Tanquana HILMARII

Tanquana HILMARII - Hilmar's tanquana, Tanquana hilmarii, Pleiospilos HILMARII.

"Living Stones" seed series.

VERY rare collectible plant!

Tanquana is a genus of small succulent plants in the ice plant family (Aizoaceae), separated from the genus Pleiospilos based on differences in leaf shape and seed capsule type. The leaves of Tanquana are keelless. It is endemic to the Tanqua Karoo in the Cape Province of South Africa. In natural conditions, they grow in semi-desert quartzite fields rarely watered by rains. Plants use and store moisture in their leaves from frequent evening fogs.

The succulent has a pair of fleshy spotted leaves, rounded or elongated depending on the species, without a stem. Between the leaves there is a transverse groove. Each season, a new pair of leaves appears in the fissure, positioned perpendicular to the old one. Yellow flowers bloom in autumn, diurnal.

Hilmar's tanquana is a two-leaved, slow-growing succulent that remains small even when mature. Leaves are brownish-purple or brownish-green with a purple tint, spotted, smooth and soft, up to 3.5 cm (1.4 in) long, very fleshy, flat on the upper side and rounded on the lower side, keelless, ovate. Flowers are yellow, up to 3 cm (1.2 in) in diameter, diurnal, appearing in autumn.

Sowing is carried out on the surface of the sowing substrate, the container is covered with film, and the soil is moistened. Seeds are germinated at a temperature of around 22 °C (72 °F) in a bright place, avoiding direct sunlight. Germination begins in 30-90 days, but even under all conditions is not always successful. Pricking out is performed into separate containers with cactus mix after the seedlings reach 5-6 mm (0.20-0.24 in) in height.

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Growing Tanquana is not the most difficult task, but requires certain skills. It grows from September to March and prefers rich, mineral-packed soil. Watering should be approached with caution in winter, when new leaves draw moisture from the dying ones, and in summer, when the plant enters dormancy. Emerging cracks on the leaves indicate overwatering.

Lighting should be bright, but direct sunlight and high temperatures should be avoided. Normal room temperature is comfortable for growth. It requires good ventilation. It does not require repotting and can grow in the same pot for many years.