to N.E. Brown, a botanist at Kew Gardens, while on a visit to London, UK, in 1925. The Latin specific epithet pulchra means “beautiful”.It does not survive frosts, so in temperate areas it needs to be cultivated under glass. In the UK it has gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.

Characteristics

Plant Type

Succulent

Life Cycle

Perennial

Genus

Frithia

Family

Aizoaceae

Hardiness Zone

9-11

Mature Height

10 cm

Mature Spread

20 cm

Leaf Color

Green, Silver, Gray

Leaf Type

Evergreen

Flower Color

Pink

Flower Size

2.54 cm to 3.56 cm

Bloom Time

Mid spring, Late spring, Early summer, Mid summer

Planting Time

Spring, Summer, Autumn

Harvest Time

Summer, Early fall

Native Area

South Africa

Tags (5)

Common Names (1)