Cotyledon ladismithiensis | Bear's Paw
€21,20
🌱 Morphology
Ladismith Bear's Paw. A perennial shrubby succulent with a slimmer habit and generally less branching than Cotyledon tomentosa subsp. tomentosa, reaching about 1 m including the inflorescence. The stems are thin and pubescent. The leaves are opposite or decussate, fleshy, elliptical to oblong or almost cylindrical, and densely covered with short whitish hairs. Unlike the typical C. tomentosa, they usually have 0–1 apical teeth, although occasionally up to three may appear.
🌍 Distribution, habitat and family
Family Crassulaceae. It is a taxon endemic to a very restricted area of the Little Karoo, Western Cape (South Africa), especially in the surroundings of Ladismith and on rocky shale outcrops. It grows in very shallow soil between rocks, in dry environments subject to prolonged periods of drought. Its natural area is extremely limited.
❄️ Temperature / USDA Zone: 9b–11b
It tolerates low temperatures and light frosts when kept dry, but cold tolerance should not be confused with resistance to prolonged frosts. In cultivation, it is advisable to protect it from temperatures near 0 °C combined with humidity, especially when in a pot.
☀️ Lighting
Very high lighting is recommended, with a target of 15–25 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹ of DLI PAR. Good light intensity keeps the internodes compact and promotes the reddish coloration of the leaf tips.
💧 Growth cycle and watering
Summer dormancy. It is a succulent adapted to a climate with scarce and seasonal rainfall. During the active period, it is recommended to water abundantly and let the substrate dry out completely before watering again. During colder periods or periods of lower activity, watering should be spaced out considerably, avoiding constant moisture around the roots.
🌸 Flowering
The inflorescence emerges on a long peduncle and bears hanging, bell-shaped flowers, approximately 15 mm, generally orange and later reddish. When cultivated in Spain, it flowers between December and February; this may shift depending on temperature, photoperiod, and cultivation conditions.
🌿 Nutrition
During the growth period, Desert CHOICE® Succulents is recommended, avoiding an excess of nitrogen that could produce overly soft tissues and less compact growth. Before flowering, it can be supplemented with Desert CHOICE® Flowering.
This is an inimitable xerophyte grown in Madrid in a high-tech square pot with the substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi and biofungicides.
📏 The sizes of our basic collection xerophytes are as follows:
S -> 9cm x 9cm
M-> 14cm x 14 cm
L->16cm x 16 cm
* 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, after all, it is a living being! Each of the Desert CITY plants has unique characteristics.
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