Aloinopsis ROSULATA

Aloinopsis ROSULATA - Rosette Aloinopsis, Nananthus ROSULATUS.

'Living Stones' seed series.

Aloinopsis is a genus of dwarf succulents in the Aizoaceae family, 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 per year.

The plants are quite small: rosettes 3-10 cm (1.2-4 in) across rise above the ground by only 2-5 cm (0.8-2 in). However, their root is huge - a thick tuberous taproot up to 20 cm (8 in) long and up to 4 cm (1.6 in) in diameter, storing moisture during drought. Each rosette bears 4-10 fleshy spatulate or tongue-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 purplish tint, usually entirely covered with small warts.

The flowers are solitary, daisy-like, silky, 1-3.2 cm (0.4-1.3 in) across, 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.

Aloinopsis rosulata is endemic to the Eastern and Western Cape provinces of South Africa, occurring from Beaufort West to Willowmore and Steytlerville. It grows in the Nama Karoo, on gravelly shale plains and gentle slopes with an admixture of lime. It is one of the most widely cultivated species in the genus.

The rosette is flat and compact, up to 10 cm (4 in) across, composed of thick leathery spatulate leaves about 3 cm (1.2 in) long and 5-6 mm (0.2-0.24 in) thick, with slightly pointed tips. The taproot reaches 20 cm (8 in) in length and 4 cm (1.6 in) in diameter, noticeably exceeding the entire aboveground part. The flowers are pale pink, brownish at the base of the petals, with a dark stripe along the midline of each petal, opening in the cool season from late autumn to early spring.

Aloinopsis seeds are very small, dark, and mature in dry capsules that open with 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 tray 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, lightly pressed down and dusted with 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, Aminozol, Epin, or Zircon, covered with film or placed in a propagator, and germinated in light, but not under direct rays, at a temperature of 25-30 °C (77-86 °F).

Under favorable conditions, the first seedlings appear in 6-7 days; the bulk of germination is usually completed in 2-3 weeks, while individual seeds may take longer. The tray is ventilated 1-2 times a day for 10-15 minutes to prevent condensation from lingering, moistened as before with a spray bottle, preventing both waterlogging and complete drying out. Pricking out is carried out after the seedlings have grown noticeably stronger, 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 lighting: in overcast weather, they may not open at all.

In summer, the temperature is 18-25 °C (64-77 °F), and in winter not lower than 10 °C (50 °F). Aloinopsis tolerates dry air well, but stagnant air and constant dampness are dangerous for it.

The main watering falls during the growth period, from autumn to spring, and is carried out only after the substrate has completely dried out. During summer dormancy, watering is drastically reduced, only occasionally lightly moistening the soil. Excess moisture with poor drainage is the main cause of death for these plants: both root and rosettes rot.

The substrate needs to be stony, poor, and loose, with neutral acidity. Ready-made cactus soils are unsuitable due to high peat content. A mixture of light turf soil with coarse sand or fine gravel in equal parts will work, or a mixture of 2 parts turf soil, 1 part leaf humus, 3 parts coarse sand, and 2 parts brick chips. The prepared substrate must be disinfected before planting. The pot should be deep - to accommodate the long taproot, with drainage laid at the bottom.

Fertilizing is optional: the plant extracts everything it needs from water and substrate. If there has been no repotting for more than 2-3 years, cactus and succulent fertilizer is applied at half strength during watering, no more than three to four times during the growing season. Repotting is carried out as needed, usually once every 2-3 years.

With proper care, aloinopsis rarely suffers from diseases. In winter, fungus gnats, spider mites, and mealybugs sometimes appear on them: insecticides are used against gnats and mealybugs, and acaricides against mites, strictly according to instructions. Rotting of the root and rosettes is treated only by sharply reducing watering and treating with fungicide, though it is best not to allow it to occur at all.