Dudleya greenei
Greene's dudleya
(c) Patrick Cox, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Crassulaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Conservation status: CNPS 4.2
Dudleya greenei (Greene's dudleya) is a native California herb in the Crassulaceae family, recognized by variable morphology makes identification challenging.
Greene's dudleya is a California native perennial ranked 4.2 by CNPS, found in the northern Channel Islands on coastal cliffs and rock outcrops at elevations below 200 meters. Flowering from May to July, this succulent produces pale yellow to white flowers in clusters with petals 8 to 12 millimeters long. Growing in dense clusters up to 1 meter wide, with multiple rosettes and elongated stems 2 to 5 centimeters wide, it forms impressive ground-covering colonies. Its evergreen leaves are 3 to 22 centimeters long, thick and glaucous, often with reddish or yellow bases, and arranged in distinctive rosettes with acute leaf tips. The plant can form dramatic clonal colonies with 1 to 100 rosettes, each potentially showing subtle variations in leaf shape and coloration.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 12 sympatric species - variable morphology makes identification challenging
Habitat and range
Habitat: Coastal cliffs, rock outcrops
Elevation: < 200 m
California counties: Santa Barbara, Los Angeles
Bloom period
Dudleya greenei blooms May-Jul.
Conservation status
CNPS 4.2
How to tell it apart
vs Curio: Dudleya has thick succulent leaves in rosettes; Curio has thin, cylindrical or string-like leaves.; vs Echeveria: Dudleya flower stalks emerge from leaf axils; Echeveria flowers emerge from rosette center.; vs Sedum: Dudleya forms distinct basal rosettes; Sedum grows as spreading mats or upright stems without rosettes.; vs Aeonium: Dudleya has smooth leaf edges; Aeonium has tiny hairs along leaf margins.; vs Carpobrotus: Dudleya has rosettes under 30cm; Carpobrotus has sprawling succulent stems over 1m long.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dudleya greenei native to California?
Yes. Dudleya greenei is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Dudleya greenei bloom?
Dudleya greenei blooms May-Jul.
Where in California does Dudleya greenei grow?
Dudleya greenei occurs in Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, at elevations of < 200 m.
What plant family does Dudleya greenei belong to?
Dudleya greenei is in the Crassulaceae family, genus Dudleya.
Is Dudleya greenei rare or endangered?
Dudleya greenei carries California Rare Plant Rank 4.2, state rank S3.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CNPS Rare Plant Inventory · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos · CDFW CNDDB
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.