Conicosia PUGIONIFORMIS

Conicosia PUGIONIFORMIS - Dagger-shaped Conicosia, Narrow-leaved Iceplant.

Conicosia is a small genus of succulents in the ice plant family (Aizoaceae), comprising about ten species. All of them grow in South Africa, on sandy plains and coastal dunes of the Western Cape province.

The plants are semi-evergreen, perennial, with a dense cluster of fleshy leaves and trailing shoots. The leaves are narrow, three-angled, semi-cylindrical, keeled, with a groove on the upper side, often with dark dots. Underground, the plant maintains a huge taproot.

The flowers are solitary, daisy-like, yellow, on long pedicels. The fruit is a spherical, weakly keeled, cream-coloured capsule. Seeds are small and numerous.

Dagger-shaped conicosia is a perennial succulent from 12 to 40 cm (4.7 to 15.7 in) tall and about 30 cm (11.8 in) across, with stems up to 30 cm (11.8 in) long. The rosette consists of three-angled grayish-green leaves up to 20 cm (7.9 in) long, with a groove on the upper side and a reddish base.

The flowers are glossy, bright yellow, 5-8 cm (2.0-3.1 in) across, opening in spring and early summer, and under favourable conditions flowering extends until August. The specific epithet 'pugioniformis' translates as "dagger-shaped" and describes the shape of the leaves.

Conicosia seeds are very small, numerous, dark, ripening in spherical cream-coloured capsules. Soaking such tiny seeds is impractical, so the substrate itself is disinfected: before sowing, it is drenched with a weak potassium permanganate solution and dried slightly. Scarification and stratification are not required.

Sowing is carried out on the surface, without covering: the seeds need light. A sterile fine-grained mineral substrate is used, topped with a layer of washed sand. Sowing is moistened from a spray bottle with a growth stimulant solution: SUPERthrive, HB-101, Aminozol, Epin, or Zircon, covered with a transparent lid or placed in a greenhouse, and germinated under bright indirect light and a temperature of 18-24 °C (64-75 °F), without overheating under direct sunlight.

Under favourable conditions, the first seedlings appear within a week, primary germination is completed in 2-3 weeks, and individual seeds may take up to 4-6 weeks. Sowing containers are ventilated daily, condensation is removed: stagnant moisture is especially dangerous for aizoacean seedlings. Pricking out is carried out only after noticeable strengthening of the seedlings, with minimal root damage.

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The plant needs the brightest possible location with bright indirect light and several hours of soft direct sun. The density of the plant and whether the flowers open depend directly on the light level.

Active growth occurs during the cool part of the year, from autumn to spring, while in the summer heat the plant enters dormancy and is kept drier and cooler. With warmth, weak light, and a moist substrate, tissues stretch out and become vulnerable to rot.

Watering is very careful, in small portions, only after complete drying out of the substrate. During the summer dormancy period, watering is sharply reduced. Water stagnation in the saucer is unacceptable, and spraying the leaves is not required.

The substrate must be very loose, lean, mineral, with a high proportion of coarse sand, fine stone grit, and perlite. Drainage is placed at the bottom of the pot, a deep container is selected to accommodate the taproot, and necessarily with drainage holes for water runoff.

Fertilizer is applied rarely, only during the period of active growth, with a weak solution of fertilizer for cacti and succulents with low nitrogen content. Excess nutrition disrupts the compactness of the plant.

Repotting is carried out at the beginning of the growth period, after which the plant is kept without watering for several days. Only completely dried remains of old leaves are removed.