Schwantesia PILLANSII

Schwantesia PILLANSII - Schwantesia pillansii.

'Living Stones' seed series.

Rare, collectible plant!

Schwantesia is a genus of succulent plants in the family Aizoaceae, comprising about 11 accepted species distributed in Namibia and the Cape Provinces of South Africa. In nature, representatives of the genus are found in desert and dry shrubland habitats, on rocky slopes, among boulders, in rock crevices, and on gravelly and sandy sites with bright sun, poor mineral soils, and pronounced moisture seasonality.

The plants usually develop as compact succulent dwarf shrubs or clumping mesembs with short shoots and dense paired leaves. The leaves are often three-angled, keeled, gray-green, bluish-green, or glaucous, arranged tightly around the stem and partially concealing it, making the plants resemble Lapidaria, Dinteranthus, and other closely related aizoon succulents.

Flowers in schwantesias are diurnal, solitary, daisy-like, usually yellow, with numerous narrow petals, opening under good illumination. The fruits are dry hygrochastic capsules that open when moistened. The seeds are very small, so during sowing they are distributed on the surface and moistened only by fine spraying.

Schwantesia pillansii is an attractive and very rare succulent featuring fleshy, greenish leaves with a gray-blue tint, triangular in shape, 3-5 cm (1.2-2.0 in) long and 1-2 cm (0.4-0.8 in) wide, gathered in opposite pairs into rosettes reaching up to 15 cm (6 in) in diameter. Old leaves die back as new pairs emerge. It blooms with a single large yellow flower 4-5 cm (1.6-2.0 in) in diameter with a pleasant fragrance.

Schwantesia seeds are very small, light brown or brownish, rounded or slightly oval.

Sowing is carried out in autumn or early winter, or year-round given stable supplemental lighting and moderate temperatures, avoiding intense summer heat. A sterile fine-grained mineral substrate based on fine washed sand, perlite, mineral grit, and a small amount of sifted peat or coconut coir is used. The seeds are distributed over the surface and not buried. Sowing is moistened from a spray bottle with a weak solution of potassium permanganate or biofungicide with the addition of a growth stimulant: SUPERthrive, HB-101, Aminozol, Epin, or Zircon. The container is covered with a transparent lid or placed in a mini-greenhouse.

Germination is conducted under bright diffused light at a temperature of around 16-22 °C (61-72 °F), without direct sun overheating. The surface is kept slightly moist, but not wet; moistening is performed only with fine spraying. Sowings are ventilated daily, and condensation is removed, as moisture stagnation is especially dangerous for aizoon seedlings and quickly causes fungal infections.

The first seedlings may appear in 7-14 days; the usual germination period is about 2-3 weeks, and the maximum possible period under cool conditions or partial drying of the surface can stretch to 4-6 weeks. After seedlings appear, the cover is gradually opened slightly, and seedlings are kept under bright diffused light with very careful moistening. Pricking out is performed only after noticeable strengthening of the plants and the formation of the first true fleshy leaves, with minimal damage to the roots.

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For cultivation, the brightest possible location with bright diffused light and a few hours of soft direct sun is selected. South-, southeast-, and southwest-facing windows with good ventilation are best suited, and supplemental lighting is used during cloudy seasons. After a dark period, the plant is gradually acclimated to direct sun to avoid burns on the fleshy leaves.

Active growth usually takes place during the cooler part of the year, especially in autumn, winter, and spring, when a temperature around 12-22 °C (54-72 °F) is maintained. In hot summer, the plant is kept drier, with protection from overheating and stagnant humid air. Under high temperatures, weak lighting, and a moist substrate, leaves stretch out, lose density, and roots become vulnerable to rot.

Watering is carried out very cautiously, in small portions, after the majority of the substrate has dried out. During the period of active growth, the soil may be moistened briefly, but between waterings it must dry out thoroughly. During leaf replacement and the hot dormant period, watering is curtailed sharply so that old leaves can dry out naturally and not cause rotting of the new pair. Water stagnation in the tray is not permitted, and leaf misting is not required.

A very loose mineral substrate is used, with a high proportion of coarse sand, fine gravel, pumice, zeolite, perlite, or other inert aerator. Organic matter is added minimally. Drainage is placed at the bottom of the pot, and the container selected should be shallow, wide, and equipped with mandatory water drainage holes.

Fertilization is applied rarely, only during the period of active growth, no more than once every 6-8 weeks with a weak solution of cactus and succulent fertilizer low in nitrogen. Excess nutrients cause loose, watery growth and ruin compactness. Repotting is carried out at the beginning of the growth period; after repotting, the plant is kept for several days without watering. Pruning is not required; only completely dried remnants of old leaves are removed.