Plant Care Library

Other Names:  syn Senecio vitalis, Senecio talinoides

Description:

An interesting and beautiful succulent variety producing narrow green, finger like foliage that reaches upward; a perfect accent in rock gardens, containers, or massed as a medium height groundcover

Ornamental Features

Narrow-Leaf Chalksticks's attractive succulent narrow leaves emerge chartreuse in spring, turning green in color the rest of the year on a plant with an upright spreading habit of growth. It features dainty corymbs of creamy white flowers held atop the stems from mid spring to mid summer.

Landscape Attributes

Narrow-Leaf Chalksticks is an herbaceous evergreen perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and usually looks its best without pruning, although it will tolerate pruning. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Narrow-Leaf Chalksticks is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Mass Planting
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Narrow-Leaf Chalksticks will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity extending to 24 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 4 feet. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an evegreen perennial, this plant will typically keep its form and foliage year-round.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America.

Narrow-Leaf Chalksticks is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.