Crassula capitella 'Campfire'
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Campfire Crassula / Red Pagoda Succulent
Botanical Name: Crassula capitella ‘Campfire’
Family: Crassulaceae
Origin: Southern Africa
Plant Type: Evergreen succulent groundcover
Overview
Crassula capitella ‘Campfire’ is a vibrant, low-growing succulent groundcover prized for its dramatic colour change — bright green in shade shifting to fiery red, orange and scarlet tones in full sun and cooler weather. Exceptionally well suited to Adelaide and South Australian conditions, it thrives in heat, drought and free-draining soils with minimal care.
From spring through autumn, ‘Campfire’ also produces small white star-shaped flowers, adding subtle contrast to its bold foliage. Fast spreading and easy to maintain, it is ideal for mass planting, edging, rockeries, gravel gardens and containers.
Key Features
- Mature Size: 0.15–0.25 m H × 0.6–1.0 m W (spreading habit)
- Growth Rate: 2-040cm horizontal spread
- Foliage: Narrow, stacked leaves; green in shade, turning red-orange in sun and cooler weather; evergreen
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Flowers: Small white star-shaped flowers in spring–summer
- Fragrance: Not fragrant
- Seasonal Interest: Year-round foliage colour; most intense red tones in autumn and winter
- Wildlife Value: Flowers attract bees and beneficial insects
- Tolerance: Excellent drought tolerance once established; Excellent heat tolerance; Light frost tolerant (foliage may mark below –2 to –3 °C but recovers); Tolerant of coastal conditions; Does not tolerate waterlogged soils
- Planting Density: Mass planting / groundcover: 4–6 plants per m²; Edging: space 30–40 cm apart
- Pet Friendly: Mildly toxic if ingested — keep away from pets and children
Where It Works Best
- Sunlight: Full sun to light part shade (full sun for best colour)
- Soil: Very free-draining sandy or gravelly soils; ideal for raised beds, rockeries and pots
- Water Needs: Establishment: Light watering 1–2 times per week for 4–6 weeks; Established: Occasional watering during prolonged dry periods only
- Maintenance: Extremely low maintenance; Trim back if spreading too far or to refresh colour; Remove frost-damaged growth in spring; No fertiliser required
- Lifespan: 5–10+ years (can be indefinite with division)
- Climate Zones: Ideal for temperate and Mediterranean South Australia, including Adelaide Plains and coastal areas
- Soil pH: Neutral to alkaline preferred; tolerant of mildly acidic soils
Landscape & Design Ideas
- Mass planting for bold colour contrast in dry gardens
- Edging plant along paths and garden beds
- Rockeries, gravel gardens and slopes
- Containers and hanging bowls
- Pairs beautifully with Agave, Aloe, Senecio, Lomandra, Westringia
Why You Will Love It
Crassula capitella ‘Campfire’ delivers maximum colour with minimal effort. Tough, fast-spreading and drought-proof, it thrives in Adelaide’s hot summers while lighting up the garden with fiery tones through the cooler months — a standout succulent for modern, low-water landscapes.