Adromischus maculatus | Calico Hearts
€21,20
🌱 Morphology
It has an attractive purplish spotting on its leaves. Its characteristic mottling becomes more visible with cold and sun. It reproduces easily via leaf cuttings. It is a perennial, low-growing succulent that forms small clumps or mats. The stems are short, decumbent to prostrate, somewhat woody with age, and sparsely branched, reaching about 15 cm. The roots are fibrous. The leaves are extraordinarily fleshy, flattened, and obovate to oblanceolate in shape, generally with a abruptly narrowed base and a rounded or obtuse tip, approximately 3–7 cm long and 2–3.5 cm wide. They feature a characteristic horny margin around the entire leaf. The coloration can be green, grayish-green, or grayish-brown, and reddish-brown to dark purple irregular spots often appear, giving rise to its mottled appearance. These spots are variable: there are forms that are practically spotless, and young leaves may initially be green.
🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
Species endemic to South Africa, distributed throughout the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces. It grows mainly on slopes and sandstone outcrops of the Langeberg mountains, from the vicinity of Worcester north to George and up to Uniondale. It belongs to the Crassulaceae family, genus Adromischus. The old name Cotyledon maculata is a synonym for the currently accepted species.
❄️ Temperature · USDA Zone 9b–11b
It tolerates minimum temperatures of -3°C. It comes from regions where it can experience relatively cool temperatures, but it is not adapted to prolonged frosts. It is recommended to keep it protected from frost and, when temperatures are low, to keep the substrate completely dry. Cold combined with prolonged humidity significantly increases the risk of rot.
☀️ Lighting
High lighting is recommended, approximately 15–25 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹ of DLI PAR as a target guide. It tolerates direct sun when acclimated, and intense light encourages compact growth and can intensify the reddish or purple spots and tones. In Madrid, during episodes of extreme heat, it may be advisable to filter the midday sun and maintain excellent ventilation to avoid burns.
💧 Growth cycle and irrigation
It has a growth cycle primarily in spring and summer, followed by a slowdown during autumn and a winter dormancy. During the active phase, it is recommended to water abundantly and allow the substrate to dry completely before the next watering. As temperatures drop in autumn, watering should be gradually spaced out. During winter, with low temperatures and reduced activity, it is recommended to keep it practically dry. At the beginning of spring, watering should be gradually resumed as new growth appears.
🌸 Flowering
The inflorescence is an erect thyrse, greenish-gray, approximately 20–35 cm high, formed by small groups of one or two flowers. The flowers are tubular, pale greenish-yellow; the corolla lobes are white or slightly pink, with margins that can take on mauve tones. In Spain, it flowers between June and August, although the date may vary depending on cultivation conditions.
🌿 Nutrition
During the active growth period, Desert CHOICE® Succulents is recommended. Before flowering, it can be supplemented with Desert CHOICE® Flowering to encourage the development of the inflorescence.
This is an inimitable xerophyte grown in Madrid in a technological square pot with the substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi and biofungicides.
📏 Gourmet black pot
S -> 9cm x 9cm
M-> 12cm x 12cm
* As this is an online purchase, the appearance of the specimen sent 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 thing! Each of the plants from Desert CITY has unique characteristics.
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