Scientific Name
Adenia perrieri Claverie
Common Name(s)
Bottle Tree
Scientific Classification
Family: Passifloraceae
Subfamily: Passifloroideae
Tribe: Passifloreae
Genus: Adenia
Description
Adenia perrieri is an impressive caudiciform plant with a caudex that develops into a stem that produces green, vine-like, usually annual branches bearing lace-like leaves. The caudex can grow up to 8 inches (20 cm) in diameter, while the stem can reach up to 10 feet (3 m) in height. New branches come out in spring. The leaves are deeply divided, measuring up to 1.4 inches (3.5 cm) long and 0.6 inches (1.5 cm) wide. The shape and size of the leaves vary depending on the growing conditions. The typical form has green leaves, but in cultivation is usually seen the form with leaves that have irregular white markings.
The small flowers are greenish-white and appear in summer.
Origin
Adenia perrieri is native to Madagascar. It grows in sandy soil and on basalt rocks in Ambongo and Boina.
Etymology
The specific epithet "perrieri (per-ee-AY-eye)" honors Joseph Marie Henry Alfred Perrier de la Bâthie (1873 -1958), a French botanist who specialized in the plants of Madagascar.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones 11a to 11b: from 40 °F (+4.4 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).
How to Grow and Care
Adenias are summer growers and can be watered and fed regularly if planted in fast-draining soil. Let the soil dry between watering if you are in a humid climate.
Most of your growth will be during the warm season, and the plant will have the most leaves. The plant will also grow best with the leaves exposed to bright light but the caudex shaded.
Protect the plant from frost during the cool months to keep it alive. The plant rests typically during this period, and water should be kept to a minimum. However, you can keep the plant active if you keep it above 50 °F (10 °C).
Their sap is poisonous and should be handled cautiously, particularly when pruning.
Most cuttings do not produce a caudex, so it is best to propagate by seeds. Adenias are either male or female, so one of each is required to produce seeds.
Learn more at How to Grow and Care for Adenia.
Links
- Back to genus Adenia
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
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