Avonia quinaria var. quinaria | Avonia with crimson flowers
€42,40
🌱 Morphology
Small, very slowly growing caudiciform succulent, whose main attraction is the combination of a thickened underground caudex and tiny branches covered in silvery papery scales. The caudex, which is globose to napiform in shape, can reach approximately 2.5–5 cm in diameter in adult specimens. Numerous very short and slender stems, barely a few millimeters thick, grow from its upper surface, covered with overlapping whitish stipules that almost completely conceal the leaves. The arrangement of these scales in groups of five explains the epithet quinaria. In cultivation, the caudex can be slightly raised above the substrate to display its shape, although leaving it buried during the first few years promotes its development.
🌍 Origin and family
Family Anacampserotaceae, order Caryophyllales, genus Avonia. The species was originally described as Anacampseros quinaria and transferred to the genus Avonia by Gordon Douglas Rowley in 1994.
It is native to the arid regions of Bushmanland and Namaqualand in the Northern Cape of South Africa, and southeastern Namibia. It grows on plains and gentle slopes over quartzite, quartz, and reddish sands, exposed to intense sunlight and seasonal rainfall.
❄️ Temperature — USDA 9b
It tolerates brief periods of mild cold if the substrate remains dry, but it is recommended to protect it from frost in cultivation. The caudex and roots are especially sensitive to excess moisture when temperatures drop. To keep it in good condition, it should spend the winter in a bright, airy, and sheltered location.
☀️ Lighting
Bright light–gradual exposure to direct sun. In its natural habitat, it grows in open, very bright areas. Abundant light promotes compact growth and allows the contrast between the silvery scales and the flowers to be appreciated. A DLI PAR of 20–30 mol/m²/day is recommended, with gradual acclimatization to direct sunlight and protection from extreme overheating of the pot.
💧 Growth cycle and watering
Winter dormancy. When grown in the Northern Hemisphere, watering should be concentrated during the warmer months when the plant is vegetatively active, and gradually reduced as the weather cools. During active growth, water thoroughly and allow the substrate to dry out completely before watering again. In winter, it should be kept almost completely dry, especially at low temperatures. It is important not to mistake the seasonal loss of stems for the death of the plant: the caudex can remain alive under the substrate while the aerial part dies back or disappears.
🌸 Flowering
It produces solitary, terminal flowers that are relatively large compared to the plant's small size. In this subspecies, they display shades of deep pink, carmine, magenta, or purple, and can reach approximately 1.2–1.5 cm in diameter. They open for a few hours in favorable conditions and contrast sharply with the branches covered in silvery scales. Flowering occurs mainly during the warm phase of the cycle, although it may vary depending on the origin of the specimen and growing conditions.
🌿 Nutrition
During active growth, Desert CHOICE® Succulents is recommended, with particular attention to the supply of bioavailable potassium and calcium. Apply with watering, following the recommended dosage and reducing or suspending fertilization during winter dormancy.
Gourmet black 9x9 cm pot
This is an inimitable xerophyte grown in Madrid in a high-tech square pot with substrate enriched with mycorrhizal fungi and biofungicides.
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