Scientific Name
Cotyledon orbiculata var. dinteri Jacobsen
Synonym(s)
Cotyledon orbiculata f. dinteri
Scientific Classification
Family: Crassulaceae
Subfamily: Kalanchoideae
Genus: Cotyledon
Description
Cotyledon orbiculata var. dinteri is a succulent shrub that grows up to 5 feet (1.5 m) tall. The leaves are a powdery gray-green with dark red tip coloration when grown in full sun. Flowers are bell-shaped, orange to orange-red, up to 1.2 inches (3 cm) long, and droop from the top of up to 2 feet (60 cm) tall stalks.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zone 9b to 11b: from 25 °F (−3.9 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).
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.
Cotyledons 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 over-watering 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 cactus and succulents (poor in nitrogen), including all micronutrients and trace elements diluted to ½ the strength recommended on the label.
See more at How to Grow and Care for Cotyledon.
Origin
This succulent is native to South Africa.
Links
- Back to genus Cotyledon
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
