Dorstenia ellenbeckiana

Scientific Name

Dorstenia ellenbeckiana Engl.

Scientific Classification

Family: Moraceae
Tribe: Dorstenieae
Genus: Dorstenia

Etymology

The specific epithet "ellenbeckiana" (pronounced "el-len-bek-ee-AY-na") honors Hans Ellenbeck🡕, a German physician who collected the type specimen of this species in the Arussi-Galla region of the Galla Highlands, near Burkar (modern-day Ethiopia). He collected this specimen during Baron Carlo von Erlanger's expedition to East Africa in 1990-1901.

Origin

Dorstenia ellenbeckiana is native primarily to Somalia, but it is also recorded in Ethiopia and Kenya.

Description

Dorstenia ellenbeckiana is a caudiciform plant with a subglobular tuber and a very short, sometimes present, annual stem. The caudex can reach a diameter of 2 inches (5 cm). The leaves are ovate to elliptical with 5 to 8 lateral veins and finely toothed margins, measuring up to 7.2 inches (18 cm) long and 3.8 inches (9.5 cm) wide. They are attached to the stem by a petiole up to 3.2 inches (8 cm) long. Both surfaces of the leaves are covered with tiny hairs, especially on the veins and often also near the margins.

This plant is monoecious, having both male and female flowers on the same plant. The flowers are embedded in disk-shaped, reddish-brown structures called receptacles. The receptacles can reach up to 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter, have 8 to 10 long, awl- to band-shaped appendages pointing backward, and appear on stalks that can grow up to 5.8 inches (14.5 cm) long.

How to Grow and Care for Dorstenia ellenbeckiana

Hardiness: USDA hardiness zones 10b to 11b: from 35°F (1.7°C) to 50°F (10°C).

Dorstenias are warm-loving plants, and they need a bit more water than regular succulents. They need a well-drained potting mix, and their water needs vary by season. Water regularly, from abundant to regular, from spring to fall. Allow the soil to dry slightly between waterings, but make sure it never dries out completely. During the winter months, these plants tend to go at least partially dormant. During this period, water very little. Giving plants a warm, sunny position can result in beautiful, compact growing plants. Fertilizing plants once during their growing period with a high-potash and phosphorus fertilizer is recommended.

The spring weather, with a high-temperature swing between day and night hours and frequent rain, can favor the development of fungal diseases, which should be treated preemptively with a systemic fungicide.

Dorstenias are generally propagated by seed. Many species are self-fertile. Their seeds are expelled explosively from the mature seed heads and are liable to populate pots several feet away. They can also be propagated by cuttings.

Learn more at How to Grow and Care for Dorstenia.

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