Scientific Name
Huernia guttata subsp. calitzdorpensis L.C.Leach
Accepted Scientific Name
Huernia guttata (Masson) R. Br. ex Haw.
Scientific Classification
Family: Apocynaceae
Subfamily: Asclepiadoideae
Tribe: Stapeliae
Genus: Huernia
Description
Huernia guttata subsp. calitzdorpensis is a succulent plant with erect stems that branch out at the base, forming a dense clump with age.
Its larger and darker flowers distinguish it from Huernia guttata subsp. guttata. The tube is dark maroon and occasionally marked with some vague yellowish lines. The hairs at the throat of the tube are much longer and more strongly clavate. The flowers can reach a diameter of 2.8 inches (7 cm).
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones 10b to 11b: from 35 °F (+1.7 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).
How to Grow and Care
Huernias require a potting mix with excellent drainage. A succulent plant mix of 50 percent pumice or perlite, 25 percent peat or organic mulch, and 25 percent sand helps prevent rotting and overwatering. Roots experience dieback in cool-season dormancy, so plants grow best in shallow containers that allow the soil to dry out quickly. Using clay pots further helps the soil from staying too wet. An underlayment of coarse gravel below the soil mix also improves drainage. In climates with damp, cool summers, a layer of gravel between the plant and the soil mix also helps prevent the stems from staying too moist.
Outdoor plantings do well in raised beds. Huernias prefer bright light or partial shade. In nature, they grow underneath shrubs or other plants. Too much sun causes stems to develop protective reddish or purple pigmentation and can actually scald the stems. Too little light leads to weak, thin growth with decreased flower production. These plants grow best between 50 and 80 °F (10 and 27 °C). Protect them from freezing weather.
See more at How to Grow and Care for Huernia.
Origin
Huernia guttata subsp. calitzdorpensis is not recognized as a separate subspecies and is treated as a synonym of Huernia guttata subsp. guttata.
Links
- Back to genus Huernia
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
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