Scientific Name
Huernia schneideriana A.Berger
Common Name(s)
Red Dragon Flower, Red Dragon
Synonym(s)
Ceropegia 'Red Dragon Flower'
Scientific Classification
Family: Apocynaceae
Subfamily: Asclepiadoideae
Tribe: Stapeliae
Genus: Huernia
Description
Huernia schneideriana is an attractive succulent with erect, glaucous-green, 6- to 7-angled, and strongly toothed stems. The stems grow up to 8 inches (20 cm) tall. Flowers are up to 1.2 inches (3 cm) in diameter, brownish-red outside and velvety reddish-black inside with a deep purple-black center.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zone 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. Huernias 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
This succulent was once thought to be a natural hybrid of Huernia verekeri and Huernia aspera but is now recognized by some authorities as a legitimate species native to Tanzania.
Links
- Back to genus Huernia
- Succulentopedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
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