Steady growth is a deceptive thing. It wasn't until I compared my September and December photos of the revamped succulent garden that I realised how much things have grown there. At least I know they're loving their new home, and that's the main thing I wanted to happen. Digging in vast amounts of sand has provided them with the free-draining soil they needed, and this relatively dryish spring has suited them just fine. Thank you Huey, the Rain God, very supportive gesture. And so it's on with the guided tour, and if any succulent experts can help me with a few names, I will be forever in your debt.
This morning, December 9, a happy little succulent patch. Check out the photo below, to see how well it has grown. |
This is the day I planted it all out, September 2. |
Sedum rubrotinctim 'Jelly Beans' with a little pink tinge to the tips, are doing outrageously well. |
Ditto the grey-blue Senecio nearby. Slow down! |
Black-leaved Aeonium 'Schwartkopf' has grown a lot, so too its neighbour, who I think might be a Senecio ameniensis. |
Well-named, Kalanchoe 'Copper Spoons' in front, with another Senecio amaniensis at the back, both belting along in the sandy soil. |
This weirdo is an echeveria, E. 'Topsy Turvey'. |
Euphorbia caput-medusae, or Medusa's head, will soon be wearing a veil of these pretty little yellow flowers all over. |
At this stage, its flower looks like a bunch of julienned carrots. |
As mentioned earlier, these sempervivums are being crowded by the rapid spread of the Sedum 'Autumn Joy'. I'm keeping a watch on this, which I suspect is an unfolding disaster. |
Same deal with this fascinating person, whose name I don't know. When planted back in September, it looked decidedly unhealthy, a bit 'wrinkly' in the foliage, but now it looks like it's back from the health resort. Searching for something like it in books and online has come up with the possibility it's an Argyroderma of some sort (a what?); and there's a rough chance it could be a haworthia even, but I honestly don't know its name. EDIT: thanks to reader/commenter Ngeun, who has a great blog called Lithopsland, at first it looked like this person is a Lapidaria of some kind, but then a kind friend of Ngeun's had a look, and the final decision is that it's Corpuscularia, Probably C. lehmannii. Thank you LT Expanded! |
The other important benefit of spending those few minutes fussing over the succulent patch every morning is that it is so much rewarding fun. And that's the main thing!
12 comments:
Like your 'weirdo' plants, astonished by your grated carrots - and can't imagine why you are wary of yellow flowers that spread themselves so happily - they look lovely.
Ciao, che belle queste immagini estive! Qui รจ inverno e per quella luce e calore devo aspettare ancora mesi :)
...this just helped me identify another 2-3 of my succulents! My medusa's head is a cutting, though, and not very happy. Topsy-turvy cuttings are doing well though. Great photos, thanks for sharing!
Wow, I can't believe how much your succulent garden has grown in 3 months - very impressive!! They evidently love their new home. The weedy/pretty portulacas look beautiful; I'm glad you've let them live. Schwartkopf's a beauty, likewise Copper Spoons, & the Topsy Turvey is a work of art! :) That last one is a masterpiece & my favourite. I don't know what it is but I believe that Argyroderma are winter growers, & your plant is growing like crazy. I researched online & it looks to me it could be a Lapidaria (http://www.poliantea.it/DICOTILEDONI/Aizoaceae/Lapidaria%20cf%20margaretae%2000.jpg) or perhaps a Gibbaeum? I'm likely wrong. Their flowers may help with their id. What ever it is, I am jealous! :) Congrats!
Wow, thanks Ngeun. I feel like a detective who's been give some 'hot leads'. I'll go check out the possibilities with Lapidaria and Gibbeaum.
Ngeun
I had a chance to have a good look through Google images, and your first conclusion, that it's Lapidaria margaretae. The second option, Gibbaeum, doesn't have the very distinct 'sharp' edges of either my plant or the Lapidaria.
So thank you so very much for going to all that trouble of tracking that one down! I'll change the blog text so that readers know what it is.
No worries Jamie, I'm glad I could help. It really is hard to properly id a plant without an id, lol, esp. when there are so many possibilities. I've further researched & it appears that a synonym of Lapidaria margaretae is in fact Argyroderma margaretae or Argyroderma roeatum (http://www.cactus-art.biz/schede/LAPIDARIA/Lapidaria_margaretae/lapidaria_margaretae/Lapidaria_margaretae.htm), so you were correct all along to have called it Argyroderma if that is what it is. So, were you just testing us? And I apologise if I spoke out of league. Plant taxonomy is a puzzle at the best of times, & I hope I haven't made the effort of naming this plant more confusing. Can I ask where you got it from & how old it is, because I really want one. :)
Hi, Ngeun asked me to come and look, the last plant is a Corpuscularia, most probably lehmanii, but could be taylorii also.
Lapidaria always have 3 leaf pairs, not more.
Nice post! LT
It really has filled out quickly hasnt it - amazing.
I love succulents, can't risk putting them in the ground here so have to resort to pots
Thank you LT Expanded for the ID on the Corpuscularia, much appreciated.
And Ngeun, I'm sorry I don't know where I bought it. So many of my succulents are 'finds' that Pam and I come across while away on holidays. We can't resist visiting little nurseries in country towns, and we often come away with unusual succulents whose name we don't know.
Thanks LT! Oops, now I feel a little embarrassed, lol. :) I found an intriguing plant on Ebay by a seller in Tasmania called Delosperma lehmannii. I googled it for more info & pics, & it seems that it also has a synonym of, wait for it, Corpuscularia lehmannii. It's such a great looking plant with a bit of mystery. There are more pics here: http://www.flickriver.com/photos/tags/corpuscularialehmannii/interesting/
Best!
Yes, I have seen this as well, Delosperma. They root fairly easy from cuttings too.
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