Trying not to make a Pig's Ear of naming it

Six years ago I was diverted by a glaucous succulent called Cotyledon orbiculata. It was February 2015 and it seemed to be everywhere. Well, in a house or two between where I lived in Hawthorn and the local shops.

Last year, my head was turned by the same species, but not the dusty grey variant. For while, near where I live now in Glen Iris, Cotyledon orbiculata var. oblonga - probably cultivar 'Macrantha' - seemed to be everywhere.

When flowering, you do notice this plant. The porcelain-(or plastic-)like red flowers are very elegant. While peak flowering in my home neighbourhood and at Burnley Gardens seemed to be August, they were at their glossy best in early September in the Southern African Collection at Melbourne Gardens. And, as it turned out, further afield near where I live (I later found a few in full bloom in mid-September).

They seem to be increasingly popular in home gardens, as we plant more xerophytic, or xerophilic, species. They have become established in my local park (creeping under a fence I think) and a few varieties of this species are considered environmental weeds of natural areas in Victoria.

I'm a bit vague about the name and a little wary of getting into the taxonomy of what is also called Green Pig's Ear, knowing there are lots of cultivated varieties (cultivars) and as much variation where it grows naturally in South Africa. The variety oblonga, for example, can also include plants with pencil-like, grey leaves.

Let's just say the fine red line around the leaf margin, along with the general habit and flower structure, is what you get in most forms of Cotyledon orbiculata. The rest of the colour and leaf shape are up for grabs.

The species as a whole is used medicinally in South Africa, with the fleshy leaf used to remove corns and warts (as we might use an extract of willow, found in the callus strips sold at chemists), and when heated, boils. Extracts from the leaf have been used to purge worms, to treat epilepsy and (as drops) for treating tooth- and ear-ache. Clearly you would need expert advice before exposing any part of your body to the insides of this plant. More safely, the dried leaf is used as a 'plaything' and even a 'protective charm for an orphan boy'.

Anyway, I took these two leaves from one of the plants spreading through our local park (I figure it's not more virulent than those in nearby gardens and I'll keep it safe and secure in a pot). I let them sit for about five days, until a callus formed where I tore the leaf from the plant (and yes I know, cute that a plant that can soften a foot callus is happy to make its own).

Then I popped then straight into a bleak part of our back garden.  Not too much water until it got going but I find my succulents generally don't mind a bit of water, particularly in summer, and it doesn't matter if they are grown in full sun or heavy shade - just might get less of that lovely red rim on the leaves in darker areas.

So I got a new plant or two of ... Rather than muck up the nomenclature I'll stick with Green Pig's Ear on my label. And next winter it will look like this!

The photos, apart from my borrowed leaves, were taken in Burnley Gardens, in late August.