Scientific Name
Cotyledon orbiculata var. oblonga 'Macrantha'
Synonym(s)
Cotyledon orbiculata var. macrantha, Cotyledon orbiculata 'Macrantha', Cotyledon macrantha, Cotyledon macrantha 'Rubromarginata', Cotyledon 'Macrantha'
Common Name(s)
Green Pig's Ear, Paddle Plant, Pig's Ear
Scientific Classification
Family: Crassulaceae
Subfamily: Kalanchoideae
Genus: Cotyledon
Etymology
The cultivar epithet 'Macrantha' (pronounced "ma-KRAN-tha") means "large-flowered; having large flowers" and refers to the flowers of this cultivar, which are notably larger compared to some other species within the Cotyledon genus.
Origin
Cotyledon orbiculata var. oblonga 'Macrantha' is one of the many cultivars of Cotyledon orbiculata var. oblonga. A very brief description of this plant was first published by Louis de Smet in his nursery catalog number 7, published in 1874, under the name Cotyledon macranthum rubro-marginatum (more correctly, Cotyledon macrantha 'Rubromarginata'). In 1900, Alwin Berger published a detailed description of the plant in Monatsschrift für Kakteenkunde (Vol. 10, p. 106), referring to it as Cotyledon macrantha, a name originally proposed by Kurt Dinter in 1897.
Description
Cotyledon orbiculata var. oblonga 'Macrantha' is a succulent shrub with decumbent branches and fleshy, paddle-shaped, green leaves edged with a thin, red line. It can grow up to 32 inches (80 cm) tall.
Attractive when not blooming, this plant is particularly striking in winter and spring when long stalks arise, bearing clusters of showy, bell-shaped, coral-red flowers.
How to Grow and Care for Cotyledon orbiculata var. oblonga 'Macrantha'
Hardiness: USDA hardiness zones 9b to 11b: from 25°F (-3.9°C) to 50°F (10°C).
Cotyledons can be divided into two groups. One group consists of evergreen plants that grow in summer. 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 them 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 in poor light or with poor drainage in wet weather.
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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