Cheiridopsis imitans | Fire fingers
€10,60
🌱 Morphology
Small, perennial, caespitose succulent, about 10 cm tall and up to 20–30 cm in diameter. It has a thickened root and develops heterophyllous leaves: the long leaves are fleshy, angular, keeled, grayish-green with reddish hues and a pointed apex, while the leaves from the dormant period are much shorter. The latter persist as dry, papery, reddish-brown sheaths that protect the new pair of leaves during the summer.
🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
Endemic to Namaqualand, South Africa, especially in the surroundings of Springbok. It lives on quartz surfaces and plains, within desert and dry scrub environments. It belongs to the Aizoaceae family.
❄️ Temperature
USDA Zone 9a–11. It tolerates minimum temperatures down to −7 ºC when kept dry.
☀️ Lighting
During active growth, it needs plenty of light, ranging from direct sun to very bright partial shade, seeking a high availability of PAR radiation, greater than 20 mol/m²/day DLI. During the summer, while dormant, it is advisable to protect it from the most intense sun and excessive heat.
🌸 Flowering
It produces large yellow flowers, resembling daisies, which can reach about 8 cm in diameter, standing out considerably against the small size of the plant. Flowering occurs during the active growth period of late winter and spring in the Southern Hemisphere, approximately August–November, which is equivalent to February–May in Spain.
💧 Growth cycle and watering
Summer dormancy. This is primarily a winter-growing species, although its activity can extend into spring. During growth, water abundantly, allowing the substrate to dry out completely. In summer, water intake is greatly reduced and it is only watered if the plant shows obvious signs of dehydration. Excess moisture can cause root problems and damage to the epidermis.
🌿 Nutrition
During the active growth period, a fertilizer with a high content of assimilable calcium and potassium is recommended, such as Desert CHOICE® Aizoaceae, applied during watering while avoiding excessive nitrogen supply.
This is an inimitable xerophyte grown in Madrid in a technological square pot with the substrate activated by mycorrhizal fungi and biofungicides.
7 × 7 cm gourmet black pot.
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