Gollum, Gollum.

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:-)

Haha thanks for the replies! I am glad that I did indeed pick up the plant I was looking for. I can't wait to re-pot it next weekend! I might split it up into several pots

Not only a 'Gollum'...but a 'Gollum' with nice skinny fingers ;-)

Josh

Hehehe... Glad you found one! Very precious Gollum, indeed! Aren't they just the coolest?! I'm in love. I've already started trying to root more even though I have 5 planters of it! lol
Cheers~
Sara

What is the difference between a Gollum and a Hobbit LMAO! But seriously! I'd like to know because I picked up a Hobbit!

I think they ARE the same... Just different common names. I've also seen it labeled ET Fingers.

Here is a link that might be useful: Crassula Ovata

PPG,

They are different plants. 'Gollum' has fingers, as the other posters have note, 'Hobbit' does not - the leaves are spatulate, yet not as flattened or regular as the original Crassula ovata. But your response is good for illustrating the reason for avoiding common names - there's too much confusion and precious little accuracy.

The link I posted sheds a little light on the subject, to me... But basically, we are confused because they are hybrids of the same plants???

Crassula portulaceae 'Gollum'
Crassula ovata 'Gollum'
Crassula 'argentea' (This was how my Gollum was labeled at Lowes)
Crassula convoluta

Sara,

Nomenclature is, with some plants, in constant flux - folks are finding something new about the plant's name, whether it was superceded, anteceded, described already, for some examples. This is less true about Crassula ovata 'Gollum' than others, but your examples are illustrative of a name's evolution. Crassula argentea was the former name for what is now called Crassula ovata. Your first and fourth examples are names I've never heard of before in relation to this plant, particularly the first, which appears highly questionable (I mean, to the extent that I think it's someone's naming invention, without any scientific backup).

But in essence, IMO, no, we're not confused about the name (the possibility exists that some of are, however). And since I'm in for a penny, 'Gollum' isn't a hybrid - it's a cultivar (cultivated variety) / selection, a Crassula ovata that was found (either in nature or in a nursery) to have gone rogue, something different, something weird, and is grown for its freakishness. If you have 100 seeds of this plant and one comes up differently in appearance/growth habit from the other 99, and this hasn't been officially described before, you could name it 'Postpunk Girl' and grow it, thereby making it a selection / cultivar, and that's on top of the hit video which would be seen by millions of 'Gollum' fanciers.

Hahaha... awesome cactusmcharris! Always helpful, and Josh as well! AND I do like Gollum for it's anti-establishment good looks. ;)

You're welcome!

These mutations appeared on other Jade plants, and are also called "sports."
I don't know if I completely trust the information I've read about Crassula ovata 'Hobbit,'
but some report that it originally appeared as a monstrose mutation on a 'Crosby's Compact.'

Once you've been around these Jades for a while, the differences will become apparent.

Josh

Here's a picture of my "Hobbit". Compared next to your "Gullum" the difference is now very apparent. At least to me! HAHAHA If I was an outsider looking in and there were no pictures you'd swear we were Lord of the Rings fanatics! LMAO Whoever "named" these plants must have been!
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Ah, yes I can see the difference now between my Gollum and your Hobbit. Josh's diagram helps quite a bit, and I can see now that my plant's leaves are skinnier than the Hobbit's would be. The taxonomy of it all is still confusing, but I see now how the term 'cultivar' is applied to plants with a genetic difference. Thanks for the help everyone! I will post some pictures once I get it re-planted too.

Sara and CP,

Some photos that, I trust, won't confuse you further.

C. o. 'Gollum' (which, admittedly, has a rogue leaf itself)

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C. o. 'Hobbit (lower right)

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Closeup of C. o. 'Hobbit'

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WOW! They are both gorgeous! Love your planters!

Jeff,
your 'Gollum' stump is looking superb.

Josh

Apparently the Wally Worlds in Texas and Idaho get exactly the same plants, I saw the same Gollums in the same pots. I found one without the outer pot on a rack of cactus and succulents. I asked an attendant what the price was, she couldn't find one. She was going to take a plant out of another ceramic pot and put the Gollum in it. I told her I didn't want the pot just the plant. She grabbed a small foliage houseplant checked the price, took the Gollum out of it's pot and put it in the foliage plant pot. She stuffed, (literally) the foliage plant in the smaller Gollum pot. I was shocked that she switched the pots and even more shocked that the cashier didn't ask me about it. The Gollum was in a pot approximately 1 inch smaller so it didn't fill the pot it was placed in.

I hope the person that purchases the foliage plant pays attention to the price, the succulents were $6.00, the foliage plant was $2.75. I will definitely pay more attention when buying plants there from now on. I am happy to have the Gollum, at a good price, but am disturbed by the switching of pots.

