Identifying the mutant forms of Crassula ovata (Shrek's Ears, Ogre's Ears, Gollum, etc)

How to identify Crassula ovata mutants (Shrek's Ears, Ogre's Ears, Gollum, etc)
The very familiar Crassula ovata, otherwise known as the "Jade plant", or "Fortune plant" has several mutant forms. The differences between them has stumped so many collectors, to the point that even some websites online think that "Gollum" is the same cultivar as the regular ovata.
This video aims to demystify or at least remove some confusion surrounding these forms.
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Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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[@Cerriscapades]

What other names have you encountered for these plants?

[@clibo1]

Bought one named Gandalf. It does not handle dry cold weather as well as the OG crassula ovata.

[@pamelagilmore7222]

E. T. Fingers

[@Cerriscapades]

Interesting, I've seen people calling them E.T. fingers but not Gandalf!

[@bekind836]

Hi Chuck, I have what you mentioned is Lady Fingers but have been told it common name is Shrek. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I’ve called it Shrek for years now... I few years ago I looked further into the name and I found this description: Crassula portulacea: commonly called Horseshoe, Spoon Jade, Shrek Plant, Gollum Fingers, ET Fingers or Hobbit Plant. Their dark green leaves look like fingers with reddish tips. These plants can take full sun to light shade. Is it ok to continue calling it Shrek or do you think Lady Fingers is the proper common name?

[@bekind836]

I think I’ll have to take a closer look now to see what i actual have 🙂 Thanks Chuck for the assume video!

[@RebekahOMalley777]

Oh my!!!!! Your yard is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen! Such unique foliage! WOW what a man! A man with a green thumb and a kind heart. A true beauty!

[@Lavender_Rose_Crochet]

This is the absolutely best video I have ever seen for this type of plant. I have one and for years have wondered what it is as most videos are not as informative as yours. Great Job and thank you so much 🤩👍

[@jemmahill2786]

Thanks Chuck - great content as always. I have a 2 of these, didnt realise there were more varieties/variations.

[@Cerriscapades]

Glad you like it!

[@Zhiron.535]

Thanks for the information but I do think you may have accidentally mixed up a few. I love crassulas and have a fair few myself. Sadly the different Tolkien bunch types get confused a lot and only 50% of the time are correctly labeled. - hobbits are generally a lot rarer and gollums are commonly mistaken for them. They generally have spoon shaped leave kinda like a regular crassula ovata leaf that’s curled in on itself. - While gollums have tubular leaves that either have a small cup shape at the top are just fingered like. The first two plant you mention as ‘hobbits’ are a mutation that I actually have and tbh I don’t know wether it’s a gollum or hobbit, because it seems to be more of a hybrid between the two mutations. The normal hobbits I’ve seen generally are more distinct in their differences than the plants you’ve shown, but as I’ve said it could very much be a hobbit or just an unnamed variant somewhere in between gollum and hobbit. The third is a variety I’ve seen in shops called crassula “red coral” in Australia and is described as being a gollum in the label given, but it’s features actually are more closely resemble a variegated hobbit because of the spoon shaped leaves. The fourth one is absolutely correct it’s a gollum that’s commonly referred to as “ladyfingers” but from what I’ve seen it’s way more common than whatever a normal a non ladyfingers gollum is, so whatever term you use it as; gollum or ladyfingers they’re both correct. Sorry this turned into a rant, these succulents are notorious for being a pain to identify properly even for professionals. I myself might also be wrong.

[@excelrnnonya921]

I think the hobbit and the gollum are mixed up, you have the only video I've seen with the fully folded, tubular-like leaves are hobbit instead og gollum.

[@raceface_m2579]

The multiple camera angle switches are very, very distracting. But good information.

[@Mari443Garrett1]

Beautiful collection and nice presentation. Somehow I have both of them in one tree. I have big leaves and small ones as well.

[@ivanpantic]

Love your video. I have subscribed. However I have one question. By "mutant" you mean that it is created by man and not natural mutation / variation of plant?

[@ticatacatic]

Awesome explanation! Thanks for the information, it was really interesting learning about where all these names came from!!

[@sandyjones4393]

Great content. I would love hearing about crinkly and bumpy ones, I've not seen many in the US.

[@pattivermeersch7348]

Excellent info…love these plants…thanks!

[@jenniferramdeo1019]

Your garden is sooo beautiful

[@cassandradyck6767]

what where they sources you mentioned at they beginning? i am writing a paper on this plant :)

[@suzypie11]

Chuck I know your touched on it before But I would like to understand Echeveria Colorata types. So many hybrids Lindsayana.etc I find them confusing with identification. Thanks I would appreciate that.

