Graptopetalum paraguayense - Variegated Ghost Plant

Highlights

Variegated Ghost Plant (Graptopetalum paraguayense f. variegatum) (Walther): An elegant plant with stunning variegation of purple and yellow. Like, the regular Ghost Plant, it is incredibly easy to grow and shows a wide range of pastel tones. It blushes pink, purple, and yellow in full sun and shows more blues, greens, and silvers in partial shade. Direct sun also causes its powdery coating of farina to thicken, adding to the soft, frosty appearance.

Each tight rosette of flat, pointed leaves can reach up to 6.0" in diameter. The stems grow long and branch, eventually spilling out of containers, but it also takes well to regular pruning. This is one of the easiest succulents to propagate and a great place for beginners to start. It can quickly re-root from a stem cutting or mature leaf. You'll soon end up with more Ghost Plants than you know what to do with! (How to Propagate Succulents).

This species epithet is a misnomer, as the species is not native to Paraguay but to Mexico. It likely originated in the Chihuahuan Desert, but no one has yet to re-discovered it in the wild. It can bloom in spring or summer with star-shaped, white flowers speckled with red.

Ghost Plant is a very forgiving grower, needing only bright sun, occasional water, and protection from deep frosts. It can overwinter well indoors if kept near a sunny window or under a grow light. Ensure it has well-draining pots and soil and that you only water when the soil is dry.

Product Size

2.0" Pot

Current Primary Color

Blue / Blue-green

All Seasonal Colors

Pink, Purple / Black

Bloom Color

Pink Bloom

Grow Zone (Hardiness)

Zone 10 (30F)

Recommended Light Conditions

Bright Indoor Light, Full Sun

Maximum Height

9"-12"

Maximum Rosette Size

3"-4"

Growth Habit / Shape

Rosette

Special Characteristic

Easy to Propagate, Variegated, Pet Safe

THIS PLANT IS HARDY IN ZONES 10+

10

WHAT IS MY HARDINESS ZONE?

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Popular Questions

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3 years ago

I am a beginner with succulents. what does "overwinter" mean? See answer

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3 years ago  •  Staff Answer

Overwintering just means to keep the plant alive over the course of a winter. In context, it's usually used in reference to whether or not you can keep a plant alive outdoors or not. See full answer »

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3 years ago

will my chick charm look like pic upon arrival See answer

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3 years ago  •  Staff Answer

It may. One of the beautiful things about this plant is that the amounts of red, green and yellow vary dramatically though out the year. Will your plant look identical to the first picture? Probably not. However, it will look like a 'Gold Nugget' as displayed in our series of photos. A rosette succulent with some combination of red, yellow and green. See full answer »

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1 year ago

How long will it take for a 2" diameter Gold Nugget to grow to a mature size of 5 inch outside? (Zone 7b, part sun) See answer

I am trying to plan succulent design in my garden See more »

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1 year ago  •  Staff Answer

It'll take a year or two to reach that size. However, growth speed depends on a lot of factors like soil quality, watering frequency, pest pressure and many more. It's hard to say for certain when your plant will reach 5". See full answer »

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3 years ago

Does this come as a pot with one Gold Nugget rosette, or with multiple rosettes in a single pot? See answer

For “nugget” succulents like chicks & hens, is the price for 1 nugget or do you Getz number of nuggets in an order (3-4 in a pot)? Thank you- See more »

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8 months ago  •  Staff Answer

This Chick Charms Gold Nugget comes fully rooted in a 2" pot. Usually, a single rosette completely fills the pot, but occasionally there will be smaller bonus rosettes growing around the base of the main plant. See full answer »

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3 years ago

What size pot is ideal for planting sempervivum gold nugget plants? See answer

Size of Pot Needed See more »

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8 months ago  •  Staff Answer

This Sempervivum 'Gold Nugget' listing is for a plant fully rooted in a 2" pot. If you want to plant it individually, look for a pot about 2.5"-3.5" in diameter. You can also plant multiple in a single container, leaving a little space between rosettes. Still try to find a pot less than 6" deep, so that it does not hold too much water. And, as always, pick pots with drainage holes and use gritty, well-draining soil. See full answer »

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3 years ago

Can Chick Charms Gold Nugget thrive indoors under grow lights? See answer

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8 months ago  •  Staff Answer

They can grow indoors under a Succulent Grow Light or on a south-facing window sill, but they do not show their best colors and can be more vulnerable to rot. All Sempervivum, including Chick Charms, grow best outdoors and can tolerate frosts down to -20F (Zone 5). Cold nights and winters are what bring out their vibrant pigments, and without those they tend to stay greener indoors. See full answer »

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3 years ago

Can sempervivum Gold Nugget overwinter indoors on a windowsill then planted outside in the spring? See answer

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8 months ago  •  Staff Answer

It can, just be sure it gets as much sun as possible or supplement with a Succulent Grow Light. Also remember that Sempervivum growth slows down a lot during the winter, so it should receive little to no water. After all chance of frost has passed, you can move it outdoors and gradually acclimate it to partial then full sun over the course of about two weeks. Then you can plant it, and once it's established a strong root system (about a month) it will be able to tolerate more extreme conditions. See full answer »

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3 years ago

Do sempervivum gold nugget plants multiply? See answer

Do these multiply? See more »

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8 months ago  •  Voted Best Answer

Yes! Sempervivum like this 'Gold Nugget' produce lots of new little offsets called "chicks" each spring through summer. The small new rosettes will sprout around the base of the main rosette (the "hen"). They can be left there to root or you can gently pull them off and plant them elsewhere. See full answer »

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2 years ago

Would Chick Charms Gold Nugget show its full range of colors outdoors in a temperate climate--without much cold weather? See answer

I saw in your YouTube video that this plant likes -20F to get cold temperature stress to get colorful in winter. We just can't provide that here! See more »

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2 years ago  •  Staff Answer

You still can get some great gold tones by gently stressing Sempervivum with full sun and drought. Even in a temperate climate (such as hardiness zones 9+) this 'Gold Nugget' will color up if planted in full sun with rocky, well-draining soil, and very infrequent water. But you're right, you might not see some of the hot pink accents it gets in response to hard frosts. See full answer »

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2 years ago

How large is this sempervivum gold nugget? 2 inches? 3 inches? See answer

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8 months ago  •  Staff Answer

This plant is fully rooted in a 2" square, plastic grow pot. The size of the plant can vary slightly, but it fills out the pot well.

If you scroll down on any plant listing to the Product Details you will find a field called Product Size that will indicate what size of pot the plant comes in. See full answer »

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