Well, the 'Crosby's Compact' is a Crassula ovata minor, or compact Jade. However, not all compact Jades are 'Crosby's Compact' in particular. I usually associate 'Crosby's Compact' with very good coloration. Not sure if all small-leaf Jades exhibit the same intense color.

Josh

In my experience, other small-leaf Jades do not have the intense color I see in photos of 'Crosby's Compact'.

Josh and missingtheobvious, thank you ,it's clear now.

I saw this thread as I was searching for information on C. ovata minor.

I wanted to dig up this conversation mainly to see if anyone had some examples of the coloration Josh is referring to in 'Crosby's Compact'.

Some questions/topics I would also like to follow:

• Is it possible the difference in color between two possibly different plants is actually just an occurrence of differing cultures on the same plant?
• Has anyone had two C. ovata minor plants grow side-by-side that expressed these color differences?
• Where does the Himeougonkagetsu play into all of this?

-Erica

Erica, these were tagged as 'Crosby's Compact' when I bought them. They are small leaf jades, so I have no reason to doubt that.

And with 2 different growing conditions - direct sun and clay pot and diffuse sun and plastic pot.

Hope that's what you were asking about! Mine are most colorful when it gets cooler and the summer rains stop.

This is my Crosby's Compact. It started to become more colorful since I've put it outside in May, 2015 (have it since January, 2015) and now I bring it in only if it rains.

This was when I bought:

Josh, thanks for the comparison. To me, the second you posted has leaves that look a lot like a miniature version of 'Hummel's Sunset'. Is this one one that is considered to be true 'Crosby's Compact'?

My minor looks a lot like your first picture now but in the summer it was bright yellow. Unfortunately I don't have a saved picture of it from then on the computer I am using. I actually bought it as a regular jade from Wal-Mart and noticed that the leaves were never getting to the right size just this past summer season! Is the smaller one in the third picture the same as the one in the first?

I have a minor cutting from Nancy that never turned this color over the summer but it is a very young cutting.

Crenda, I think it is very interesting to see how something so simple, such as a change in the type of pot being used, can completely change the way the leaves look. This is what made me really wonder about whether there are truly separate types or sports of C. ovata minor.

I know Christopher has the Himeougonkagetsu but his never turned that golden color that I have read about from what I remember. Is the Himeougonkagetsu similar to the Crosby's in leaf color?

guimeixen, what a wonderful transformation from when you bought it!

-Erica

Hey, Erica!

The Jades in the second picture are all just tip cuttings from the Jade in the first picture.

The last two pictures are of the same plant, different times of year. That cutting is from a different source (my sister's plant), although the coloration and leaf characteristics are nearly the same.

The Hime ougon kagetsu is a much more vividly colored compact Jade.

Josh

Yet another interesting thread about our favourite subject! Here's one of my Crosby's for comparison, the picture was taken at the end of November. Margaret, this is one of the plants that your cuttings came from : )

All of my Crosbys are grown side by side so I don't have any others to compare this one with, but, when Margaret's cuttngs have developed further it will be good to compare them with my mother plant given the different cultural factors.

Thanks again, Gill. They seem very healthy but I haven't pulled them out to check for roots yet. Your Sedum rubrotinctum 'Aurora' cuttings are likewise the picture of health.

Oooooh, that's good news Margaret, I hope you too will soon make a full recovery and be a picture of health: )) That was one of my earlier 'failings' .....poking around to see if stuff had rooted, can often do more harm than good, but I just can't resist a good old peek every now and then, but generally I try to be good, sounds like you're the same eh?

I've Found Crosby's tend not to branch freely on their own preferring to grow lax, so their natural form can be quite long armed/legged....a bit like me, lol! However, they do respond well to being pinched......I don't on the other hand : /

Gill UK

Margaret,

the full name of Crosby's Compact is: Crassula ovata var. (variety) minor cv. 'Crosby's Compact'. Other minor cultivars are 'Helios', 'Hime Ougon Kagetsu', variegated 'Crosby's Compact'.

Oksana