Cotyledon adscendens

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 grows up to 5.2 feet (1.6 m) tall. The leaves are obovate to spatulate, flat, slightly concave, up to 2.4 inches (6 cm) long, and up to 1.1 inches (2.8 cm) wide.

The flowers are orange-red, tubular, up to 1 inch (2.5 cm) long, up to 0.4 inches (1 cm) in diameter, and appear in a cluster on an up to 14.4 inches (36 cm) long stalk in winter.

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 is made up of 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 are tolerant of 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 of overwatering 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.

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