Rhombophyllum dolabriforme | African Elk Horn
€10,60
🌱 Morphology
Small succulent subshrub, highly branched, slowly forming a low, dense clump up to about 30 cm tall. Young stems remain erect, while older branches may become bare. The leaves are fleshy, erect, about 2.5–3 cm long, vertically flattened, and have a characteristic axe or sickle shape, ending in two small lobes. Its green epidermis features numerous translucent dots and a fine waxy layer.
🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
Native to South Africa, mainly from the Eastern Cape Province and also areas of the Great Karoo. It grows on eroded sandstone and exposed shale ridges, among rocks, in very well-draining soil. It belongs to the Aizoaceae family.
❄️ Temperature
USDA Zone 6–11. It tolerates minimum temperatures down to −23 ºC according to horticultural references that indicate exceptional cold hardiness; however, tolerance depends on the clone, acclimation, and, especially, keeping the plant dry. In Mediterranean cultivation, it is advisable to protect it from frosts accompanied by humidity.
☀️ Lighting
It requires plenty of light to maintain a compact habit and encourage flowering. During active growth, reaching a DLI PAR greater than 20 mol/m²/day is recommended. It tolerates direct sun, although during the hottest months it may appreciate some protection during the middle of the day.
💧 Growth cycle and watering
Winter dormancy. Main growth occurs during spring and summer. During this period, it tolerates abundant watering, always allowing the substrate to dry out completely before watering again. During winter dormancy, watering is greatly reduced, keeping the plant drier and with good ventilation.
🌸 Flowering
Yellow, large, daisy-like flowers, up to about 4 cm in diameter, with numerous petals and occasional reddish tones on the reverse. They open in the afternoon. In South Africa, flowering is recorded mainly between June and August, which is approximately equivalent to December–February in Madrid.
🌿 Nutrition
During the active growth period, a fertilizer with a high content of assimilable calcium and potassium, such as Desert CHOICE® Aizoáceas, is recommended, applied during watering and avoiding excessive nitrogen input.
This is an inimitable xerophyte grown in Madrid in a technical square pot with substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi.
7 × 7 cm gourmet black pot.
* As this is an online purchase, the appearance of the sent specimen may vary slightly from the product image. The plant measurements are specified in the photo description, but this may also vary slightly, because it is a living being! Each of the Desert CITY plants has unique characteristics.
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