Anacampseros comptonii

[iann]

Anybody know anything about this plant? Its not something I would normally grow but it came free with some Delospermas and I'm not finding much information about it, like when to water and whether it goes dormant.

[Phil White]

Ian,
A. comptonii is very desirable plant & as if often the case difficult to keep. It is a true miniature from the famous "comptons corner" in RSA. If you have any of Gordon Rowleys book it may well be featured in there.
As for cultivation I would treat as a winter grower but I am no expert. I would like to try this plant again but seed is seldom seen & not easy to germinate or keep.
HTH

[Tom J]

Hi Iann,

If it is the true stuff and you're not interested in it, I volunteer to take care of them :-)
In general I would say to treat them as conophytums, but give them more water. I give the very few anacampseros I have water from end of June already: I fload them and wait for another 3 weeks to repeat it. I have an A. retusa 'weisii' flowering since beginning of July, so it does seem to do the trick.
I only know A. comptonii from the field: It grows there fairly abundant and was in flower at the time I was at the Vanrhynspas (April 2000). I also have seen them at Cok Grootscholtens collection in the Netherlands.

Bye,
Tom Jacobs

[iann]

I've been to Compton's Corner! Its just outside Manassas, Virginia, USA

It seems I've stumbled all unknowing onto a choice plant again. But before anyone gets carried away thinking about some specimen plant on a big caudex, here's what I started with a couple of months ago:
[img]http://nartowicz.users.btopenworld.com/ ... tonii1.jpg[/img]

And here's what I have now, not exactly spectacular yet:
[img]http://nartowicz.users.btopenworld.com/ ... tonii2.jpg[/img]

Weird seeds, huh? Germination seemed easy enough, except almost every seedlings appeared in one quarter of the pot! The seedlings appear to have an alternate growth pattern. Now that I know its a desirable species, I'll probably start caring for them and kill them! Do they look like the real deal?

[ChrisR]

I don't think you've got comptonii there Ian...........the leaves are wrong and it grow a lot slower than those have. Derek T. will probably advise.


Chris

[Apicra]

Here I am ... I've made a study of Anacampseros. Different sections have very distinctive seeds. The outer layer of cells (aril) can peel off as a white envelope (for better wind dispersal?) as illustrated. Unfortunately A. comptonii does not have that type of seed. Your seedlings are one of the larger green leafy species i.e. A. telephiastrum, lanceolata, marlothii, rufescens, etc.

Best wishes,
Derek Tribble,
Adromischus Displayed

[iann]

Thanks Derek, that's good to know. I take it the care is much the same for all Anacampseros species?