The Dorstenia foetida it is one of the most amazing collection plants. Unlike the others, its flower is very curious, green in color and with petals that do not resemble those of daisies, for example.
It is a small, caudiciform succulent plant that lives well in a pot, as long as it is given some care. Dare to discover this extraordinary species .
Characteristics of Dorstenia foetida
Stem
Our protagonist is a sub-shrub whose stem sometimes branches. Stems are conical in shape and thickdark green to mahogany in color, about 15cm in diameter and about 40cm high.
Leaves
Leaves they are perennial or deciduous depending on the climate and growing conditionsand are light green or grayish green in color. They are lanceolate in shape, and are 1 to 15cm long and 0,5 to 4,5cm wide.
Flores
The flowers are actually green structures known in English as hyphantodiums. They are a type of disc-shaped inflorescence that has “horns” or “tentacles” on the edge. On the “shield” are the flowers themselves, which are tiny, and greenish-white in color (they look like dots or lines).
Fruit
The fruit it is a pod that opens explosively sending the seeds to a distance of up to 2 meters.
Seeds
Shipping is tinyso if you intend to obtain new specimens you have to catch them with a piece of white cloth, or wait for them to germinate in the substrate.
How do you take care of yourself?
If you buy a specimen of Dorstenia foetida, here is its care guide:
- Location: semi-shade with lots of light, or full sun.
- Substratum: it must have very good drainage. It is highly recommended to plant it on the pumice so that the roots are always properly aerated.
- Irrigation: moderate in summer, somewhat scarcer the rest of the year. The substrate must be allowed to dry completely before watering again.
- Subscriber: fertilize every 15 days with Nitrofoska, pouring a small spoonful on the surface of the substrate. It can also be paid with fertilizers for cacti and other succulents, following the instructions specified on the package.
- Multiplication: by seeds (difficult, due to their own size), or by cuttings in spring-summer.
- Rusticity: it is very sensitive to cold. The ideal minimum temperature is 15ºC.
Have you ever seen this plant?
