Aloinopsis schooneesii
| Light | Bright light to a few hours of direct sun; more colour and tighter growth in strong light |
|---|---|
| Water | Sparingly in the cooler growing season; keep dry through hot summer dormancy |
| Soil | Very gritty, fast-draining mineral mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Keep above freezing; USDA zones 9b–11, tolerates a light touch of frost when bone dry |
| Propagation | Seed; division of clumps |
| Toxicity | Not known to be toxic to cats or dogs |
Aloinopsis schooneesii is a small, clump-forming mesemb from South Africa, grown for its rosettes of stubby, warty grey-green leaves and its thick, tuberous rootstock. Like others in the genus Aloinopsis, it slowly builds a swollen caudex that hobbyists often raise above the soil line to show off, and it rewards patient growers with relatively large yellow-to-coppery flowers on a compact plant.
Description
Aloinopsis schooneesii forms low, congested clusters of chunky leaves arranged in loose rosettes. The leaves are short and club-shaped — greyish to blue-green, often flushed with tones of bronze or purple in bright light — and their upper surfaces and tips are covered in raised warty tubercles that give the plant a rough, pebbled texture. This warty finish helps it blend into the gravelly ground of its habitat.
Beneath the modest rosettes sits the plant's real prize: a fat, tuberous root. Left buried it simply anchors the plant, but growers frequently pot the caudex partly exposed to emphasise its swollen, sculptural form. The daisy-like flowers open in the late afternoon and into the evening during the cooler months, appearing large for the size of the plant and ranging from yellow to coppery-bronze, each petal usually marked with a darker central stripe.
Distribution and habitat
The species is native to the arid interior of South Africa's Eastern Cape, in the eastern Karoo, where it grows on silty, gravelly flats between Willowmore and Steytlerville among rock and low scrub. Plants there endure hot, dry summers and cooler, occasionally frosty winters, retreating into their tuberous roots to survive drought.
Cultivation
Aloinopsis schooneesii is an undemanding little plant if its watering is matched to its rhythm. It is a cool-season grower: water it during autumn, winter and spring when temperatures are mild, and keep it dry through the heat of high summer when it naturally rests. Overwatering — especially while dormant or in a heavy mix — is the main cause of loss, as the tuberous root rots easily when kept wet.
Grow it in a very free-draining, mostly mineral mix in a pot deep enough to accommodate the taproot, and give it bright light with some direct sun to keep the rosettes tight and well coloured; strong light also helps the flowers open, which they may fail to do in dull, cloudy weather. Many growers plant it with the top of the caudex just at or above soil level for display; if you do, protect the newly exposed root from harsh sun at first. See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
Propagation
Seed is the usual and most reliable method. Sow onto a gritty, mineral surface kept lightly moist and warm during the cooler growing season, and be patient — seedlings are slow but steady. Established clumps can also be lifted and divided, taking care to keep a good share of root with each piece and letting any cut surfaces dry before replanting. See Propagation — seed and Propagation — offsets for fuller walkthroughs.
Common problems
- Rot — the commonest killer, almost always from watering during summer dormancy or from a slow-draining mix; the tuber and lower stems soften and discolour.
- Etiolation — too little light makes the leaves stretch and pale, losing their compact, warty character.
- Pests — mealybugs can hide among the congested leaves and around the root crown, and root mealybugs may infest the tuber; check when repotting. See Pests and diseases.
See also
- Aloinopsis — the genus overview
- Soil and potting mix · Watering · Repotting · Propagation — seed · Propagation — offsets