Nananthus ALOIDES

Nananthus ALOIDES - Aloe-like nananthus, Nananthus aloides.

'Living Stones' seed series.

Nananthus is a compact succulent plant uniting 10 species from the interior regions of South Africa. Plants of this genus are often included in the genus Aloinopsis.

Small plants 3-5 cm (1.2-2 in) high with a fleshy rhizome. Some species form a small caudex. Leaves are green or gray-green, rough, lanceolate, up to 5 cm (2 in) long, gathered in rosettes of 4-6 pairs. Flowers are sessile or on short pedicels, 2-3 cm (0.8-1.2 in) in diameter, from pale yellow to light brown, sometimes with a reddish median stripe on the petals.

Aloe-like nananthus has a thick tuberous stem and dark green pointed leaves with white warts. It grows in a tuft like a small aloe and over time spreads out, forming a mat covered with small daisy-like yellow flowers. The plant can be recognized by its flat broad leaves with ridges along the grooves, which is usually absent in other species. The roots are tuberous, very ornamental, and in many cultivated plants are often raised above the soil. The branches are very short, rounded, erect or spreading, each with 6 leaves together. The leaves are small, succulent, more or less broad, narrow, 2.5-5 cm (1-2 in) long, forming a visible triangle with nearly equal sides about 10 mm (0.4 in) wide in cross-section, keeled, rich dark green with numerous small warts. The flowers are daisy-like, about 2.5 cm (1 in) in diameter, petals yellow or straw-yellow with or without a central red stripe, even within the same population. The fruit is a capsule 8.5 mm (0.33 in) in diameter and 6.7 mm (0.26 in) high. Seeds are 1.5 mm (0.06 in) long, 1.2 mm (0.05 in) wide.

By seeds, surface sowing under film or glass. Seeds germinate at a temperature of 25-30 °C (77-86 °F). In light, but not in direct sun.

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An easy-to-grow plant that tolerates anything except overwatering. It can grow outdoors during the warm season. It likes diurnal temperature fluctuations; in spring and summer it can be kept at a temperature of around 20 °C (68 °F). In winter, it prefers to be in the cool - move it to a room with a temperature of around 10-12 °C (50-54 °F). When kept in very dry soil, it withstands short-term frosts down to -12 °C (10 °F). It prefers well-lit spots without direct sunlight during midday hours. Good air circulation is required; during the dormant period the air should be dry. Nananthus plants are not sprayed.

The soil must have excellent drainage to avoid root rot. A specialized mineral mixture for succulent plants with the addition of a large amount of sand will do. Feed monthly with fertilizers for cacti and succulents with low nitrogen content at half strength. In winter, when the plant is dormant, feeding is stopped. Nananthus plants are drought-resistant. During dormancy, watering should be kept to a minimum - leaves may even wrinkle between waterings. When the plant is actively developing, water so that the top layer of soil dries out before the next watering. Excess water accumulated in the saucer after watering must be drained a few minutes after appearing. Repotting is carried out in spring. Young plants are placed in rather deep pots. The plant develops a very interesting root system with age, and adult plants are gradually planted at ever shallower depths to show the roots.