Deilanthe PEERSII

Deilanthe PEERSII - Peers' Deilanthe, Aloinopsis, Nananthus.

'Living Stones' seed series.

Deilanthe is a tiny genus of dwarf succulents in the Aizoaceae family, comprising only three species. All of them are endemic to South Africa and grow in the Cape provinces and the Free State, on rocky slopes of arid regions.

The plants form compact squat rosettes of fleshy spatulate leaves and survive thanks to a very thick tuberous root that stores moisture during drought. Externally, deilanthe are almost indistinguishable from aloinopsis, to which they were long referred.

The flowers are solitary, silky, in yellow and orange shades, large relative to the size of the plant. The main feature of the genus is its flowering time: the flowers open not during the day, but in the evening or at night. The fruit is a dry capsule with small seeds.

Deilanthe peersii is a species from southern South Africa, from the surroundings of Willowmore and Prince Albert in the Cape Province and from the Free State, where it grows on rocky slopes at elevations of 850-1400 meters (2800-4600 ft) above sea level. For a long time it was assigned to the genus Aloinopsis, and under the name Aloinopsis PEERSII it is still widely sold, although Deilanthe PEERSII is considered the correct modern name.

The rosettes are compact, 2-4 cm (0.8-1.6 in) across, composed of spatulate leaves up to 2.5 cm (1 in) long, silky-gray with a pearlescent sheen. The root is distinctly thickened, tuberous. The flowers are orange-yellow, large, 2.5-5 cm (1-2 in) across, opening in spring and only at night, roughly from six to eight o'clock in the evening until two in the morning.

Deilanthe 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 tuberous root develops very early.

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During the growth period, from late autumn to spring, the plant needs the brightest spot with direct sun: both rosette shape and flowering depend specifically on lighting. In summer, when deilanthe rests, a cooler location is chosen and it is shaded from hot sun.

In winter, the keeping temperature should not drop below 10 °C (50 °F); with completely dry substrate, the plant tolerates brief drops down to -5 °C (23 °F). Dry air is not a threat to it, but stagnant air and constant dampness are dangerous.

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 reduced to a minimum, 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 tuberous root, 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, deilanthe rarely suffers from diseases. In winter, fungus gnats, spider mites, and mealybugs sometimes appear on it: 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.