Synonyms:

Gonostemon hirsutus

Habitat:

S. hirsute is native to Cape Provinces and Namibia where the plant grows in winter and rainfall area.

Description:

S. hirsute is a rare succulent belonging to the Asclepiadaceae botanical family. The plant forms clumps and has an erect, cylindrical, fleshy, light green stems that can reach up to 24 cm in height. The stem is arranged in four ribs made of rounded hooked tubercles. The color of the stem can change from green to mottled red, depending on temperatures and sun exposure. Blooming occurs freely from the late summer to the early autumn. The flowers are starfish-shaped, penta-lobed, flat, pale green outside, width up to 15 cm in diameter. The corolla is red purple with yellow bands, densely covered with long hairs. The pollination is carried out by flies and the fruits are follicles that divide when ripe and spread small brown seeds covered by long white hairs. The flower gives off an unpleasant smell that resembles the smell of a carcass but which is useful for attracting flies and promoting pollination.

Cultivation:

This is a slow growing plant, easy to cultivate. The plant needs a full light sun exposure but is recommended to avoid direct sun-light in the hottest periods. The plant does not like temperatures below 12°C so it needs to be placed indoors in the coldest periods. The soil should be mixed with pumice, clay and loam to allow the drainage and prevent the root rot, the plant is prone to it indeed. Remember to use a perforating pot to drain excess water. Watering can be done regularly in Spring and Summer: during the vegetative period you can water the plant (every 7 days), checking that the soil is completely dry before watering again; in winter you should stop the watering to allow the plant to enter dormancy. If you want a faster and lush growth you can fertilize the plant once a month during the growing season with the specific fertilizers for cacti; stop fertilizing throughout the winter. If the pot starts to be too small for the plant you can repot the plant in a pot 2 cm wider. Repotting should be done early in the growing season with fresh new potting soil. Be careful to red spiders and mealy bugs.

Propagation:

The easiest and fastest method of propagation is to use stem cuttings but is also possible to propagate the plant by seed. By cutting you can make the cut during the spring and then let the cutting dry; after a few days the cut surface will dry and a callus will form, then place the cutting in a mixture of sand, soil and pumice. To increase the success of propagation you can make two or more cuttings at the same time. For cuttings it is recommended temperatures around 20 °C. By seed it is very simple to propagate the plant, it is enough to sow the seed in a sandy loam soil and keep it with a high level of humidity and at temperature of 14 C°.

Curiosity:

Stapelia owes its name to Dutch Botanist J. B. van Stapel, who lived in 1600.

Official Web Site:
www.giromagi.com

Italian Blog:
www.giromagicactus.com

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