El Cotyledon orbiculata It is a crass that can be planted in the gardens without fear of being lost since its height exceeds one meter. With branching stems from which fleshy leaves of variable but very pretty colors sprout, it looks great on roadsides, for example, as well as among other succulents.
Its growth rate is quite fast, especially if we compare it with that of other species. So if you are looking for a plant that stands out and is also easy to care for, this is a very good option.
Origin and characteristics of Cotyledon orbiculata
It is a shrubby plant native to South Africa known as pig's ear or round-leaved navel. It reaches a height of 1,3 meters, and develops green or gray leaves with a red margin covered by a kind of white powder which reflects sunlight, thus helping you avoid losing water.
Its flowers are bell-shaped, small, one centimeter long, and are grouped in inflorescences up to 60 centimeters high. Their color varies from orange to yellow, and they sprout in spring.
Varieties
Image - Flickr / Yummy Brown // C. orbiculata var oophylla
It is a very variable succulent, so much so that there are some that can cost you to be really a Cotyledon orbiculata. Let's see what they are:
- Cotyledon orbiculata var flanaganii: it is a shrub native to South Africa that reaches 75 centimeters in height. Its leaves are arranged in a spiral, and are grayish-green in color.
- Cotyledon orbiculata var oblong: it is a shrub that grows in South Africa and Swaziland. Its leaves are thin and flattened, grayish-green in color.
- Cotyledon orbiculata var oophylla: it is a shrub native to South Africa. Its leaves are smaller than those of the type species, acquire an ovate shape, and usually do not exceed 25 centimeters in height.
What are the care you need?
If you dare to have a copy, you will surely be able to enjoy it a lot. It is very easy to care for, and as it is quite long-lived you will have a plant for a while. In addition, it multiplies very quickly by cuttings and does not require complicated care or being very aware of it. But let's see it in more detail:
Location
It is a crass that needs to be in sunny exposure, outside. If you choose to have the type species, that is, the Cotyledon orbiculata with flattened and large leaves, we recommend growing it in the garden; However, you should know that if you get an old tire, a piece of grating the diameter of the wheel, shading mesh and universal substrate mixed with perlite in equal parts, you can make it a very interesting container and have it on a terrace for example.
Earth
- Flower pot: it can be filled with universal substrate mixed with perlite in equal parts, or with mineral substrates such as pumice or akadama.
- Garden: not very demanding. It grows in well-drained soils, including limestone that has been mixed with perlite or another mineral substrate.
Irrigation
The irrigation has to be rather little. It is important to let the soil dry completely before watering again, as it does not resist waterlogging. Anyway, to give you an idea of when to water, in principle it should be done once or twice a week during the summer, and once a week in winter.
But if you have doubts, check the humidity of the soil by inserting a thin wooden stick for example. If you see that it comes out with a lot of soil attached, do not water because its roots could rot. For this same reason, you should avoid putting a plate under it, as the water that remains stagnant in it would drown them.
Subscriber
Image - Wikimedia / JMK // C. orbiculata var oblonga
During the growing season, that is, from spring to summer (and even until autumn if the weather is mild), it is interesting but not essential to fertilize it with a liquid fertilizer for cacti and other succulents. Of course, the indications that are specified on the packaging must be followed, because if in case of overdose its roots would burn and the plant would spoil; and if, on the contrary, the dose is lower, its effects will hardly be noticed.
Multiplication
El Cotyledon orbiculata multiplies by seeds and cuttings in spring-summer:
Seeds
You can sow the seeds in pots with holes or in seed trays with universal substrate mixed with 50% perlite. They should be as far apart from each other as possible, and covered only with a thin layer of soil. Then, they are watered and the seedbed is left outside, in full sun.
Thus, they will germinate in a few days.
Cuttings
Getting new specimens from cuttings is faster than from seeds. And easier 🙂. For it you just have to cut a stem, let the wound dry for a week and then plant it (don't nail it) into a pot.
To ensure that it will root, impregnate its base with rooting hormones before planting it in its pot, but for this species it is not necessary.
Plagues and diseases
It's very tough. Perhaps in dry and warm environments you can see some cochineal, but nothing serious. Anyway, you can remove it with a brush soaked in pharmacy alcohol or with a small gauze.
During the rainy season, or if the environment is very humid, protect it from snails and slugs, since these animals eat both the leaves and stems.
Planting or transplanting time
In spring You can plant it in the garden, or change the pot if you see that it has become too small or if the roots come out through the drainage holes.
Rusticity
It resists the cold well, but if the temperature drops below -3ºC in your area, you should put it in a greenhouse or indoors.. And still, it is better that the annual minimum is 0 degrees or higher, as hail and ice can damage the leaves from one day to the next, causing them to turn reddish or even blotchy.
What did you think of the Cotyledon orbiculata? As you have seen, it is a plant that really does not need much care, so it is ideal for decorating low-maintenance gardens and patios 😉.