huernia zebrina bloom

[u bada]

This little guy opened for me yesterday... awww... first bloom for this little cutting/division.

This belongs to the group of succulents called stapeliads, many are from Africa, southwestern africa if I'm not mistaken. They are known for their star or starfish shaped flowers, many of which small like rotting meat, much like many bulbophyllums. Of course they're very happy here in SoCal... this one is called life saver plant I think... because i guess it looks like a life saver piece of candy... do they still sell those? hmmm...

[charlesf6]

nice photo and looking like the candy affirmative.

[u bada]

Thanks guys! yeah, I'm getting the candy connection the more I look at it... hmmm... there's a cool purple species that I have to try to find...

[Subrosa]

If you like Huernia, you'll love Orbea......

[Tindomul]

These are some of my favourites, but I can only grow one reliably.

[estación seca]

Originally Posted by Tindomul

These are some of my favourites, but I can only grow one reliably.

They're the easiest thing to grow in the world... unless they get mealy bugs. The mealy bugs hide on the base of the stem where the roots emerge, so the grower won't see them. Cuttings will not root and plants will not grow if they have mealy bugs. They often collapse in rot, which enters through the punctures on the side of the stems in contact with the potting mix.

I personally put imidacloprid granules into the soil mix for all my Huernia, Orbea, Stapelia and their relatives. I don't feel guilty because almost all are pollinated by flies and not bees.

[Tindomul]

Good tip! The one I had just died on me from lack of watering. Yup, the less I have to water, the more likely I am of totally forgetting about the plant.

[estación seca]

Lack of water? They are such drought-tolerant plants that death by dehydration would take over a year outside, even here in Phoenix. I bet yours had mealy bugs you didn't notice. Plant explorers have reported finding Huernia pieces hiding in pockets of their field clothes several YEARS after they were picked - and THEY GREW!

[Tindomul]

Wow, ok I cede to you on this. I did not think that they were this drought tolerant.
Reminds me of one time as a beginning field botany student I attempted to press a stem of a prickly pear cactus. I managed to get it into the plant press in early september. When December rolled around after all those months in the drying oven, the stem was growing rather than dead. I guess checking on it twice a week gave it enough light to try to grow. Well, suffice it to say, the professor just laughed under his breath. At least I had more plants than I needed for the collection.