Ghost Plant is a succulent in the jade family that is native to Mexico, The fleshy leaves form a rosette 3-6 inches across at the tips of stems. The whitish-green leaves become pink-tinged in hot dry weather and blueish in partial shade. The plant will grow to 1 foot tall and 2-3 feet wide. The stems continue growing and eventually become pendulous and can look nice cascading over a pot or stones. They can also be pruned to give them a bushier look. In spring it forms clusters of small star-shaped flowers that are white with small red dots. This plant will grow in full sun to partial shade. Well-drained soil is a must and once established is drought tolerant. Use this plant in rock gardens, containers, as a ground cover or on the patio. It is low maintenance and deer resistant. The plant can tolerate temperatures down to 15 degrees F. if given protection. Ghost plant is easily propagated but rooting leaves, division or stem cuttings. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems but watch for aphids, mealybugs and vine weevil.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Dry
Available space
Less than 12 inches
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in. | Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping; Multi-stemmed; Prostrate; Spreading
Texture
Medium
Leaf color
Blue; Green; Pink; White
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Rosulate
Leaf shape
Deltoid; Spatulate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Fleshy
Leaf value
Long-lasting; Showy
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
1-3 inches long and 1/2 to 1 inch wide, thick flat triangular to spathulate leaves with pointed tips. Whitish green leaves that become pink-tinged in full sun and blue-gray in part shade or indoors
Flower color
Red/Burgundy; White
Flower form
Cyme
Flower shape
Star
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
3/4 inch star-shaped flowers with 5 petals are white with some red flecks in clusters in early spring
Bloom time
Spring
Stem color
Gray/Silver
Stem detail
Succulent round grey stems
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
Mexico
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Houseplants; Patio; Pool/Hardscape
Landscape theme
Rock Garden
Design feature
Border; Small groups
Garden tags
#non-toxic for cats #non-toxic for horses #non-toxic for dogs #clumping #partial shade tolerant #houseplant #succulent #rocky soils tolerant #rock garden #patio #cascading #spring flowers #full sun tolerant #container plant #sandy soils tolerant