Scientific Name
Caralluma stalagmifera C.E.C.Fisch.
Common Names
Dark Purple Caralluma
Scientific Classification
Family: Apocynaceae
Subfamily: Asclepiadoideae
Tribe: Ceropegieae
Subtribe: Stapeliinae
Genus: Caralluma
Description
Caralluma stalagmifera is a succulent plant with fleshy, hairless, slightly branched, grayish-green stems with brown mottling. It grows up to 16 inches (40 cm) tall, forming dense clumps. Stems are square in cross-section with rounded edges, up to 2 feet (60 cm) long and 0.8 inches (2 cm) in diameter. Leaves are tiny, stalkless, triangular or tooth-like, and up to 0.2 inches (5 mm) long. Flowers are star-shaped, dark purple with purplish yellow tips. After 8 to 12 days, flower color changes to brownish-green.
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 southern India.
Links
- Back to genus Caralluma
- Succulentopedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
