Living Jewels Plant Care
Titanopsis calcarea (Marloth) Schwantes
Updated · Sources · How we source care data
Titanopsis calcarea, commonly called the jewel plant, is a species of ice plant in the genus Titanopsis, native to the Cape Provinces, Free State, and Northern Provinces of South Africa. A succulent, it has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit as an ornamental.
Every 14–21 days
Full sun to partial shade
50–80°F
10–40%
At a glance
How do you care for Living Jewels?
Water Living Jewels every 14–21 days, letting the top layer of soil dry out between waterings, and give it full sun to partial shade. It prefers temperatures of 50–80°F (10–27°C) and 10–40% humidity. Fertilize it every 8 months during the growing season.
Where Is the Living Jewels Native To?
What Is the Living Jewels?
Living Jewels (Titanopsis calcarea) belongs to the Aizoaceae family within the Titanopsis genus. Living Jewels is native to the Cape Provinces, Free State, and Northern Provinces of South Africa. Living Jewels is also known as False Aloe.
Living Jewels displays a low rosette, clumping growth habit, reaching up to 0.1 ft tall with a spread of approximately 0.5 ft. Living Jewels produces small daisy-like yellow flowers.
Leaf size: approximately 1 inches.
How Often Should You Water a Living Jewels?
Titanopsis calcarea requires watering every 14–21 days. Allow the top layer of soil to dry between waterings to prevent root rot. Reduce watering frequency during winter when growth slows.
Watering Frequency
Every 14–21 days
Let soil partially dry between waterings
What Light Does the Living Jewels Need?
Living Jewels thrives in full sun to partial shade.
Light Requirement
Full sun to partial shade
What Temperature and Humidity Does the Living Jewels Prefer?
Titanopsis calcarea grows best at temperatures of 50–80°F. Living Jewels prefers humidity levels of 10–40%.
Temperature
50–80°F
Humidity
10–40%
What Soil Mix Works Best for a Living Jewels?
Sandy, well-draining succulent mix with perlite and coarse sand. Good drainage is essential for Living Jewels to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.
How Often Should You Fertilize a Living Jewels?
Feed Living Jewels every 8 months during the growing season (spring and summer) with a balanced fertilizer diluted to the strength on the label.
Pause feeding in autumn and winter, when growth slows, and never fertilize dry soil — water first.
Fertilizing
Every 8 months
During the growing season
The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.
How Do You Repot a Living Jewels?
Repot every 2-3 years in early spring. Choose a pot one size larger than the current container, and ensure it has drainage holes to allow excess water to escape.
How Do You Propagate a Living Jewels?
Living Jewels can be propagated through leaf cuttings, division. Similar propagation techniques also apply to hugo schlechter's false-daisy plant care, which shares the same genus.
Is the Living Jewels Toxic to Pets and Children?
Pet safety not verified
The ASPCA does not list Living Jewels, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Keep pets from chewing it as a precaution.
This is a general caution, not veterinary or medical advice. If your pet ate a plant, contact your vet or animal poison control.
See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.
What Pests and Diseases Affect the Living Jewels?
Living Jewels is susceptible to mealybugs, aphids. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.
Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.
What USDA Hardiness Zone Does the Living Jewels Need?
Living Jewels grows outdoors in USDA Zone 12a. It survives winters down to planting zone 12a. Living Jewels is native to the Cape Provinces, Free State, and Northern Provinces of South Africa. In cooler regions, grow Living Jewels as a houseplant or bring it indoors before the first frost.
Hardiness Zone
Zone 12a
Keep exploring plants
Living Jewels is one of many species covered in the complete plant care and identification guide, which groups plants by genus, attribute, and popularity.
It belongs to the Titanopsis genus — compare its care with other Titanopsis species on PlantoScan.
Titanopsis is part of the Aizoaceae plant family — browse all Aizoaceae genera and species.
Living Jewels thrives in bright light and direct sun — see other bright-light plants.
Related Plant Care Guides
Closely related plants with similar care requirements:
Sources
- Scientific name & taxonomy: Titanopsis calcarea (Marloth) Schwantes, family Aizoaceae (first published in in Z. Sukkulentenk. 2: . 1926.) — World Flora Online record.
- Pet toxicity: Pet safety not verified: the ASPCA does not list Living Jewels, so we can't confirm whether it is safe for cats and dogs. Checked against the ASPCA plant list; any other toxicity note on this page comes from PlantoScan's plant database.
- Hardiness zone: USDA Zone 12a, calculated from the plant's minimum temperature.
- Care values(watering, light, temperature, humidity, soil, fertilizing): PlantoScan's plant database, filtered by automatic plausibility checks — values that fail them are hidden. How we source and check plant data.
Spotted a mistake? Email info@upvision.media with the page link — we check and correct reported errors.
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