Scientific Name
Cotyledon orbiculata var. oblonga (Haw.) DC.
Common Name(s)
Finger Aloe
Synonym(s)
Cotyledon canaliculata, Cotyledon canalifolia, Cotyledon coruscans, Cotyledon crassifolia, Cotyledon cuneiformis, Cotyledon flavida, Cotyledon galpinii, Cotyledon leucophylla, Cotyledon obermeyeriana, Cotyledon oblonga, Cotyledon undulata, Cotyledon virescens, Cotyledon viridis, Cotyledon whitei, Cotyledon zuluensis
Scientific Classification
Family: Crassulaceae
Subfamily: Kalanchoideae
Genus: Cotyledon
Description
Cotyledon orbiculata var. oblonga is a succulent plant that branches from ground level, forming large clumps. Laves are variable in shape, glabrous or hairy, and silvery-white to pale grey-green. Flowers are orange, rarely yellow, tubular, up 1.4 inches (3.5 cm) long, 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) in diameter, and appear on up to 18 inches (45 cm) tall stalks from winter to spring.
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.
See more at How to Grow and Care for Cotyledon.
Origin
This variety is native to South Africa (Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Mpumalanga and in adjacent areas of the Free State).
Cultivars
- Cotyledon orbiculata var. oblonga 'Flavida'
- Cotyledon orbiculata var. oblonga 'Macrantha'
- Cotyledon orbiculata var. oblonga 'Octopus'
- Cotyledon orbiculata var. oblonga 'Takbok'
Links
- Back to genus Cotyledon
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
