How to grow and care for Cotyledon pendens?
Cotyledon pendens description
Cotyledon pendens, named also Cliff Cotyledon, is a beautiful trailing succulent belonging to the Crassulaceae family. This rare succulent is native to Eastern Cape in South Africa. Cliff Cotyledon is a much-branched shrublet plant with hanging stems up to 60 cm long and so named because in its natural surroundings in South Africa it grows on sheer cliff faces.
Also, this wonderful houseplant has thick, chalky, grey-green, and whitish leaves with attractive reddish margins which are sparsely beset with glandular hairs at first, and becoming hairless with age. Moreover, This stunning coloration can change depending on the season, temperature, drought and light intensity. During spring and summer, Cotyledon pendens produces hanging, coral, bell-shaped flowers at the ends of the branches.
How to grow Cotyledon pendens?
Cotyledon pendens is an easy to grow plant suitable for indoor as well as outdoor gardening. But outdoor gardening is possible only if the plant is offered frost protection through the winter months. This wonderful succulent does well in containers, as a houseplant and also in dry gardens where frost is absent.
Cliff Cotyledon can be grown from cuttings during the warmer months, just take cuttings from the stem with a few first leaves attached and set them in a shady place. Then, after they root pop them in a pot or the ground and water.
To grow from leaves, remove the entire leaf and set aside in a shady spot. In about three weeks, roots will form on the leaf and a new plant will develop at the base.
For the propagation from seeds, sow seeds in summer 2-3 mm deep and space them closely to grow as a mat. Germination time is about 3 weeks!
How to care for Cotyledon pendens?
Light
This Cotyledon plant needs ample sunlight but the harshest sun can cause sunburn. So keep it in a sunny position without direct sunlight.
Watering
Like all the other succulents, Cotyledon pendens is a very dry-tolerant plant that requires less water. So, water it occasionally to infrequently and be careful of overwatering. Water when soil is dry to the touch and stop watering during dormancy.
Soil
This Cotyledon species grows fine in any cactus and succulent soil mix. Put the plant in well-drained, neutral to acidic, sandy-gritty soil to avoid root rot.
Fertiliser
Fertilise your succulent Cotyledon one or twice when the plant begins looking lackluster, or slows in growth, using a poor nitrogen fertiliser.
Pests and disease
Protect your plant from frost to prevent scarring especially avoid putting it in a temperature below 0 °C. Cliff Cotyledon may be susceptible to mealybugs, scales and sucking bugs.
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