Piaranthus geminatus var. foetidus

Scientific Name

Piaranthus geminatus var. foetidus (N.E. Br.) Meve

Synonyms

Piaranthus foetidus

Scientific Classification

Family: Apocynaceae
Subfamily: Asclepiadoideae
Tribe: Ceropegieae
Subtribe: Stapeliinae
Genus: Piaranthus

Description

Piaranthus geminatus var. foetidus is a succulent plant that spreads over the ground forming large cushions. Stems are light green, up to 5 inches (12.5 cm) long, and 0.8 inches (2 cm) thick. Flowers are up to 1.2 inches (3 cm) in diameter, star-shaped, without a distinct tube. They are glabrous and green or tinted with purplish on the back, evenly pubescent, and velvety all over the inner face with short transverse purplish-crimson lines or lines and spots on a yellow ground. Sometimes the tips of the lobes are almost entirely purplish-crimson.

Hardiness

USDA hardiness zone 10a to 11b: from 30 °F (−1.1 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).

How to Grow and Care

Stapeliads are relatively easy to grow. However, they should be treated as outdoor plants as they will easily rot indoors and cannot flower without exposure to outdoor temperature fluctuations. They should be grown under cover so that watering can be controlled. They require a reasonable amount of sunlight to promote flowering and maintain a well-shaped plant. Very shady positions will produce very poor flowering. Stapeliads come from climates where they survive too high temperatures in the summer months, so most growth is in spring and autumn, with flowering in autumn when the weather starts to cool down.

The easiest and best way to propagate Stapeliads is from stem cuttings, which can be taken virtually throughout the year. Using the seed is also a method of propagation. They all need extra good drainage. Stapeliads are shallow-rooted, and a collection of them can be planted up nicely in a wide, shallow bowl. When planting, it is a good idea to allow the roots to be buried in soil and then put pure gravel or sand around the plant's base to prevent rot.

See more at How to Grow and Care for Stapeliads.

Origin

This variety is native to South Africa (Eastern and Western Cape).