Aloinopsis SCHOONEESII

Aloinopsis SCHOONEESII - Schoonees's aloinopsis, Aloinopsis schooneesii, Nananthus.

'Living Stones' seed series.

Aloinopsis is a genus of dwarf succulents in the ice plant family (Aizoaceae), comprising about eight species. All of them are endemic to South Africa and grow in arid regions of the Western, Eastern, and Northern Cape Provinces - in the Karoo and Namaqualand, on gravelly shale plains and rocky slopes where less than 300 mm (12 in) of precipitation falls annually.

The plants are quite small: rosettes 3-10 cm (1.2-4 in) across rise only 2-5 cm (0.8-2 in) above the ground. In contrast, their root is huge - a thick tuberous taproot up to 20 cm (8 in) long and up to 4 cm (1.6 in) across, storing moisture for times of drought. Each rosette bears 4-10 fleshy spatulate or strap-shaped leaves 1.2-3.8 cm (0.5-1.5 in) long and up to 2.5 cm (1 in) wide, green, bluish-green, or with a purple tinge, usually entirely covered with small tubercles.

Flowers are solitary, daisy-like, silky, 1-3.2 cm (0.4-1.3 in) across, ranging from yellow and golden-bronze to orange and pink, often with a darker stripe along the midline of each petal. They open toward evening and close with the onset of darkness, with a single flower lasting 5-8 days. The fruit is a dry capsule with small seeds.

Schoonees's aloinopsis is a species from the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa, from the Bushmanland region and vicinity of Willowmore. One of the most miniature in the genus: rosettes rise above the ground by only a couple of centimeters (about an inch), while the expanding clump eventually reaches 30 cm (12 in) across. Over the years, the tuberous root turns into a noticeable caudex.

Each irregularly shaped rosette bears 8-10 thick, almost cone-like rhomboid leaves about 1.5 cm (0.6 in) long, dark bluish-green, with a fine-grained tuberculate surface. Flowers are daisy-like, silky, yellowish-bronze with a darker center, unusually large compared to the foliage, opening in late winter if the plant receives sufficient light.

Aloinopsis seeds are very fine, dark, ripening in dry capsules that open from moisture. Soaking such seeds is impractical, so the substrate itself is disinfected: before sowing, it is drenched with a weak solution of potassium permanganate and dried slightly. Scarification and stratification are not required.

Sowing is carried out in a shallow dish with a mixture of 1 part leaf soil and 2 parts coarse sand with perlite, with an interval of 2-3 mm (0.08-0.12 in) between seeds, with light pressing and a dusting of a thin layer of sand no thicker than 1 mm (0.04 in). The sowing is moistened from a spray bottle with a growth stimulant solution: SUPERthrive, HB-101, Aminosol, Epin, or Zircon, covered with plastic film or placed in a propagator, and germinated in light, but not in direct sun, at a temperature of 25-30 °C (77-86 °F).

Under favorable conditions, the first sprouts appear within 6-7 days; main germination is usually completed in 2-3 weeks, while individual seeds may take longer. The dish is aired 1-2 times a day for 10-15 minutes to prevent condensation buildup, moistened as before with a spray bottle, and neither waterlogging nor complete drying out is allowed. Pricking out is performed after the seedlings have strengthened noticeably, into individual deep pots - the taproot develops very early.

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The plant needs bright light, tolerates direct sunlight well, and light partial shade is also acceptable. Flower opening depends directly on illumination: in cloudy weather, they may fail to open.

In summer, the temperature is 18-25 °C (64-77 °F), and in winter not below 10 °C (50 °F). Aloinopsis tolerates dry air excellently, but stagnant air and constant dampness are hazardous to it.

The main watering takes place during the growth period, from autumn to spring, and is performed only after the substrate has dried out completely. During summer dormancy, watering is sharply curtailed, only occasionally moistening the soil slightly. Excess moisture with poor drainage is the primary cause of death for these plants: both the root and rosettes rot.

The substrate must be rocky, poor, and loose, with neutral acidity. Commercial cactus soils are unsuitable due to high peat content. A mix of light turf soil with coarse sand or fine gravel in equal parts is suitable, or a mixture of 2 parts turf soil, 1 part leaf humus, 3 parts coarse sand, and 2 parts crushed brick. The prepared substrate is always sterilized before planting. A deep pot is selected to accommodate the long taproot, and drainage is placed at the bottom.

Fertilization is optional: the plant obtains everything it needs from water and the substrate. If repotting has not occurred for more than 2-3 years, a half-strength dose of fertilizer for cacti and succulents is applied during watering no more than three to four times per growing season. Repotting is carried out as needed, usually once every 2-3 years.

With proper care, Aloinopsis plants rarely fall ill. In winter, fungus gnats, spider mites, and mealybugs occasionally appear: insecticides are used against gnats and mealybugs, and acaricides against mites, strictly according to instructions. Rot of the root and rosettes is treated only by a sharp reduction in watering and treatment with a fungicide, though it is far better to prevent it altogether.