Scientific Name
Echidnopsis malum (Lavranos) Bruyns
Synonym(s)
Ceropegia malum, Pseudopectinaria malum
Scientific Classification
Family: Apocynaceae
Subfamily: Asclepiadoideae
Tribe: Stapeliae
Genus: Echidnopsis
Description
Echidnopsis malum, formerly known as Pseudopectinaria malum, is a small succulent with grey-green or brownish stems with 5 to 6 angles indistinctly divided into low rectangular tubercles. The stems can grow up to 15 cm long, sometimes more, and 0.4 inches (1 cm) thick.
The flowers are spherical, depressed with a small pentagonal opening at the apex, and appear upright on short stalks that can reach 0.6 inches (1.5 cm) in length. Outside, they are finely hairy and green with purple markings; inside, they are dark purple-red and in the lower and upper parts with long white hairs. The middle portion is sparsely tuberculate. The outer corona is golden yellow.
Origin
Echidnopsis malum is native to Somalia, Kenya, and Ethiopia. It grows at elevations from near sea level to about 4,100 feet (1,250 m).
Etymology
The specific epithet "malum (MAY-lum) means "apple" and refers to the apple-shaped flowers.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zone 10a to 11b: from 30 °F (−1.1 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).
How to Grow and Care
Stapeliads are relatively easy to grow. However, they should be treated as outdoor plants as they will easily rot indoors and cannot flower without exposure to outdoor temperature fluctuations. They should be grown under cover so that watering can be controlled. They require a reasonable amount of sunlight to promote flowering and maintain a well-shaped plant. Very shady positions will produce very poor flowering. Stapeliads come from climates where they survive extremely high temperatures in the summer months, so most growth is in spring and fall, with flowering in fall when the weather starts to cool down. Water in moderation when needed in the growing season, ensuring the soil is fairly dried out between waterings. Do not water between November 1 and March 1.
The easiest and best way to propagate Stapeliads is from stem cuttings, which can be taken virtually throughout the year. Seed is also a method of propagation.
See more at How to Grow and Care for Stapeliads.
Links
- Back to genus Echidnopsis
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
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