That is a wonderful gollum there Jeff! Some nice looking plants everyone.

mary

here is a shot from a local Southern California nursery that was selling both plants... Hobbit on left and Gollum on right

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cactusmcharris, that Gollum has a huge trunk! It must be very old, huh?

luvidaho, dealings with them do seem to be kind of shady. :P
When I bought a really nice Haworthia fasciata from them they did something similar and gave it to me for 2 bucks.

Lzrddr that's a very good comparison picture, thanks!

Now I want a Hobbit too! Y'all are ruining me! ;)

Thanks - my one plant (and that's all it's going to be) is a limb from the plant that was in the front yard of my San Diego apartment. Probably about 12-15 y/o.

Sara,

That's us that did that, eh?

postpunkgirl - I have a "hobbit" and want a "gollum" too! Maybe we can arrange a trade? I will give you a piece of my "hobbit" if you give me a piece of your "gollum" LMAO I always giggle (literally) when I'm writing in this topic! I seriously feel like we're talking about The Lord Of The Rings! Anyway, I've never done a trade before so I need advice if you agree to trade.

Jeff - how do you get the trunk of your "Gullum" to do that! It's beautiful! I've got Adenium Obesum Seeds started that I would like to bonsai like that. I was told to cut the main root and plant in a shallow pot or put a flat rock under the root system so it's forced to grow out instead of down. Is this true?

CC,

It's an old plant which did most of its growing in succulent paradise (San Diego), hence its heft.

Yes, that can be true, but you need to wait for the seedlings to turn into plants.

CCooper! I would agree to that if you have a rooted plant?? I have two baby Gollums (one with 5 or 6 leaves and one with 4.) Maybe we could email each other pictures. Click on my name to view my pro then click the email link. I'm a newbie at trades too! I have recieved lots of shipped plants though, so I may be able to walk us through that part! :)

LOL Cactus! I AM hopeless... and I'm only a third year gardener! ;)

In the interest of full disclosure....I *am* a serious Lord of the Rings enthusiast! ;-)

Josh

No! Say it ain't so. :-)

Sigh

I have all the books AND movies... and almost all of the jades to complete my collection. HA! ;)

I'm afraid 'tis so, Brad ;-)
I even commissioned a helm from The Lonely Mountain Forge....

Josh

OMG! I was afraid of this LMAO

We boggies are a merry folk
Who like to eat until we choke
Loving all like friend and brother
And hardly ever eating each other....*

*From 'Bored of the Rings'
** I've read LOTR probably 10x and would wish to have hobbit feet (at least up here). Big fan, too, but perhaps not as much as The Great Helmsman above

Haha you LOTR nerds! Just kidding, I'm a fan too..but honestly I'm more a fan of Star Wars! One day I will name a variety 'R2D2' :P

On the subject of jades, I just had a cool idea today! My roommate is always trying to get me to drink coffee from his Keurig coffee maker. He showed me the little cup of ground coffee after it was done brewing, and I realized that it would be perfect for a small plant! The little cups are about 1 inch in diameter, have a coffee filter secured in with about 1 centimeter of empty space below the filter (water can drain through) with a hole already punched in the bottom! I filled them up and put my jade leaves in there to grow. He drinks a lot of coffee so I should have more pots soon to put lots of cuttings in!

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I am afraid the coffee filter will rip at some point, but I wasn't able to poke my finger through it so it is pretty strong.

Does anyone else use this kind of coffee maker? Check out the coffee container next time you make a brew.

-Chris

I have a Keurig! Those WOULD be perfect! Way better than the flimsy little Dixie cups I sometimes use. And they already have one pierced drainage hole. ;) My aunt also uses her coffee ground remnants as organic soil amendments to some of her houseplants... Has anyone else done or heard of this??

That's cool, I was actually thinking that I need to experiment with leaving some coffee grounds in the filter. Maybe just around the outside edges with soil filling the middle. It couldn't hurt (much) to try!

PS
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Coffee grounds aren't good for succulents, which (mostly) enjoy a neutral soil. Coffee grounds are slightly acidic, but they also add to the friability of soil. I would advise you not to use them, and I'd think they'd tend to inhibit the growth/rooting of a plant.

Ah, that's good to know. I will be sure to thoroughly clean out these coffee filters before I use them then

Cactus -

I WANT YOUR GARDEN!

:)

Everything in those photos you posted is positively stunning! One day (I hope), my collection will look as well-kept and vibrant as yours.

CG

Does anyone know where I can get a gollum or hobbit that is mealybug free. When I see them in the store they often have mealy.