Conophytum ectypum
| Light | Bright light with protection from harsh midday sun; a little more shade than most cacti |
|---|---|
| Water | Only during the autumn–spring growing season; keep completely dry through summer dormancy |
| Soil | Very free-draining, mostly mineral mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Cool and frost-free; USDA zones 9b–11 |
| Propagation | Seed; division of established clumps |
| Toxicity | Not known to be toxic to cats or dogs |
Conophytum ectypum is a tiny, mat-forming mesemb from the winter-rainfall regions of South Africa, and a firm favourite among collectors of miniature succulents. Each plant body is a squat pair of fused leaves capped by a flattened, translucent top marked with fine dark lines, and clusters slowly build into low, tight cushions studded with delicate pink to yellow flowers. It belongs to the large and much-loved genus Conophytum.
Description
Conophytum ectypum forms small, obconical to top-shaped bodies only a centimetre or so tall, each consisting of a single pair of leaves fused almost completely into a rounded, kidney-shaped unit with a shallow central fissure. The upper surface is smooth and semi-translucent, patterned with fine reddish to purplish lines and dots that let a little light into the leaf — a hallmark of the species and part of its appeal to hobbyists.
Individual heads divide over time, so a plant gradually builds into a dense mat or cushion of many bodies. Flowers appear in autumn from the top fissure: small, many-petalled and usually pale pink, though yellow-flowered forms also occur, sometimes with a contrasting centre. Several forms and subspecies are recognised, varying in body size, patterning and flower colour.
Like all conophytums, the plant sheds its old leaf pair each year: the previous body dries to a papery sheath while a fresh pair emerges from within, drawing on the old leaves for moisture during the long summer rest.
Distribution and habitat
The species is native to the arid winter-rainfall zone of the Northern Cape in South Africa, in areas such as Namaqualand and Bushmanland around Steinkopf, Springbok and Anenous. It grows in exposed, rocky places — on quartz patches, in rock cracks and on gravelly slopes — where the tight cushions nestle among stones that shade the roots and shelter the plants from the worst of the sun and wind.
Rainfall there comes mainly in the cooler months, and the plants are adapted to a long, hot, dry summer during which they rest fully dormant.
Cultivation
Conophytum ectypum is not difficult once its seasonal rhythm is understood, and its small size makes it ideal for windowsills and collections of miniatures. The single most important thing is to respect its growth cycle, which is the reverse of most familiar houseplants: it grows and flowers in autumn and winter and sleeps through summer.
Grow it in a shallow pot in a gritty, mostly mineral mix with excellent drainage. Give bright light with some protection from the fiercest midday sun — a little more shade than a desert cactus would want, or the translucent tops can scorch. Begin watering in late summer or early autumn as the new bodies swell, water sparingly through the cool growing season whenever the mix has dried, and then stop almost entirely through the summer dormancy, when overwatering will quickly cause rot. Keep the plant cool and frost-free. See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
Propagation
The species is easily propagated by division: lift an established clump after dormancy breaks and pull or cut it into smaller groups of heads, each with some root, then pot up and water lightly once any cuts have callused. See Propagation — offsets for the general approach to dividing clustering plants.
Seed is the other route and the way to raise plants in quantity or to grow named forms. Sow fine seed on the surface of a mineral mix in autumn, keep it humid and cool, and be patient — the seedlings are minute and slow at first. See Propagation — seed for a full walkthrough.
Common problems
- Rot — the commonest cause of loss, almost always from watering during summer dormancy or from a mix that holds too much moisture; bodies go soft, translucent and collapse.
- Scorch — the pale, translucent tops can burn if moved suddenly into strong direct sun; increase light gradually.
- Failure to shed cleanly — too much water at the wrong time can leave a plant with stacked, un-shed old sheaths; keeping it dry during rest encourages a tidy annual renewal.
- Pests — mealybugs (white fluff between the bodies and around the roots) and sciarid fly larvae in overly damp mix are the usual troublemakers. See Pests and diseases.
See also
- Conophytum — the genus overview
- Soil and potting mix · Watering · Propagation — offsets · Propagation — seed · Repotting · Pests and diseases