Also known as mother-of-pearl plant, the ghost plant is native to Mexico. Its Latin name is Graptopetalum paraguayense. Ghost plant is a member of the Crassulaceae family. This bears some resemblance to the Echeverias.

For the most part, this is a petite, tidy, compact species. From its name, you can pretty well tell that the foliage will be white to silver-gray. There is an overall purplish or pinkish undertone as well. Because the lance-shaped leaves are very brittle, you need to handle this with care. The thick, pointed, fleshy leaves are up to three inches long and an inch wide. The lower ones tend to curl downwards.

When they reach their full size, the handsome rosettes can be around five inches across. Lots of branches come off the stems.

During the summer, ghost plant produces cascading flower stalks that are about six inches in length. These come from the leaf axils. The delicate, bell-shaped blooms are beige with flecks of brownish-red. They open in clusters.

The plant looks particularly beautiful when it is grown in hanging baskets. It is only about a foot tall.

Ghost plant tends to be rather tender, and is winter hardy only in zones 9-11. It is often used as ground cover in warmer regions. When grown under such conditions, it can eventually produce branches and additional rosettes. This can’t always happen when it is growing in small pots.

Ghost plant is a carefree type that is not very demanding. It would be suitable for novice gardeners. Like most succulents, this does best in full sun.

When this plant is actively growing, it needs warm conditions. But during the winter it can tolerate temperatures to 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Don’t bother fertilizing the ghost plant. This really likes a lean soil. Allow the soil to dry out between waterings, and water even less during its rest period.

Be careful to put the water onto the soil and not on the plant. Any drops that touch the foliage can make ugly marks.

Because it tends to be fast growing, this will need repotting on a regular basis.

This is easy to propagate from leaf cuttings and stem cuttings. Sometimes new plants will develop along the edges of the foliage. All you have to do is pot these up. When mature, ghost plant can produce offsets that can be separated from the mother plant.

For the most part, this species seldom has many insects or disease problems. However, it can get mealybugs.

In addition to this species, there is a related one, Graptopetalum pachyphytoides. When mature, this has leaves with tinges of yellow or red. The rest of the time, its foliage will be gray-green. This has shorter stems, only an inch long. The rosettes are also smaller in size, only an inch across. The tiny leaves are about ½ inch long and half as wide. This species has red flowers.