Hoodia gordonii (Masson) Sweet ex Decne.

🌱 Morphology

  Perennial succulent plant, with a cactiform appearance, that develops fleshy erect and branched stems from the base, forming clumps that can reach between 50 cm and 1 m in height in adult specimens. The stems are of a green grey color, sometimes with brownish shades, and feature longitudinal ribs with prominent tubercles ending in rigid spines. It lacks fully developed true leaves, an adaptation that reduces water loss in arid environments. Its flowers are large and showy, with a fleshy corolla in cream pink, reddish or purple, often marked by darker lines. 

🌍 Distribution, habitat and family

It is native to southern Africa, with a distribution from Namibia to various arid regions of South Africa, especially the Great Karoo and areas of the Northern Cape Province. It inhabits deserts, sandy plains, dry riverbeds and rocky slopes, where it endures intense solar radiation, extreme temperatures and scarce and irregular rainfall. Its appearance resembles that of columnar cacti, although it belongs to a different botanical lineage. The former family Asclepiadaceae is now included in Apocynaceae, within the subfamily Asclepiadoideae.

Family: Apocynaceae. Subfamily: Asclepiadoideae. Tribe: Ceropegieae.

❄️ Temperature — USDA 10a

It tolerates minimum temperatures of approximately −1 °C to −3 °C under dry conditions, although it is advisable not to consider these temperatures as a safe cultivation threshold. It is recommended to keep it preferably above 10 °C during winter, especially if the growing medium retains moisture. It is sensitive to frost and to the combination of cold and excess water, which can cause rot at the base of the stems. 

☀️ Lighting

It needs very intense light to grow compactly and develop robust stems. It adapts to direct sunlight, although in cultivation it may benefit from slight protection during the middle hours of the hottest days, especially if it is not acclimatized. As a general guideline, you can aim for a DLI PAR of 20–35 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹, adjusting it to the temperature, ventilation, and the plant's response.

💧 Growth and watering cycle

Winter dormancy. Its growth occurs mainly during warm periods and can be reactivated after rains in its natural habitat. In the Northern Hemisphere, it is recommended to water moderately during spring and summer, as long as the plant shows vegetative activity and temperatures are suitable. The growing medium should be allowed to dry completely between waterings. In winter, water inputs are greatly reduced, keeping the plant almost dry if temperatures drop. Persistent moisture around the neck and roots is one of the main cultivation risks. 

🌸 Flowering

Adult plants produce large flowers, approximately 5–10 cm in diameter, which appear near the ends of the stems. The corolla is disc-shaped, with five broad lobes and colors ranging from cream pink to red purple or maroon, frequently with dark veins. They give off a scent reminiscent of decaying flesh, an adaptation that attracts flies and other pollinating dipterans. Flowering can begin when the plant is several years old and responds, to a large extent, to environmental conditions and rainfall events. 

🌿 Nutrition

During active growth, Desert CHOICE® Succulents is recommended, following the product's dosage instructions. It is advisable to apply moderate fertilization, without excess nitrogen, to promote balanced stem development. Fertilization should be limited to growth periods and suspended during winter dormancy. A mineral, aerated growing medium with fast drainage is more important than heavy fertilization.

Gourmet black 9x9 cm pot

This is an inimitable xerophyte grown in Madrid in a technological square pot with a growing medium activated with mycorrhizal fungi and biofungicides.