Caralluma

Family: Apocynaceae (or Stapelieae, depending on the classification used).
Habitat: Almost all Caralluma species come from Africa, but many come from some areas of Asia and Middle East.
Cultivation: Generally easy: Pay attention not to leave the plants at temperature conditions below 6-8ºC and not to water too much: Carallumas are sensible to root rotting.
Curiosity: The name Caralluma comes from the arab words “qahr al-luhum”, which can mean “flesh wound”, referring to the unbearable smell of their flowers, similar to the Stapelia ones.

KEY FEATURES

Descrizione

VARIETY AND TYPES

Here below are some varieties of Caralluma. Try to check our shop on-line in the Caralluma section to find them!

C. acutangola
C. adscendens (detta anche C. fimbriata)
C. burchardii
C. crenulata
C. dummeri
C. edulis
C. europaea
C. foetida
C. forskohlii
C. frerei
C. hesperidum
C. hexagona
C. joannis
C. lutea
C. penicillata
C. retrospiciens
C. socotrana
C. somalica
C. speciosa
C. stalagmifera

TIPS FOR GROWING

Here below are our tips for growing Carallumas:

SUN EXPOSURE:
Carallumas generally need a bright or partially shaded spot, with some differences between species, but avoid exposure to sunlight during the hottest hours of the day.
TEMPERATURE:
Pay attention to low temperatures. Carallumas aren’t tolerant to cold or frosts: temperatures should be always above 6-8ºC.
WATERING:
Pay attention to watering: water carefully, waiting always 1-2 days after the soil completely dries up before a new intervention. In Summers, the unfrequent waterings should be abundant.
SUBSTRATE:
Use a cactus mix with 50% or a mix with the 50% of peat and the 50% of inorganic matter (sand and pebble). It should be very well drained and nutrient.
REPOTTING:
Repot in the beginning of the Spring, but pay attention to the spines! It’s better to use clay pots which allow the soil to breathe and dry up faster.
PROPAGATION:
Propagation can be carried out using seeds or cuttings. If you choose cuttings, you can use little branches, but wait until their wound dries completely up before putting them in soil. Seeds should be sown in a cactus mix with the same features of the one you use for the mother plant, and should be left in a warm, humid climate.

Official Web Site:
www.giromagi.com

Italian Blog:
www.giromagicactus.com

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