Adromischus cooperi | Plover Eggs
€7,95
🌱 Morphology
Small, slow-growing perennial succulent, generally low-growing and slightly erect, which can reach about 10 cm in height. With age, it develops a base and thick, fleshy, grey branches that may show small swellings under the leaf axils and form aerial roots. The leaves are very fleshy, ascending and later spreading, approximately 1.4–3 × 0.8–1.5 cm, with a cylindrical petiole of 5–7 mm. The blade is grey-green, slightly flattened or almost cylindrical, narrowed towards both ends and with a horny, white, and acute margin towards the apex, which occasionally features a small mucro. The upper part of the leaves usually presents irregular reddish-brown to purple spots, the intensity of which increases with high lighting.
🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
Species endemic to South Africa, restricted to the Eastern Cape, mainly in the Eastern Karoo, between Somerset East, Graaff-Reinet, Middelburg, and Queenstown. It grows in rock crevices, usually on slopes or protected by vegetation, within formations such as the Eastern Upper Karoo, Upper Karoo Hardeveld, and Escarpment Arid Thicket. It belongs to the Crassulaceae family.
❄️ Temperature · USDA Zone 9b–11b
It comes from an environment of thermal contrasts, where plants are protected in crevices and under vegetation. It tolerates minimum temperatures of down to −3 ºC when well acclimatized, dry, and protected from persistent moisture. It is recommended to keep the substrate completely dry during cold spells and especially avoid the combination of low temperatures and excess water.
☀️ Lighting
High lighting is recommended, approximately 15–25 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹ of DLI PAR as a target guideline. Good light intensity keeps the plant compact and promotes the appearance of the characteristic reddish or purple spots on the leaves. It can receive direct sun if it is acclimatized, although during the Madrid summer, with very high temperatures, it is advisable to partially filter the most intense radiation and ensure excellent ventilation.
💧 Growth cycle and watering
Opportunistic. Its habitat is characterized by variable rainfall, with significant amounts during spring and autumn, and drier periods during the winter. In cultivation, it shows its best activity with moderate temperatures, especially during spring and autumn, while winter cold notably reduces growth. Intense heat can also cause slowing and leaf drop if the plant remains too dry for too long. During active periods, it is recommended to water abundantly and allow the substrate to dry out completely before the next watering. In summer, if temperatures are very high, space out waterings and prioritize ventilation. In winter, with low temperatures, it is recommended to keep it practically dry.
🌸 Flowering
It produces a terminal inflorescence that is very long in relation to the plant size, which can reach approximately 40 cm. The flower buds are cylindrical, narrowing towards the end and presenting longitudinal grooves. The flowers have a tubular corolla of approximately 10–12 mm, with a pinkish tube and triangular-lanceolate, acute, white to pinkish petals. Flowering can occur mainly during the southern summer, so in Spain, it can be expected approximately between June and September, depending on cultivation conditions.
🌿 Nutrition
During growth periods, Desert CHOICE® Succulents is recommended. Before flowering, it can be supplemented with Desert CHOICE® Flowering to favor the development of the inflorescence.
This is an inimitable xerophyte grown in Madrid in a high-tech square pot with substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi.
📏 The sizes of our basic collection xerophytes are as follows:
S -> 9cm x 9cm
* As this is an online purchase, the appearance of the sent specimen may vary slightly from the product image. The measurements of the plant are specified in the photo description, but this may also vary slightly, because it is a living being! Each of the plants at Desert CITY has unique characteristics.
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