Scientific Name
Caralluma hexagona Lavranos
Synonym(s)
Ceropegia hexagona, Monolluma hexagona, Sulcolluma hexagona
Scientific Classification
Family: Apocynaceae
Subfamily: Asclepiadoideae
Tribe: Ceropegieae
Subtribe: Stapeliinae
Genus: Caralluma
Origin
Caralluma hexagona is native to Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Oman. It grows in shallow soil overlaying rock outcrops and crevices.
Description
Caralluma hexagona is a small, much-branched succulent with fleshy, green to gray-green stems with four wavy and toothed ribs. It can grow up to 8 inches (20 cm) tall, branching from the base and forming dense clumps. The stems are upright or ascending, branched, measuring up to 3.2 inches (8 cm) long and 0.8 inches (2 cm) thick.
The flowers are erect, star-shaped to slightly bell-shaped, and can reach up to 0.9 inches (2.2 cm) in diameter. They are greenish-white or cream-colored, densely spotted with reddish-brown, and appear in clusters of 5 to 20 on short stalks in late summer and fall.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zone 10a to 11b: from 30 °F (−1.1 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).
How to Grow and Care
Stapeliads are relatively easy to grow. They should be treated as outdoor plants as they will easily rot indoors and cannot flower without exposure to outdoor temperature fluctuations. They should be grown under cover so that watering can be controlled. They require a reasonable amount of sunlight to promote flowering and maintain a well-shaped plant. Very shady positions will produce very poor flowering. Stapeliads come from climates where they survive extremely high temperatures in the summer months, so most growth is in spring and autumn, with flowering in autumn when the weather starts to cool down.
The easiest and best way to propagate Stapeliads is by stem cuttings taken virtually throughout the year. Using seeds is also a method of propagation.
They all need extra good drainage. Stapeliads are shallow-rooted. A collection of them can be planted nicely in a wide, shallow bowl. When planting, it is a good idea to allow the roots to be buried in soil and then put pure gravel or sand around the base of the plant to prevent rot.
See more at How to Grow and Care for Stapeliads.
Links
- Back to genus Caralluma
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
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