Scientific Name
Cotyledon adscendens R. A. Dyer
Scientific Classification
Family: Crassulaceae
Subfamily: Kalanchoideae
Genus: Cotyledon
Origin
Cotyledon adscendens is native to South Africa (Eastern Cape). It grows in dune thickets.
Description
Cotyledon adscendens is a sparingly branched succulent with erect to spreading branches that bear green leaves with reddish margins in the upper half. It can grow up to 5.2 feet (1.6 m) tall. The leaves are obovate to spatulate, flat, and slightly concave, measuring up to 2.4 inches (6 cm) long and 1.1 inches (2.8 cm) wide.
The orange-red flowers are tubular and can reach a length of 1 inch (2.5 cm) and a diameter of 0.4 inches (1 cm). They appear in winter in a cluster on a stalk that can grow up to 14.4 inches (36 cm) long.
How to Grow and Care
Cotyledons can be divided into two groups. One group consists of evergreen plants with a summer growing period. The other group comprises deciduous plants, splendidly magnificent with large, solid fleshy stems. The second group grows during the winter and sheds its leaves during the summer.
These succulents require a free-draining, gritty mix, and plenty of sunlight. They tolerate cool, frost-free conditions during the winter if kept dry. Some require pruning to maintain an attractive shape. Cotyledons should be kept in a sunny position. Follow general succulent watering procedures. Be careful not to overwater when they are deciduous.
As succulents go, Cotyledons certainly are rewarding garden and indoor subjects, practically independent of irrigation in all but full desert conditions. However, they cannot survive poor light or bad drainage in the wet.
Feed it once or twice during the growing season with a fertilizer specifically formulated for cacti and succulents (poor in nitrogen), including all micronutrients and trace elements diluted to 1/2 the strength recommended on the label.
Learn more at How to Grow and Care for Cotyledon.
Links
- Back to genus Cotyledon
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
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