Scientific Name
Huernia thuretii J.F.Cels
Synonym(s)
Ceropegia thuretii, Huernia scabra, Stapelia thuretii
Scientific Classification
Family: Apocynaceae
Subfamily: Asclepiadoideae
Tribe: Stapeliae
Genus: Huernia
Etymology
The specific epithet "thuretii (thur-RET-ee-eye)" honors Gustave Adolphe Thuret (1817–1875), a French botanist and founder of the Jardin Botanique de la Villa Thuret.
Origin
Huernia thuretii is native to South Africa (Eastern Cape) and Namibia.
Description
Huernia thuretii is a clump-forming succulent with erect, 4- to 6-angled, glaucous green stems with small teeth along the ribs. The stems can grow up to 2 inches (5 cm) long and 0.8 inches (2 cm) thick (excluding teeth). They take on a pink and purple hue in bright sunlight.
The 5-lobed funnel-shaped flowers are cream-colored to pale yellow with brown spots and bands. They are up to 1.2 inches (2 cm) across and arise in succession at the base of the stems in fall.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones 10a to 11b: from 30 °F (-1.1 °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 prevents the soil from staying too wet. An underlayment of coarse gravel below the soil mix also improves drainage. A layer of gravel between the plant and the soil mix in climates with damp, cool summers also prevents 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 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.
Learn more at How to Grow and Care for Huernia.
Varieties
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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