Scientific Name
Orostachys fimbriata (Turcz.) A.Berger
Common Name(s)
Dunce's Cap
Synonym(s)
Cotyledon fimbriata, Sedum fimbriatum, Umbilicus fimbriatus
Scientific Classification
Family: Crassulaceae
Subfamily: Sedoideae
Tribe: Sedeae
Subtribe: Umbilicinae
Genus: Orostachys
Etymology
The specific epithet "fimbriata" (pronounced "fim-bry-AH-tuh") means "fringed, fibrous" and refers to the fimbriate margins of the levaes of this species.
Origin
Orostachys fimbriata is native to Russia (eastern Siberia), Mongolia, northern, north-eastern, and south-western China, and Tibet. It grows on rocks on slopes, house roofs, and mossy tree trunks.
Description
Orostachys fimbriata is an eye-catching succulent that forms rosettes of fleshy, green to orange or brownish leaves, each covered with a glaucous, grayish haze. The rosettes can reach a diameter of 1.6 inches (4 cm) and slowly produce offsets, creating a small clump over time. The leaves are linear with a spiny apex and fimbriate margins, measuring up to 0.6 inches (1.5 cm) long and 0.15 inches (0.4 cm) wide.
In the late summer, Orostachys fimbriata produces attractive spikes of white or pinkish flowers. The flower spike can grow up to 6 inches (15 cm) tall.
How to Grow and Care for Orostachys fimbriata
Hardiness: USDA hardiness zones 5a to 9b: from -20°F (-28.9°C) to 30°F (-1.1°C).
As with most similar genera of the Crassulaceae family, this plant can survive in relatively poor soil so long as it is well-draining. This genus is very cold-hardy and can survive temperatures as low as -30°F (-34°C). Allow soil to dry to the touch between waterings and avoid getting water on the rosettes. Orostachys actively grows in spring and summer. It requires some bright light and does not tolerate high humidity well.
Orostachys self-propagates through offshoots; one plant will form a dense mat of many at a given time. Propagation is primarily through offset separation.
Remove soil from the offset's base to find the stolon (a thick root that attaches the pup to the mother plant) to separate an offset. It is best to use an offset that has already established some roots of its own. Cut the stolon close to the pup (to discourage roots from growing from the stolon). Place the offset into a small pot with well-draining, sandy soil. Do not water until new growth is noted.
Learn more at How to Grow and Care for Orostachys.
Links
- Back to genus Orostachys
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
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