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Goldenbell

Succulent type: Caudiciform (Stores water in the thickened base of its stem)

This small caudiciform grows up to 1 foot (30.5 cm) tall. The asymmetrical stem is yellow-green, and is dotted with small caramel spines. The straight, vivid orange trunk can grow to as much as 1 foot (30.5 cm) in diameter in the middle. Its moss green branches are short, rigid and upright and start growing halfway up the stem.

The large amounts of toothed-edged, very thin leaves are generally gold. They are resistant, and easily come away when pulled.

It is steady-growing, taking 2 years to reach maturity. Once mature, a handful of flowers, with petals that are sky blue at the sides and yellow at the center, grow at the top, reappearing once every 10 years. The flower head is shaped like a dish made up of many widely spaced, round-tipped petals. It has a delicate scent that smells like old shoes.

The caudiciform's skin is thin, the vivid yellow flesh is sticky, and the cream sap is thin.

It usually houses a colony of beneficial insects.
It makes excellent hedges.
It is suitable for creating flexible, durable textiles