Scientific Name
Mitrophyllum grande N.E. Br.
Synonym(s)
Conophyllum grande, Mitrophyllum brevisepalum, Mitrophyllum carterianum, Mitrophyllum latibracteatum
Scientific Classification
Family: Aizoaceae
Genus: Mitrophyllum
Origin
Mitrophyllum grande is native to South Africa. It occurs on south- to southeast-facing slopes with quartzitic stones around Brakfontein in KwaZulu-Natal and north of Oograbies Mountains in the Northern Cape province.
Description
Mitrophyllum grande is a small succulent shrub with a compact center and short stems only from which erect long branches at the top of which, during the growing season, develop two leaf pairs that alternate consecutively between two different types of growth. The free part of the first pair of leaves is tongue-shaped to triangular, up to 4.8 inches (12 cm) long and up to 1.2 inches (3 cm) wide. The leaves of the second pair are fused for 4/5, forming an oval body up to 4 inches (10 cm) long and 1.4 inches (3.5 cm) in diameter. The leaves dry out in the dormancy period, eventually becoming a papery sheath in which the new leaf pairs form.
The flowers are solitary, with yellow or white petals, and appear between the free part of the second pair of leaves from mid-fall to mid-winter. Fruits are five-angled capsules with covering membranes extending about 1/3 over locules.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones 10b to 11b: from 35 °F (+1.7 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).
How to Grow and Care
Mesembs are mostly adapted to relatively predictable rainfall patterns rather than extreme drought and irregular rainfall. Total rainfall may be extremely low, but water is available at least seasonally or through fog and condensation. This leads to or allows plants that are not especially large and sometimes very small and affects how they need to be treated in cultivation.
The basics of care are simple: free-draining soil, plenty of sun and ventilation, and regular light watering in the right season. After that, the difficulties are endless, trying to adapt to the Mesembs' adaptability and follow their growth habits in your particular conditions.
These plants require a loam-based compost with extra drainage material such as horticultural grit or perlite. They all like good light conditions and plenty of ventilation.
Some are relatively cold-hardy and can even survive mild winters outside. Most will survive temperatures down to the freezing point. Some Mesembs begin to grow in the fall as the temperature drops and the days get shorter.
Learn more at How to Grow and Care for Mesembs.
Links
- Back to genus Mitrophyllum
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
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