^{(Photograph = Diamorpha smallii by Paul Adanick)}

Article by Paul Adanick

Introduction

Diamorpha smallii, also known as Elf Orpine, is an endemic of the Granitic outcrops of Georgia. A sea of red in an otherwise barren environment secures Diamorpha’s position as the harbinger of very early spring. Sometimes it grows with Opuntia species. 

The Details

Diamorpha smallii Britton ex Small 1903 is a tiny succulent and member of the Stonecrop family (Crassulaceae). A winter annual, it becomes active in late fall and winter producing a spurt of bright red vegetative growth by March. A profusion of white blooms then appears and the plant sets seed and dies in late April. Skeletonized stalks and seed heads are the only traces left through the summer months.

Diamorpha grows in the thin soils of the solution pits or other slight depressions in the otherwise bare rock surfaces. The plant’s red coloration helps reflect light in these harsh solar conditions. Usable soil is sometimes less than one centimeter in depth, but the succulent leaves hold enough water from these shallow soils or seasonal pools to ensure survival even when the soil dries out.