Caralluma pauciflora

Scientific Name

Caralluma pauciflora (Wight) N.E.Br.

Synonyms

Boucerosia pauciflora, Desmidorchis pauciflora

Scientific Classification

Family: Apocynaceae
Subfamily: Asclepiadoideae
Tribe: Ceropegieae
Subtribe: Stapeliinae
Genus: Caralluma

Description

Caralluma pauciflora is a succulent plant with fleshy, upright or ascending, branched, 4-angled stems. It grows up to 8 inches (20 cm) tall. Flowers are hairy, greenish-yellow, striped reddish-brown, and up 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter.

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. However, 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 from stem cuttings which can be taken virtually throughout the year. Seed is also a method of propagation. They all need extra good drainage. Stapeliads are shallow-rooted, and a collection of them can be planted up 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.

Origin

This species is native to India.