Huernia zebrina N.E.Br.

🌱 Morphology

   Apestosilla, she...Succulent perennial of low and clumping growth, which forms clumps by branching from its base. The stems are fleshy, with a quadrangular or pentagonal cross-section, with conical tubercles arranged along their edges and ending in small soft tips. Their coloration is usually green, although it can take on reddish or purple hues under intense light. Under favorable conditions, the plant forms compact clusters of stems that can reach approximately 10–15 cm in length. Its main attraction is its flowers, with a very characteristic structure: a star-shaped corolla and a raised, shiny fleshy central ring that resembles a bullseye.

Family: Apocynaceae · Subfamily: Asclepiadoideae · Tribe: Ceropegieae · Subtribe: Stapeliinae.

🌍 Distribution, habitat and family

It is native to southern Africa and has a wide distribution in areas of Botswana, Eswatini, Mozambique, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. It grows in warm and relatively dry regions, in open scrubland, among rocks and on stony or clayey well-drained soils. It usually develops partially protected by stones and low-growing vegetation, where it receives plenty of light without being continuously exposed to intense sunlight. It belongs to the stapeliads, a group of succulents in the Apocynaceae family whose flowers have developed pollination strategies related to attracting flies.

❄️ Temperature — USDA 10b

It tolerates minimum temperatures close to 1.7 °C, the climatic reference for the USDA 10b zone, although this is not a guarantee of survival at that temperature. It is sensitive to frost and damp cold. It is recommended to protect it when nighttime temperatures fall below 8–10 °C and to reduce watering during cold periods.

☀️ Lighting

It needs plenty of light to maintain a compact growth habit and flower regularly. A very bright location is recommended, with soft morning sun or partial shade during the middle hours of the day. It can tolerate more sun if gradually acclimatized, but intense exposure in summer can cause scorch on the stems. As a guideline, it can be grown with a DLI PAR of approximately 12–20 mol/m²/day, adjusting it to the plant's response and the available ventilation.

💧 Growth and watering

Winter dormancy. Growth is concentrated mainly during the warm months. During the active phase, it is recommended to water thoroughly and allow the growing medium to dry completely before watering again. In winter, water consumption decreases and it is advisable to water much less frequently, especially when the temperature is low. The growing medium should be very airy and well-draining, as persistent moisture around the roots and the base of the stems can promote rot.

🌸 Flowering

It produces star-shaped flowers, generally about 3–5 cm in diameter, which appear near the base of the stems. The corolla usually has a cream or pale yellow background, with reddish, maroon, or purple transverse bands. In the center stands out a thick, shiny fleshy ring of dark red or deep red wine color, which resembles a small bullseye. The lobes of the corolla are pointed and may have a slightly recurve edge. Flowering occurs mainly during the warm months and can last from summer to autumn. The flowers may emit an unpleasant scent that attracts pollinating flies.

🌿 Nutrition

Desert CHOICE® Succulents is recommended, applied moderately during active growth and following the dosage indicated for the product. Balanced nutrition promotes the development of new stems and roots without stimulating excessively soft growth. During winter dormancy, it is recommended to reduce or suspend fertilizing.

Gourmet black 9x9 cm pot

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