Even when not in bloom , Orbea melananthaforms an attractive priming cover charge , prepare it an excellent addition to rockery or succulent garden . It can also thrive as a potted plant if give enough room to spread out .
Orbea melanantha(Schltr ) Bruyns
Caralluma melanantha , Ceropegia melanantha , Orbeopsis melanantha , Stapelia melanantha
In cultivation, Vredendal, Western Cape, South Africa. Photo by Paul Schultz. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
Family : ApocynaceaeSubfamily : AsclepiadoideaeTribe : CeropegieaeSubtribe : StapeliinaeGenus : Orbea
The specific name " melanantha(pronounced mel - an - ANTH - uh ) " intend " with black flowers " and consult to the often almost black peak of this species .
Orbea melananthais native toMozambique , South Africa(Limpopo , Mpumalanga , Gauteng , and Free State ) , andZimbabwe . It grows on stony dry land near and under shrub at elevations above 3,280 metrical foot ( 1,000 m ) .
In cultivation, Vredendal, Western Cape, South Africa. Photo by Paul Schultz. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
Orbea melananthais a mat - forming succulent withdecumbentstems with big deltoidtuberclesjoined into four thick , uninterrupted , wing - like slant along the stem . The stout stems are pale green mottled with red - dark-brown . They can turn up to 4 inches ( 10 centimeter ) foresighted and 1.6 inches ( 4 cm ) thick , excluding tooth . The tubercle can measure 6 inches ( 1.5 atomic number 96 ) foresighted and point into a sturdy tooth that bit by bit becomes hardened and hatch with a yellowish corked stratum .
The short - lived flowers seem in clusters of 3 to 13 , simultaneously spread from a thickset , usually arising around the middle of the bow in summer and fall . The blossom stalk can grow up to 0.6 inches ( 1.5 cm ) long . The flowers persist open for only a day or two and let out a fearful odor of excrement . Thecorollacan hit up to 2.6 inch ( 6.5 centimeter ) in diameter and is almost completely flat when fully undecided . Inside , it is deep red - brown to nigh fateful , sometimes finely fleck with yellow , densely wrinkled , exquisitely haired , and has order - shaped purplecilia , up to 0.2 inches ( 0.5 atomic number 96 ) long , along the perimeter of thelobes . Outside , it is smooth and pale ointment suffuse with brown . Thecoronais cerise - brownish to purple - Black person and can attain up to 0.15 inch ( 0.3 centimeter ) in peak and up to 0.35 inches ( 0.9 cm ) in width .
luminousness : Orbea melananthathrives in full Sunday or partial shade during the hottest summer Day . Too much sun causes the stems to develop a protective pigmentation or get sunburn . Not enough light lead to weak , thin stems and fewer flowers . Indoors , put the plant near a sunny windowpane in your plate .
In cultivation, Vredendal, Western Cape, South Africa. Photo by Paul Schultz. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
Soil : The good soil is crucial to growing a healthy plant . Use commercial dirt for succulent , or prepare your own intermixture with 50 to 70 % mineral grit , such as coarse sand , pumice , or perlite .
Temperature : This industrial plant prosper in warm out-of-door surroundings but does not wish wintertime cold . During its wintertime dormancy , it should continue moderately dry and affectionate . Orbea melananthagrows best inUSDA Plant Hardiness Zones11a to 11b , with average minimal winter temperatures roll from 40 to 50 ° F ( 4.4 to 10 ° C ) .
Watering : It has typical watering needs for a succulent . During the growing time of year , water your plant soundly and reserve the territory to dry out before watering again . In winter , the plant goes dormant and involve almost no water system , about once a calendar month .
In cultivation, Vredendal, Western Cape, South Africa. Photo by Paul Schultz. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
inseminate : To keep it thriving , fertilizing during the grow time of year is a good idea . Feed with H2O - soluble fertilizer thin to half the recommended speciality .
Repotting : Orbea melananthawill gain from overbold potting soil every 2 or 3 class . Repot it in leaping , just before the grow time of year starts . Pick a container with drainage hole .
Propagation : The best way to propagate this succulent is through stem slip . However , it is also easy to produce from seeds . To ensure good rooting , take cuttings during the growing season and sow the seeds in outflow .
Learn more atHow to uprise and Care for Stapelia .
Orbea melananthahas no toxic issue reported . It is secure around pets and humans .
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