Herself's Houseplants

succulent garden

One of the things that makes cactus and succulents great house plants is that they don’t mind the dry air in homes and offices. If you can get them enough light you’ll find they are some of the easiest house or office plants to grow.

Cactus and succulents differ only slightly. All cactus are succulents, not all succulents are cactus. Cactus store water in their stem, succulents store water in the leaves, stem or both. All cactus originated only in North and South America, succulents are found worldwide.

The temperature indoors is usually fine for all succulents and cactus. Some may need a cooler, winter of sorts to promote blooming. Others bloom after a flood. If you are having trouble getting your indoor succulent to bloom: first try more light, then try leaving it out at night for a month or two when it is chilly but not too cold for your particular plant. If neither of those works, let it dry more than usual for a few weeks, then give it a good soaking. Just don’t let it sit in water, be sure to drain it well.

As a general rule the spinier a cactus is, the more sunlight it will need. They are leaves that have evolved to shade the cactus with out giving up much needed water like regular leaves.

Cactus spines are like leaves and can be removed with out hurting the plant. You’ll see a tuft of tiny spines or hair at the bottom of each spine.

Succulent spines do not have tufts at the bottom and are connected to the stem tissue. Removing them will harm your plant.

To successfully grow succulents indoors, use a well drained soil. Sand or potting soil mixed with larger pebbles works well.

See also:
House plant escapes through roof
Sedums the forgotten plants
Interesting facts about succulents

I love unusual plants and this one has the added benefit of being easy to grow. I’ve seen it in hanging pots where it spills over the sides and down about 4′. I’ve seen it in greenhouses, shaded and full sun, I have some in pots out back in full sun.

It is known as a carrion flower. The flower is scented to attract flies, it has a mild, distasteful smell, that is not noticeable after a few days. Unless you’re a fly.

It loves the sun, it loves when you forget to water it, it just doesn’t like the cold. It must be protected from freezing.

In the winter it will need lots of light, all you can give to it, and ease up on the watering or it will rot. It is very prone to root rot, water this plant sparingly.

Stapelia does best planted in sand so the water can rapidly drain and the soil dry.

This plant is native to parts of Africa and there are several sub-species with different sized, colored and shaped flowers.

Propagation:
Snap off a stalk and plant it. It’s that easy.

See also:
Plants of Africa: Stapelia
Floridata: Stapelia