Dudleya edulis aka Fingertips

Dudleya edulis belongs to the Crassulaceae family. It is a succulent that stays green all year. People call it mission lettuce or fingertips. It is native to southwestern California and northwestern Baja California, Mexico. It grows on rocky slopes and coastal bluffs. Records also place it high in the Sonoran Desert. Its wider range includes desert and dry land with shrubs.

Plants reach about 1 foot (0.3 metres) tall. They spread to about 2 feet (0.6 metres) across. Low clumps bear rosettes, or rings, of long, fleshy leaves. The smooth leaves look like thin beans or fingers. They stay on the plant all year. Thin flower stalks rise above the leaves in summer. Reports give June to July as the bloom season. Each flower has both male and female organs. Insects pollinate the blooms, which supply nectar while in flower.

Give this plant sun and soil that drains fast. It grows well in sand, loam, or rocky sites. Soil can be mildly acid, neutral, or mildly alkaline. Sites on or near the coast suit it well. Once plants take root, they need little summer water. They can also cope with drought. In winter, water must drain away from the roots. The source lists USDA hardiness zones 9–11. The small clumps suit rock gardens and narrow gaps. They also suit coastal beds of succulents. The leaves form low cover where soil is shallow.

You can eat the leaves; sources also list stems as food. Their taste ranges from mild and bland to fresh. The moist leaves give more water than food energy. People have used them as fresh extra food or in emergencies. Past accounts note their use on corns and calluses. These old uses do not prove that they treat health problems. Being safe to eat does not prove safety for pets. Use garden-grown plants to avoid harm to wild stands. Do not take plants from parks, reserves, or protected groups. Avoid plants that road waste or garden chemicals have reached.

Grow new plants from seed or split off offsets. These are small shoots at the base of the plant. In summer, you can use side shoots as cuttings. Let cut stems dry for a day before planting. Plant these cuttings in a mix with lots of sand. Plants grown from seed take longer than those from splits. The evidence names no specific pests or diseases. It does stress good drainage and little summer water. These needs make site choice key to long-term growth.