Spineleaf Mango Succulent

This short leaf succulent grows up to 8 feet (2.4 meters) tall. The narrow stem is orange-yellow, and is covered in lots of flexible caramel spines. The toothed-edged, broad, flat leaves are gray-green with white tips. Handfuls of them grow from the base like a cabbage. The leaves are durable, but easily come away when pulled.

It is slow growing, taking 7 years to reach maturity. Once mature, a handful of flowers, with petals that are magenta at the sides and dull blue at the center, grow at the top, reappearing every year. The flower head is largely flat with dozens of widely spaced round-tipped petals. It has an overpowering scent that smells like mango.

The leaf succulent's skin is nearly impenetrable, the gold flesh is soft, and the silver sap is thin.