Rooting Antimima loganii and Ruschia herrei

[Mafate79]

Hello all,

Can anybody tell me if it is easy to root Antimima loganii and Ruschia herrei at this period of the year? If yes, should I try to root the woody part of their stems or preferably the soft green and younger ones?

I suppose that the best way to do this is to cut some parts, let them dry some days in a shady place, and then put them in a draining mix?

Finally, would you have some photos of those species to show me? This would be very appreciated!

Thank you in advance for your answers.

Sincerely.

[topsy]

Hi Mafate,

Firstly I think that both your plants are Antimimas

I don't have either of them to the best of my knowledge as some of my plants do not have labels I could be mistaken. I have looked in Mesembs of the World and neither species is illustrated. I would think you would be very lucky to have anyone post an image but who knows.

Now about taking cuttings and rooting them. Sandy, well drained compost is best, slightly moist and whilst on many mesemb cuttings I do pare back the woody tissue to reveal the green inner core of the little stems, I would not bother doing so with these plants and as you live in France which may be warmer than the UK at this time of the year, I would not bother drying the cutting before planting, these plants have very little moisture in their stems and it may well be a check too far for them. I would not give them bottom heat, it should not be necessary and will only dry them out more quickly.

Good luck, Suzanne Mace
Mesemb Study Group

[Terry S.]

I have rooted other antimimas, e.g. A. pygmaea and A. turneriana at this time of year, essentially in the way that Topsy has described.

[Mafate79]

Hello Suzanne, Terry, and all,

Thank you very much for your answers, I will proceed as you say to root them. I also couldn't find any photo of both plants on the web.

Here is what I received from Cono's Paradise, labelled as "Antimima loganii" (sorry, poor quality):

And here is what I received labelled as "Ruschia herrei":

if someone could confirm their identity, it would be great!

Sincerely.

Sylvain

[topsy]

Hi Sylvain,

I am afraid that I cannot confirm that they are correctly labeled. However if you got them from Uwe Beyer - Conos Paradise - I would believe they are correct. He sources his seed from very reliable sources.

If these are the plants you are thinking of taking cuttings of I would rather get them planted and growing in my own conditions before propagating them. They do look a little stretched, perhaps from being packaged up and this is the time of year they would be trying to grow. So my advice is simply to pot them and get them used to your conditions.

Are you particularly into Antimimas and if so are there any other species in particular that you are seeking?

Regards, Suzanne

[rthr]

Hi Sylvain,

Here are a couple of my young A. loganii, grown from MSG2930 seed sown April 2015.

Mine have clearly been used to drier and brighter conditions than yours hence the more compact growth form but I think your label is probably correct. I'd agree with Topsy that getting them used to your environment is a good idea before taking cuttings. And I do much the same as Terry and Topsy with regards to Antimima propagation - during their active growing season snip a woody branch an internode or so beneath the fresh new growth and stick it directly into a pot of slightly damp gritty substrate.

Catherine

[Mafate79]

Hi Suzanne,

I am afraid that it is too late to keep my plants uncut as I made cuttings before reading your advice in your previous message... Anyway, the main stem of the Antimima loganii was broken so I had to make cuttings to try to save it. I also planted the part with the roots and a little woody stem part, maybe it can restart to grow. Future will say.

I am not particularly in Antimima, I think I like more or less all Mesembs , especially the ones with a compact shape (even if the shrubby Erepsia pillansii is a beauty to my eyes!) But there are pretty plants in this genus: Antimima evoluta, ventricosa, turneriana, lawsonii, fenestrata, pygmaea, pumila or dualis, for example, would be welcome in my collection if I can find them. I hope that my 2 new plants will recover a more compact growth habit in my conditions...

Sincerely.

[Mafate79]

Hi Catherine,

Thank you very much for your answer and for the photo. Your compact plant looks much more better than my stretched one! Maybe the sunny Spain effect! I will try to give it better conditions so that it can recover a more compact growth form.

Sincerely.