Succulent Fever: Pig’s Ear

pigs ear cotyledon orbiculata by Gayla Trail

Last Friday, I took a trip out of the city with some friends to buy herbs, and came home with something unexpected. Pig’s Ear (Cotyledon orbiculata) is a pretty grey-blue-green succulent with big, fleshy leaves and orange flowers. According to my favourite go-to succulent identification book, “Succulents: The Illustrated Dictionary” by Maurizio Sajeva and Mariangela Costanzo, it’s from South Africa and not hardy in my zone so I’ll be keeping it in a pot and it will go outside in another month or so with my other tender succulents. Those of you in zones 7 and up will have the good fortune of keeping it outside year-round and may even be able to put it in the soil if you have lots of sun and a dry spot that drains well. It’s look and spreading growth habit reminds me of Flapjack (Kalanchoe thyrsifolia), but with pointier leaves.

pigs ear cotyledon orbiculata by Gayla Trail

At the store it was promoted as a remedy for wart removal, but I bought it for its beauty. Should I develop a wart, I now know where to turn instead of those scary removal creams that make them go black and drop off of your body.

Gayla Trail
Gayla is a writer, photographer, and former graphic designer with a background in the Fine Arts, cultural criticism, and ecology. She is the author, photographer, and designer of best-selling books on gardening, cooking, and preserving.

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3 thoughts on “Succulent Fever: Pig’s Ear

  1. Oh man, I had a mystery wart pop up on my finger and tried using those band-aids. After one day I changed it and it was like a David Cronenberg movie from the 80s was filming RIGHT ON MY FINGER. Blergh. Next time I’ll try this.

  2. I’m starting to develop an extentsive collection of succulents as well. I have that one as well in a pot on my veranda, that I never water. Its funny I was never particularly interested in catcti and succulents until I met Hubby…what do you spose that means

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