Scientific Name
Adromischus phillipsiae (Marloth) Poelln.
Synonym(s)
Cotyledon phillipsiae
Scientific Classification
Family: Crassulaceae
Subfamily: Kalanchoideae
Genus: Adromischus
Etymology
The specific epithet "phillipsiae" (pronounced "fil-LIPS-ee-ay") honors Louise Jane Forbes Lort-Phillips🡕 (fl. 1894–1901), wife of British architect, explorer, and naturalist Ethelbert Lort-Phillips (1857–1943). She was a plant collector who accompanied her husband on expeditions in Somaliland around 1883–1895.
Description
Adromischus phillipsiae is a low-growing succulent with a tuberous rootstock, a short, erect stem, and spreading, soft branches bearing green to grey-green leaves. It can grow up to 2 inches (5 cm) tall and form a small clump over time. The leaves are oblanceolate to elliptic with a channeled upper surface, measuring up to 1.8 inches (4.5 cm) long and 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) wide.
The flowers are orange-red, cylindrical to slightly broadened in the middle, and can reach up to 0.8 inches (2 cm) long. The inflorescence is a thyrse with several monochasia, each with 1 to 5 pendulous flowers.
Origin
The native range of Adromischus phillipsiae extends from the Kamiesberg Mountains to Komsberg Pass and near Matjiesfontein in South Africa. It grows in sheltered rock crevices.
How to Grow and Care for Adromischus phillipsiae
Hardiness: USDA hardiness zones 9b to 11b: from 25°F (-3.9°C) to 50°F (10°C).
Many species are easy to grow in any free-draining, gritty compost. Their compact habit lets you keep a collection in a small space, and they grow well on any sunny window ledge or the top shelf of the greenhouse. Water mostly from spring to fall, and let them dry out between waterings. Adromischus tolerates cool, frost-free conditions during the winter if kept dry. It is also best to keep water off the foliage during the winter. A systemic insecticide can discourage mealybugs and vine weevils.
You can propagate Adromischus from a single leaf, which you should place against the side of the pot so the stem ends touch the compost. Some species drop their leaves easily, and although each leaf will form a new plant, growing a large specimen can be challenging. In other cases, you must carefully detach leaves for propagation with a sharp knife.
Learn more at How to Grow and Care for Adromischus.
Links
- Back to genus Adromischus
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
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