Shrek’s ears (Crassula Ovata Gollum: Jade Plant) at home.

            Succulent plants are famous for their wide variety of unusual shapes. One is more curious than the other. Not by chance, many end up receiving affectionate nicknames, which often allude to fictional characters. In this context, scientific names end up being little known by the general public. Today's succulent, popularly called Shrek's ear in Brazil, is a classic example of this interesting diversity of plants with fun names, such as spoon jade, ET's fingers, finger jade and trumpet jade in other parts of the world.

Apparently, these different forms are the result of genetic mutations, commonly observed in cacti and succulents. Frequently, a given species undergoes alterations in its growth pattern, producing cultivars that are completely different in relation to the appearance of the type form.

In the case of the succulent Shrek's ear, the original species is Crassula ovata, whose most famous nickname is the jade plant. Due to genetic alterations that affected the way it grew, this succulent originated a completely different version, as shown in my photo above. It was agreed to call this variety with cylindrical leaves of Crassula ovata 'Gollum'. The ends are flat and marked by a concavity. This atypical shape, combined with its emerald green color, earned the plant the nickname of Shrek's succulent ear.

Both varieties of Crassula ovata, 'Gollum' and 'Hobbit', allude to characters in Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. However, despite these subtleties in anatomical diversity, the two forms are often referred to indistinctly as Shrek's succulent ears. In addition, it is not uncommon to observe that the same plant has cylindrical and flattened leaves, simultaneously. Just as mutations that generate crystalline and monstrous forms can occasionally be reverted to the original form, Crassula ovata's 'Gollum' and 'Hobbit' cultivars seem to be somewhat unstable, genetically speaking, in order to coexist and interchange in the same plant. .

In my case, due to a lucky strike, I ended up purchasing a small pot with both varieties simultaneously in the same pot on my second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. A gift to myself to remember that moment. There is a wide range of cultivars of the Shrek ear and jade plant available on the market. Some have even been awarded by the Royal Horticultural Society, RHS, the British entity responsible for registering all hybrids and cultivars produced in the world.

The Crassula Ovata Gollum is a succulent native to South Africa and Mozambique. They usually thrive in cooler regions and are a popular houseplant. It is characterized by its long green leaves that have a reddish tinge at their tips. These plants can bloom and have flowers that can either be pink or white and have a star shape. They can grow up to 80 cm or 30 inches. They are evergreen succulents and are often a popular option for bonsai.

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Taken in: Brazil / São Paulo / São Caetano do Sul (show map)

Taken on: August 2, 2021

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Orelha de Shrek

Crassula ovata 'Gollum'

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spoon jade

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Crassula ovata 'Monstruosa'

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Camera: Sony ILCE-6300, f/4.0, 1/160 sec, 30mm (=45mm), ISO 200 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Sony ILCE-6300
Aperture:	f/4.0
Exposure Time:	0.006 sec (1/160)
Focal Length:	30mm (35mm equivalent: 45mm)
ISO:	200
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
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