Scientific Name
Conophytum chauviniae (Schwantes) S.A.Hammer
Synonym(s)
Derenbergia augeiformis, Derenbergia chauviniae, Mesembryanthemum augeiforme, Mesembryanthemum chauviniae
Scientific Classification
Family: Aizoaceae
Subfamily: Ruschioideae
Tribe: Ruschieae
Genus: Conophytum
Origin
Conophytum chauviniae is native to South Africa. It occurs on gneiss slopes or quartzite ridges in Arondegas in the Northern Cape and Nuwerus in the Western Cape.
Description
Conophytum chauviniae is a dwarf succulent that forms clumps of hear-shaped bodies that consist of two thick, fleshy, partially fused leaves. The bodies are up to 1.4 inches (3.5 cm) tall and up to 0.6 inches (1.5 cm) wide, with bilobed, keeled, and contorted apex. They are greyish-green to bluish-green, harshly papillate, sometimes spotted with green, and with keels thickly lined or smeared with dark red.
The showy solitary flowers are diurnal, with a prominent perianth tube and rather broad, magenta-colored petals, and appear in summer and fall. Fruits are 4-chambered capsules.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones 10a to 11b: from 30 °F (−1.1 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).
How to Grow and Care
Most Conophytums need bright light but do not like too much intense sunlight. To avoid sunburn, place them in a position to receive a few hours of full sun in cooler periods of the day.
These plants thrive best in a porous growing medium that will drain quickly. Use a commercial succulent potting mix specially designed for growing succulents, or make your own.
When Conophytums go dormant in the spring, they require little or no water. However, when the growing season starts in the fall, it is safe to water deeply, allowing the soil to dry before watering again.
Conophytums are light feeders and do not need fertilizer if repotted every two years. It is best to feed at the beginning of the growth period and just before flowering.
These succulents will benefit from repotting. Depending on the pot size and growth rate, they typically need to be repotted every 2 to 4 years. The best time to repot a Conophytum is at the beginning of the growing season.
Conophytums are easily propagated by division. They can also be grown from seeds.
Learn more at How to Grow and Care for Conophytum.
Links
- Back to genus Conophytum
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
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