Dudleya farinosa is a succulent plant known by several common names, including bluff lettuce, powdery liveforever, and powdery dudleya. This dudleya is variable in appearance from drab to spectacular. It grows from a branching caudex and forms a basal rosette of wide, pointed, spade-shaped leaves, each up to about six centimeters across. The leaves are generally very pale green but they often have edges or tips of bright colors, particularly bright reds. The plant erects a tall stem which is pale green with pink or red tinting, atop which it bears a branching flower cluster with many pale to bright yellow flowers. This plant is native to the coastline of Oregon and northern California, where it is commonly found on bluffs and coastal hillsides. One specialized habitat in which D. farinosa is found is the Monterey Cypress forests at Point Lobos and Del Monte Forest in Monterey County, California.
This is a beautiful plant with striking red foliage in the dry season. Easy to grow in coastal environments, just make sure it’s place in very well draining soils in either full sun or part shade. It’s often grown in pots and is a great choice for rock walls. Dudleya farinosa is an important hummingbird plant along the coast in its natural range.