Adromischus clavifolius
Habitat:
Adromischus clavifolius is found in small scattered populations in South Africa between Alexandria, Grahamstown and East London (Cape Province). It develops very well in shallow soil on rock cliffs.
Description:
It’s a plant with a lot of short stems and bright green leaves with the form of a club, attached to the central stems through thin, long bright green stems, and grouped in a rosette. Sometimes the top of the leaves is tinged in dark red. The short stems are provided with aerial roots. The inflorescence, as in the other species of the genus Adromischus, is a spike-like thyrse. It’s greyish-green and it has only one flowered cyme. Times of flowering are variable. Flowers are grey-green, 1-1.5 centimeters long. Roots are fibrous.
Cultivation:
This plant, as the other Adromischus, is used develop in a habitat with a poor, shallow, dry, well-drained soil, as it lives in the rocky cliffs. So it’s not necessary to water it too often: in spring and summer, once every two weeks. In winter once a month is sufficient. Actually, a dry soil in winter helps the plant to bear low temperatures. The minimum temperature for her survival is 5ºC.
Propagation:
Leaf cutting is the best way to propagate Adromischus clavifolius. From a single leaf, new roots can develop: you have just to cut a leaf with a sharp knife, put it in soil, close to the border of the pot, water it with little water, and wait until the leaf dries up, which usually means that new root have formed already.
Curiosity:
The name ” Adromischus” comes from the ancient Greek adros (=thick) and mischos (=stem).
