Last updated on August 25th, 2023 at 11:53 am
Conophytum pellucidum subs. cupreatum is a little, rock-like, seasonal succulent with lovely coppery-brown bodies with spots and lines. It branches a lot creating a portable compact mat that is less than 1 to 2 centimeters tall.
When given sufficient light and clay soil, the bodies look like small Lithops and reveal the ideal coloration.
Conophytum pellucidum subs. cupreatum details
Stem: Stem-less (internodes unseen) or extremely brief and creating rhizomatous branches at the level of the soil.
Body (Combined leaves): 10 to 20 mm and 6 to 12 mm in diameter, cylindric to turbiniform (inverted cone-shaped), the peak of the pair fused, not lobed, convex, never bullate, glabrous or carefully papillate, coppery-brown with spots and lines, with green to brownish windows frequently with corroded island
Flowers: White to pink, unscented, filamentous staminodes yellow to red creating a tube.
Growing period: They have a tendency to blossom early, commonly in summer or very early fall. (only flower when day length is much less than 12 hrs.), they are a short-day plant.
Fruit: Small, tan-colored typically 4-locular.
Subspecies and cultivars of plants belonging to the Conophytum pellucidum group
- Conophytum pellucidum Schwantes: Has well-grown bullate leaves.
- Conophytum pellucidum subs. cupreatum (Tischer) S.A.Hammer: have leaves fused and not bullate, never ever bullate, glabrous or carefully papillate, coppery-brown with spots and lines, with green to brownish windows usually with corroded island.
- Conophytum pellucidum var. lilianum (Littlew.) S.A.Hammer.
- Conophytum pellucidum var. neohalliiA.Hammer.
- Conophytum pellucidum subs. saueriA.Hammer & Smale.
- Conophytum pellucidum var. terrestre (Tischer) S.A.Hammer.
- Conophytum pellucidum var. terricolor (Tischer) Littlew. ex S.A.Hammer.
The cone-shaped designed bodies of Conophytum pellucidum do not conveniently take in the sunshine, yet have transparent window components in the leading surface that permit sunshine to be captured and used, even when the plant go to the soil level or retracted below the soil surface.
This is an intriguing transformative adaptation to conquer these light issues; their leaves are a basic optical system that allows light striking the windows to be diffused onto the green, photosynthesizing surface positioned underground. With a minimum of direct exposure to the outdoors setting, an optimal area of photosynthetic tissues is made to be sure.
Cultivation and Propagation of Conophytum pellucidum subs. cupreatum
They are amongst one of the most popular of this category yet fairly challenging to grow. These plants grow on wintertime rainfall and go to summertime dormancy. The growing period in the northern hemisphere is from September to March.
Throughout this duration, they can be gently watered about once every week or (far better) misted every day and it will certainly come to be plump.
In Africa, the haze from early morning fog provides dampness. Or else their skin breaks (causing undesirable marks). Water minimally in the summertime, (just periodic misting). Beginning watering again in autumn after the previous year’s leaves have actually dried up.
The plant needs good drainage. They take pleasure in complete sunlight or half-shade and also in the summer season they require to be kept in an awesome location. Hardy to -2°C.
Make sure there is a great flow of air and avoid repotting frequently. They might remain in the exact same pot for several years. Plants grown in bigger containers have regularly reasonably poor flowers. They may improve in growth when they are given their own, tiny specific pots.
Propagation
They can be propagated both by seeds and cuttings. The seed has to be planted in the springtime or summer season. The plants should not be disrupted up until they are well rooted, after the first or the second year they should be grown right and big enough to be transplanted into their own pots.
Take the cutting from a full-grown main plant. Each cutting has to consist of several heads in addition to a portion of roots.
Taxonomic name
Conophytum pellucidum subsp. cupreatum (Tischer) S.A.Hammer.
Synonyms
- Conophytum cupreatum
- Conophytum astylum
- Conophytum meridianum
- Conophytum pellucidum var. Terrestre
- Conophytum terrestre.
Scientific Category
Family: Aizoaceae
Subfamily: Ruschioideae
Tribe: Ruschieae
Category: Conophytum
The plant has gorgeous, coppery-brown bodies with various green to brownish dots arranged essentially in lines. They up to 0.8 inches (2 centimeters) high and up to 0.5 inches (1.3 centimeters) in diameter.
The bodies are sets of leaves joined with their tips with just a little opening where the flower stalk shows up in mid-summer or very early fall. The blossoms are white to pink with a yellow throat.
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones 10a to 11b: from 30 ° F (− 1.1 ° C) to 50 ° F (+10 ° C).
How to Grow and Care for Conophytum pellucidum subs. cupreatum
The majority of Conophytums require brilliant light, however, they do not need such extreme or intense sunlight. To stay clear of sunburn, put them in a placement to get a couple of hrs of complete sunlight in cooler periods of the day.
These plants grow best in a permeable growing medium that will certainly drain very quickly. Make use of a commercial succulent soil specifically created for growing succulents or make your very own mix.
They need little or no water when Conophytums go inactive in the springtime. In the fall, when plants will certainly start growing, it is risk-free to water deeply, permitting the soil to completely dry before watering again.
Conophytums are light feeders, and also they do not need fertilizers unless they are repotted every 2 years. It is best to fertilize at the start of the growing period and right before flowering.
These succulents will certainly gain from repotting. They normally require to be repotted every 2 to 4 years, relying on the pot’s dimension and growth rate. The very best time to repot a Conophytum is at the start of an active growth period.
Conophytums are conveniently propagated by division. They can additionally be grown from seeds.
Origin Conophytum pellucidum subs. cupreatum
Conophytum pellucidum subsp. cupreatum is belonging to South Africa.
