Scientific Name
Cotyledon orbiculata 'Oophylla'
Synonym(s)
Cotyledon orbiculata var. oophylla, Cotyledon 'Boegoeberg', Cotyledon 'Oophylla'
Common Name(s)
Lady Fingers, Round-leafed Navel Wort
Scientific Classification
Family: Crassulaceae
Subfamily: Kalanchoideae
Genus: Cotyledon
Etymology
The cultivar epithet 'Oophylla' (pronounced "kal-kai-roh-FY-luh") means "egg-leaved; having egg-shaped leaves" and refers to the rounded, somewhat egg-shaped leaves of this plant.
Origin
Cotyledon orbiculata 'Oophylla' is a popular cultivar of Cotyledon orbiculata. It originates from locations in the Richtersveld and adjacent coastal regions in the Northern Cape province of South Africa and from Sperrgebiet (for the synonym Cotyledon 'Boegoeberg') in southwestern Namibia, from which it was introduced into cultivation.
Description
Cotyledon orbiculata 'Oophylla' is an attractive succulent subshrub with branched stems that bear grey-green leaves with a white, waxy covering and a dark purple mark at the rounded tip. It can grow up to 6 inches (15 cm) tall and spreads into a colony. The leaves are opposite, somewhat egg-shaped, measuring up to 2.2 inches (5.5 c,m) long, 0.7 inches (1.8 cm) wide, and 0.6 inches (1.5 cm) thick. They take on a burgundy hue in full sun.
Clusters of pretty orange-red flowers appear in winter on short, erect stalks rising above the foliage. The flowers are tubular with recurved petals and can usually reach about 0.8 inches (2 cm) in length.
How to Grow and Care for Cotyledon orbiculata 'Oophylla'
Hardiness: USDA hardiness zone 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 consists 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 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 the 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.
See 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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