Aloinopsis SPATHULATA

Aloinopsis SPATHULATA - Spatulate aloinopsis, Aloinopsis Spathulata, Nananthus, Nananthus SPATHULATUS.

Seed series "Living Stones".

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 (11.8 in) of precipitation falls per year.

The plants are quite small: rosettes 3-10 cm (1.2-3.9 in) across rise only 2-5 cm (0.8-2 in) above the ground. However, their root is enormous - a thick tuberous taproot up to 20 cm (7.9 in) long and up to 4 cm (1.6 in) across, 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 purple tint, usually covered entirely with small tubercles.

The 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, and a single flower lasts 5-8 days. The fruit is a dry capsule with small seeds.

Spatulate aloinopsis is a species from South Africa forming low dense mats about 5 cm (2 in) high and up to 30 cm (11.8 in) across. The leaves are spatulate, which gave the species its name, fleshy, glaucous bluish-green, with a rough tuberculate surface.

The main distinction of the species from its relatives is flower coloration: in most aloinopsis species they are yellow or bronze, while in this one they are bright pink to magenta, aster-like, and open in early spring just above the leaves. This is one of the most cold-hardy species of the genus.

Aloinopsis seeds are very small, dark, ripening in dry capsules that open with moisture. Soaking such tiny seeds is impractical, so the substrate itself is sanitized: before sowing, it is drenched with a weak potassium permanganate solution and allowed to dry slightly. Scarification and stratification are not required.

Sowing is done in a shallow flat with a mixture of 1 part leaf soil and 2 parts coarse sand with perlite, with a spacing of 2-3 mm (0.08-0.12 in) between seeds, pressing lightly and covering with a thin layer of sand no more than 1 mm (0.04 in) thick. 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 greenhouse, and germinated in light, but not under direct sun, at a temperature of 25-30 °C (77-86 °F).

Under favorable conditions, the first seedlings appear within 6-7 days, main germination is usually completed in 2-3 weeks, and individual seeds may take longer. The flat is ventilated 1-2 times daily for 10-15 minutes to prevent condensation buildup, moistened as before from a spray bottle, allowing neither waterlogging nor complete drying out. Pricking out is performed after the seedlings have visibly strengthened, 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 light levels: in overcast weather, they may not open at all.

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

The main watering occurs during the growth period, from autumn to spring, and is carried out only after the substrate has dried out completely. During summer dormancy, watering is sharply reduced, only occasionally moistening the soil slightly. Excess moisture with poor drainage is the primary cause of plant loss: both the root and the rosettes rot.

The substrate should be rocky, poor, and loose, with neutral acidity. Commercial cactus soils are not suitable 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 crushed brick. The prepared substrate is necessarily sanitized before planting. A deep pot is selected to accommodate the long taproot, with drainage placed at the bottom.

Fertilizing is optional: the plant obtains everything it needs from water and substrate. If repotting has not been done for more than 2-3 years, cactus and succulent fertilizer is applied during watering at half dose, 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 rarely suffers from pests or diseases. 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 sharply reducing watering and applying a fungicide, though it is best to avoid it altogether.