Drosanthemum SPECIOSUM

Drosanthemum SPECIOSUM - Showy dewflower, Drosanthemum speciosum, Special drosanthemum.

Drosanthemum is a genus of succulent dwarf shrubs and groundcovers in the family Aizoaceae, comprising over a hundred species. Nearly all of them grow in South Africa and Namibia, on rocky slopes, sandy plains, and in dry shrub communities.

The plants are low-growing, strongly branching, often forming dense mats. Leaves are small, fleshy, cylindrical or clavate, and their entire surface is strewn with large glistening papillae - water-storing cells that sparkle in the sun like dew drops. It is to them that the genus owes its name.

The flowers are daisy-like, with numerous narrow petals, very vivid: purple, pink, orange, red, less often white or yellow. They open around midday and close toward evening, and in overcast cool weather they do not open at all. The fruit is a dry capsule opening from moisture, with very small seeds.

Showy dewflower is a very vivid low shrub about 60 cm (24 in) high, with small succulent leaves covered with glistening papillae.

Flowering occurs in spring and summer. Flowers are scarlet, orange, or yellow, with a contrasting center, and last a long time. The specific epithet 'speciosum' translates as 'showy', 'splendid', and it was given precisely for the flowering.

Drosanthemum seeds are very small, dark, and mature in dry capsules that open from moisture. Soaking such seeds is impractical, so the substrate itself is sanitized: 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 on the surface without burying, into a loose mineral substrate with the addition of fine sand. Sowing is moistened from a spray bottle with a growth stimulant solution: SUPERthrive, HB-101, Aminosol, Epin, or Zircon, covered with film or placed in a propagator, and germinated in light, but not under direct rays, at a temperature of 18-24 °C (64-75 °F).

Under favorable conditions, the first seedlings appear within a week, main germination is completed in 2-3 weeks, and individual seeds may delay up to 4-6 weeks. Sowings are ventilated daily and condensation is removed: stagnant moisture is especially dangerous for Aizoaceae seedlings. Pricking out is carried out after the seedlings have visibly strengthened, into individual small pots.

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The plant needs the brightest possible location with direct sun: whether the flowers open depends directly on the light.

In summer maintenance is warm, in winter cool and dry, around 8-12 °C (46-54 °F). Cool overwintering is required for flower bud initiation.

Watering is moderate, only after the substrate has completely dried out. In winter watering is reduced to a minimum: waterlogging in the cold quickly leads to shoot rot.

The substrate must be loose, poor, and mineral, with a high proportion of coarse sand and perlite. Drainage is placed at the bottom of the pot.

Fertilizer is applied rarely, only during the period of active growth, with a weak solution of fertilizer for cacti and succulents. From excess nutrients, shoots stretch and the mat loses its density.

Repotting is carried out in spring, as the plant expands. Stretched shoots are shortened to stimulate branching. In addition to seeds, drosanthemum is very easily propagated by cuttings.