MINERALARTS:

The header photo for my blog shows the leaf rosette of Graptopetalum bartramii (Bartram’s Stonecrop), a rare succulent from the oak woodlands of southeastern Arizona’s “sky island” mountain ranges.  The plants are blooming now, with half-inch flowers scattered along a stalk that grows about a foot tall.  More photos of this and related plants can be found on my “Stonecrops and Rock Mat” page:

http://www.mineralarts.com/cactus/graptopetalum.html

“Graptopetalum” means “writing petal” and refers to the red spots and/or stripes that separate this genus from other stonecrops with similar-looking leaves.  The blooms are surprisingly subtle.  The beautiful leaf rosettes have a strong presence year-round, yet they are also quite fragile and the plants are extremely picky about growing conditions.