English (United Kingdom) 
Russian (Russia) Cyphostemma
Family. Vitaceae.
Origin. Namibia.
Description. Small succulent plants, stocky strong trees. Depending on the species, cyphostemma stores moisture either in a thick trunk or in a turnip-shaped caudex. Light brown bark covers the stem of the plant, often peeling off in thin layers and exposing a green shoot. The leaves are light green, juicy, thick, simple. Leaf blades with large teeth along the edge. Some species have compound leaves, consisting of several segments arranged in a circle. Young leaves and stems sometimes have long whitish pubescence. The flowers are inconspicuous, collected in loose clusters. Round berries, which remain on the branches for a long time, give the plant additional decorativeness.
Height. Does not exceed 80 cm, grows slowly.
Care at home
Reproduction, growing from seeds
Propagation is by seeds sown in spring. It will take many years to get a mature plant - even the germination time of the seeds often takes 2 years! Vegetative propagation by cuttings is possible, but the specimens obtained in this way do not form an attractive caudex.
Growing conditions - temperature
In spring and summer, they are kept in a temperature range from 18 to 24° C. Cyphostemma requires a cool rest period, which it must spend in a room with a temperature of 12 - 15 ° C.
Lighting
A brightly lit area with plenty of reflected sunlight. Shading is only necessary during very hot daytime hours.
Care
The tree is unpretentious and is afraid only of over-watering. During the winter dormancy period, some species can shed their leaves - this is a normal process. The flower should not be placed near passages - its leaves easily break off when touched.
Substrate
Select a ready-made mixture for cacti and succulent plants and add 30 to 40 percent of coarse river sand to it. Tolerates nutrient-poor soils well.
Feeding
A monthly fertilizing with water-soluble fertilizer for succulents throughout the spring and summer is sufficient.
Flowering time
Summer.
Spraying
It does not require high humidity and tolerates the rather dry air of living spaces.
Watering
Watering should be moderate even during the growth period. The plant tolerates even long periods of drought well. Dry the soil to 1/3 of its depth between waterings in spring and summer. In winter, simply protect the soil from drying out completely.
Transfer
Repot as needed into fresh substrate. Mature specimens need to be repotted approximately every 2-3 years. This species has a large root system, so it requires large pots. Caudex-forming trees are planted at a shallow depth, exposing the attractive root system to view.
Purpose
Even without special pruning and crown formation, these plants resemble bonsai.
Pests and diseases
Most often, rot occurs - especially when moisture stagnates at the roots, is kept too cool and there is insufficient ventilation.
Sometimes plants weakened by disease or improper care can become victims of mealybugs.
Varieties:
Costemma juttaeyph
A deciduous succulent plant up to 2 m high with thick, powerful trunks covered with light brown or grayish peeling thin bark. In the upper part, the stems branch slightly and bear large, green or bluish-green leaves, forming a lush crown. The leaf blades have large denticles along the edge and are covered with a whole network of pronounced, thick leaf veins. The flowers are small, inconspicuous, appearing in early summer in branched inflorescences. The plant is additionally decorated with bright orange or purple round berries.
Cyphostemma elephantopus
Perennial deciduous succulents forming a thick caudex at the base of the trunk, covered with light grayish bark. As the name suggests, the caudex resembles an elephant's foot in appearance. In the upper part of the plant there are thin, abundantly branched branches with large, complex leaves on long petioles, consisting of several glossy, green, coarse-toothed segments. The flowers are greenish-yellow, small, collected in small inflorescences - brushes. The berries are bright, red, oblong.
