Faucaria introduction

Description   Plant height: up to 100 mm Plants form small clumps with similar sized leave pairs. Dark green to yellow or even reddish leaves are triangular in shape, keeled and have a bottom chin. Upper surface can be smooth, tuberculated or ribbed. All species leaf margins are distinct and can be toothed, or have white margins which may be smooth. Flowers are mostly yellow, but rarely it can be white. They open mostly by mid afternoon in late summer to Autumn. Fruit capsules are 5-locular, woody and remain on the plant, until old and squeezed out by new growth. At this time 6 species have been identified, reduced from 30+ in 1999. Faucaria bosscheana (A.Berger) Schwantes Faucaria felina subsp. felina (L.) Schwantes Faucaria felina subsp. britteniae (L.Bolus) L.E.Groen Faucaria felina subsp. tuberculosa (Rolfe) L.E.Groen Faucaria gratiae L.Bolus Faucaria nemorosa L.Bolus ex L.E.Groen General area of distribution in Eastern Cape, SA. Faucaria subintegra L.Bolus Faucaria tigrina (Haw.) Schwantes Natural Distribution Dormant season: Hot Summer or cold winter period They are part of subtropical thickets in the Eastern Cape, where they are almost solely found. The thickets are nearly impenetrable with little open areas, within, and this is where they tend to grow. They tend to grow in the shade of trees. This area receives both summer and winter rainfall. Propagation The baggy method works well, but enough light for the seedlings have a longish stem and can topple over easily. Seedling Cultivation notes Soil should well-drained.  They tend to rot on the soft woody stems, so ventilation is important. I tend to refrain from watering on cloudy/rainy days and try to water the soil, occasionally misting the leaves, rarely enough to go through. I also keep mine in a morning sun position in which they seem to do well and flower well. I have grown them in zone9 for a few years, but kept them covered on nights when frost was expected. Z3 Z4 Z5 Z6 Z7 Z8 Z9 Z10 Z11 Notes Zone √ √ √ Indoors or windowsill Yes (morning sun) Outdoors in pots Yes (in mild conditions) Greenhouse Yes (best outside their habitats) Landscape Only in areas with light-no frost – I have one in the garden Sun Exposure Semi (summer) Below is some of the species and their difference in leaf shapes. We will go into these different species at a later stage.

Gardening - Aloe speciosa

Aloe speciosa, one of my favorite aloes. I love the color of this Aloe, bluish-green with lovely long leaves hanging down. The head is mostly tilted towards the sun, making it another interesting part of the plant.

The inflorescence is a tall upright with, initially red flowers, turning white as they mature, making for a wonderful look when the plant is flowering. In contrast the reddish stamens and orange anthers make it just that more special on closer inspection.

They grow in the Eastern Cape and Western Cape provinces of South Africa on rocky slopes. We saw a few of them when we walked the Zuurberg mountains, part of the greater Addo Elephant National Park.

[caption id="attachment_851" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Zuurberg mountains[/caption]

They grow nice and tall and can reach up to 5 meters, but this takes a long time. The plants in my garden is 3 years, in the garden, and my guess would be at least 5 - 8 years old.

Kalahari

We love traveling to various spots in South Africa and one of these trips ended in Red Sands Country Lodge, about 15 km outside the Northern Cape town of Kuruman. The town is in the green Kalahari.

We love the drier regions of South Africa (Karoo, Little Karoo, Namaqualand and Kalahari), because these areas are sparsely humanized and it is a real recharge for the soul.

[caption id="attachment_333" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Red Sands Country Lodge[/caption]

Although we usually barbecue ourselves, we also had a big T-Bone at the restaurant, and in all cases the food seemed just to taste a little better, maybe because we were relaxed and peaceful, I do not know, but it just tasted better. Maybe we were just hungry!

[caption id="attachment_334" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Kalahari[/caption]

Our mission is to do birding, look for animals and just be. We tend to drive with my 99 suzi (Isuzu), to get where we want and then find a spot, drop the back and sit there.

[caption id="attachment_337" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Taking in the scenery and being.[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_335" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Another stopping point.[/caption]

The idea for this post is to introduce this Kalahari stop. I will add a link to a page and as time goes by add pictures of birds and animals in the old fashion of our previous posts.

[caption id="attachment_336" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Impalas[/caption]

Here are some more shots of this stop and I hope with them you can get a feeling of "tranquility and peace", as we enjoyed on this trip.

[caption id="attachment_341" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Red Sands - Kalahari[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_340" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Red Sands - Kalahari[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_339" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Red Sands - Kalahari - Sundown[/caption]

Aloe striata

Aloe striata is one of the favorite aloes for many succulent plant lovers and gardeners. It is a beautiful aloe and has the added benefit of no teeth on the margins.

I have 2 in the garden and with their fairly impressive inflorescence with reddish flowers, late winter, they present some color too.

If you are lucky you can see them in nature in full flower. They grow in Eastern and Western Cape regions of South Africa.

[caption id="attachment_155" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Aloe striata[/caption]

Above picture was taken just outside Addo (town), on the way to the Addo Elephant National Park, where they are used as borders for the roads inside the camps.

[caption id="attachment_157" align="aligncenter" width="474"] Aloe striata[/caption]

It is a stunning aloe and drought tolerant. Last time I watered my garden was in 2012! Take a look at them, if you live in moderate climates or can protect them a little in winter in snowy areas.

Reference:

Aloes : The definitive guide. Carter, S; Lavranos, J.J.; Newton, L.E.; Walker, C.C. Kew publishing, 2011