Lampranthus

Family. Aizoaceae.

Origin. South Africa.

Description. Lampranthus are magnificent compact flowering succulents with creeping or erect stems. When in contact with the ground, the shoots can root on their own. The leaves are succulent, green or grayish-green with a waxy coating, cylindrical or triangular. Flowers form at the tops of the stems and open only in sunny weather; in cloudy weather they remain half-closed. There are so many buds that they form a very colorful carpet. The shades of flowers include yellow, red, crimson, orange, white and purple. The diameter of each flower varies from 2 to 5 centimeters, in appearance they resemble a daisy or chamomile with many long narrow petals, the center of the flower is usually white or yellow.

Height. From 20 to 60 centimeters.

Indoor care

Temperature conditions

Like most succulents, lampranthus loves warm conditions with a temperature of 20 - 25° C.

Reproduction

Seeds that are sown in spring in a mixture of wet peat and sand. Germination takes from two weeks to 1 month. Seedlings should be placed in a warm place with a temperature of 18 to 24 degrees Celsius without exposure to direct sunlight. Also propagated by cuttings in spring and summer. The length of the cuttings should be from 5 to 20 centimeters, the leaves should be removed from the lower part of the cutting, and the place where the cutting was cut should be dried for 24 hours. Cuttings take root in damp sand; the rooting process occurs quite quickly and does not require much labor. 

Lighting for succulent

Shade during hot summer daylight hours; morning and evening exposure to direct sunlight is possible.

Flower care

Remove dead lampranthus stems in the fall after flowering. 

Watering

Water sparingly in spring and summer, allowing the top layer of soil to dry out between waterings. In winter, the soil should be dried almost completely, and the frequency of watering should be reduced.

Soil

Well-drained, loose, with plenty of sand or perlite to improve drainage. Soils that are fairly poor in nutrients are suitable. 

Feeding

Lampranthus is a rather unassuming plant. Feed him once a month. Excess nutrients lead to abundant growth of stems, which makes them loose and soft, and the bushes can be susceptible to various fungal diseases.

Purpose

Very compact, but at the same time abundantly flowering succulent, unpretentious plants that are grown mainly because of their riot of flowers. With age, a continuous grassy carpet is formed, so representatives of this genus are good to use as ground covers.

Flowering time

Blooms in summer. The flowering period depends on the specific species - some bushes bloom for one or two weeks, while others bloom for a long time, up to six months.

Air humidity

Good air movement is necessary. During the dormant period, keep it in cool, ventilated areas. It tolerates the dryness of heated residential premises well and does not need spraying.

Transplanting

Replanted every year in early spring. 

Pests and diseases

Powdery mildew due to insufficient air movement or content in a humid atmosphere. Excess moisture causes rot.

Of the harmful insects, the flower can be bothered by mealybugs, spider mites, and scale insects.

Note

Some types of lampranthus live quite a long time, others should be replaced every 3 to 5 years. 

Hydroponics

Grows well in hydroponics.