[@Cerriscapades]

I'm not sure if you've seen this one yet. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gqrdpWmhh9-Afqc But basically all the colorata have acute leaves. The lindsayana is an alternate name given to Echeveria colorata fa. colorata (they're the same plant). Echeveria colorata 'Mexican Giant' is the larger form of colorata and it has a very thick white farina, as opposed to the other colorata forms where they tend to not be as white and can readily shift to purple/pink/red/orange. The Echeveria colorata fa brandtii has longer and more slender leaves compared to the colorata. You might also encounter colorata 'Tapalpa'. It's basically still Lindsayana / colorata fa colorata that originally came from Tapalpa. So the name should actually be Echeveria colorata (Tapalpa). The parenthesis indicate where the original specimen was harvested before it was cultivated.

[@suzypie11]

Cerriscapades wow you answered that quickly. Thanks so much. I will screen shot answer so I can break it down properly and reread info when I need it. I think I have seen that video but I’m grateful for the link cause it’s would be hard to find. I will rewatch as I think now I will probably understand it better then when I first watched it.

[@erikaolson4922]

Hi Chuck! After watching your video, I now know I have 2 pots with lady fingers. Thanks for the information.

[@Evoli]

Same. Though in the nursery where i got mine from, the pot was labelled as "hobbit"

[@carpy1252]

'lady fingers' are always called 'Gollum' from plants sold by Altman's nursery.

[@suzypie11]

I forgot to say I found this very helpful. As I have been confused but not anymore lol Cheers buddy

[@Cerriscapades]

Glad it helped!

[@christmassnow3465]

Hope to see more Crassulas. They are pretty diverse and unique.

[@rymndtng]

Wow I didn't know those were mutants of crassula ovata. How do these mutants come about? Also, with plants like echeverias that have hundreds of variants - are these all hybrids / genetically modified or do they occur naturally in the wild?

[@Cerriscapades]

These mutations happen naturally. The ELI5 version is that the new cells don't always end up being exact copies of the oroginal. Some mistakes happen and they end up with slightly different genetic code from the previous cells. Most of the time these minor changes revert in future growth, but other times these changes are stable enough to be permanent. Another example of mutation is variegation. As for your other question, some hybrids are natural, but this is not very common because this means that the population of these distinct species should be close enough with each other for insect, or birds or other natural pollinators to pollinate them. On the other hand, there are lots of varieties of species that are naturally occuring. They get these little differences as a result of adapting to the little differences in their environment. Varieties that have been made in cultivation are called cultivated varieties, or cultivars for short. Most hybrids are cultivars because they have beem created in cultivation by manually pollinating two distinct species or distinct clones of the same species. Sorry for the jargon, but let me know what you want to learn more about so I can explain better.

[@rymndtng]

@@Cerriscapades Thanks for the explanation Chuck, much appreciated mate. Your videos are always a joy to watch and a great source of inspo for others

[@dexcostales]

I'm a new sub to your channel. I love your garden. I'm also Filipino that love gardening succulents.mabuhay.

[@analuisatorres1562]

Very informative,thank you. 👍🏽🌺

[@colleenanne4032]

Thank you! So helpful!

[@rubiceidasalvia6716]

Beautiful garden.

[@maksimmakarov9040]

Awesome plants, but totally incorrect names. You guessed only the last one. They are little Gollum, large Gollum, Red horn tree and Ladyfingers in order of appearance. No Hobbit at all.

[@rosammtn8668]

Por favor traduce tus videos

[@bensotmohamed9985]

Wonderful

[@clarebekindtoyoursoul_plan5738]

Great video cheers 👍

[@hanaaandsanaachannel]

فيديو جميل ونباتات روعة شكرا

[@hamzanobes3265]

The middle one looks like red horn tree

[@jyotikagonsalves6505]

Thanks very much

[@philodon3812]

I know "ladyfingers" as "Gollum"

[@jeffh06]

No wonder how Shrek character appeared goblin look with crassula plant 🌱 for ears👂

[@yomama8873]

🤩🤩💜

[@clibo1]

Probably the ultimate succulent! The crassula ovata can be eaten! The roots are chopped up, cooked, delicious with milk, a favourite treat from our Grandma! The plant is tough, roots can be chopped off and stoked in the ground. The leaves can also be boiled and used as medicine. Not sure if these mutations can be also be used?

[@teachercris4584]

Thank you! Really useful.