Hoodia gordonii
| Light | Full sun to bright light; acclimatise to avoid scorch |
|---|---|
| Water | Sparingly in the growing season; keep dry and cool in winter |
| Soil | Very free-draining, mostly mineral mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Warm; protect from frost. Best above about 10 °C in winter |
| Propagation | Seed; cuttings possible but slow to root |
| Toxicity | Toxicity to pets is not well documented; keep out of reach of pets and children |
Hoodia gordonii is a spiny, columnar succulent from the arid regions of southern Africa, belonging to the milkweed family (Apocynaceae, subfamily Asclepiadoideae) and to the group of carrion-flowered succulents commonly called stapeliads. It is best known outside horticulture for its long history of traditional use and its later marketing as an appetite suppressant, and — like other members of its genus — it is regulated under CITES Appendix II.
Description
Hoodia gordonii forms clumps of erect, greyish-green stems, each cylindrical and many-ribbed, rising to perhaps half a metre or more in a well-grown plant. The ribs are lined with rows of firm, spine-tipped tubercles, giving the stems a bristly, armoured look quite unlike the soft, spineless bodies of many related stapeliads.
The flowers are the family's signature spectacle: large, flattish, saucer-shaped blooms borne near the stem tips, typically pale tan to flesh-pink and faintly to strongly malodorous. Like other carrion flowers they are pollinated chiefly by flies, which are drawn to the scent. After pollination the plant produces the pair of slender, horn-like follicles characteristic of the milkweed family, splitting to release many silky-plumed seeds.
Distribution and habitat
The species is native to the drylands of southern Africa, occurring across parts of South Africa, Namibia and neighbouring arid country. It grows in hot, open, stony or sandy ground with very low rainfall, often among low scrub, and is adapted to long dry periods and intense sun.
Cultivation
Hoodia gordonii is a plant for the experienced succulent grower rather than the beginner, as it resents cold, damp and stagnant conditions. Grow it in a very free-draining, largely mineral mix, in the brightest position available; plants raised in strong light develop sturdier, better-coloured stems. Water sparingly during warm active growth, always letting the mix dry out fully between waterings, and keep the plant dry and warm through winter to avoid rot.
Good airflow and warmth are key, as the stems are prone to basal and stem rot if kept wet or cold. In cool climates it is usually grown under glass or indoors in a bright window. See Watering, Repotting and Pests and diseases for general technique.
Propagation
Seed is the most reliable method: fresh seed sown on a warm, gritty surface and kept lightly moist germinates fairly readily, though seedlings are slow. Stem cuttings can also be taken; the cut surface should be allowed to callus well before the cutting is set in a dry, gritty mix, and rooting is often slow and uncertain compared with softer stapeliads. See Propagation — seed and Propagation — cuttings.
Common problems
- Rot — the commonest cause of loss, almost always from overwatering, a poorly draining mix, or cold damp conditions; stems soften and collapse from the base.
- Etiolation — too little light produces weak, over-lengthened stems and poor colour.
- Pests — mealybugs (including root mealybugs) are the main nuisance; watch also for scale insects and, under glass, spider mites.
Legal status
The entire genus Hoodia, including Hoodia gordonii, is listed under CITES Appendix II. In practice this means that international trade in wild-collected and cultivated material requires the appropriate CITES permits and documentation, a control introduced in response to commercial demand and concern over wild harvesting. Growers moving plants or seed across borders should ensure the correct paperwork is in place.
Hoodia gordonii is marketed as an appetite suppressant but is not scheduled as a psychoactive substance, and it does not contain mescaline. For context, mescaline occurs in trace amounts across many cacti and is concentrated in only a few species (such as Lophophora williamsii and Trichocereus species); those mescaline-bearing cacti — not Hoodia — are the plants subject to additional controls, and some U.S. states (for example, California, under Health and Safety Code § 11363) specifically restrict the cultivation of peyote and certain other mescaline-containing cacti. This section is a factual overview of regulatory status only and is not a guide to any form of use.
See also
- Hoodia — the genus overview
- Soil and potting mix · Watering · Propagation — seed · Propagation — cuttings · Pests and diseases
- CITES — trade regulation of succulents and cacti