Stapelia

[StephOx]

Hello, was wondering if anyone has grown orbea variegata that could give me advice. I’ve got two grown from seed, few months ago but hasn’t grown since it sprouted. Is there anything I can do to encourage growth? I know succulents take a while to grow but it’s like it’s just decided to give up after germination.


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[JST]

I've grown various stapelaids from seed and all of them seem to get going quite quickly then, about 2/3 years old, they slow down, then speed up again. Not sure what is going on with them really, but those in plastic pots seem to grown quicker than in clay pots, so maybe they require a bit more moisture early on in life?

[Ali Baba]

I've grown quite a few Stapeliads from seed. In my experience if they are too cold the growing point fails to develop. If you stick the seedlings somewhere warmer the seedlings may sprout growths from the buds in the axils of the seed leaves. Once the plants are more mature they are quite happy at cooler temperatures.

[StephOx]

Ok I’ll try both more heat more moisture, thanks.


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[Terry S.]

It might be interesting to note the sort of places where Orbea variegata grows, because it is not the sort of habitat one normally associates with stapeliads. I have seen it near Scarborough on the Cape Peninsula where it was growing in between houses in stony sandy soil not far from the Atlantic Ocean. Winter temperatures there would almost certainly not normally go below 5C but all of the rainfall, which can be a much as a metre per year, falls during the winter months. This might account for it being one of the easiest and most resistant stapeliad species for growing in the UK climate.