Publication: Dumpling & His Wife: New Views of Gen. Conophytum 165 2002
Description
Conophytum jucundum subs. fragile is a dwarf caespitose plant with small rounded, light-green and spotted evergreen bodies, forming in its development a loose mat or cushion reaching a height of few centimetres. The epitet “fragilis” ( friable, breakable) refers to the easily broken internodes.
Stems: Elongate in age with internodes that breaks more or less easily, depending on clones.
Bodies (paired leaves): 15 mm tall and broad, usually much smaller, turbiniform, flattish at the top, with the centre often slightly depressed, pale bluish-green to greyish-green, densely spotted, usually glabrous. Sheath whitish, maculate, rather rigid.
Flowers: Petals pale pink to magenta (or white). rarely appearing in summer, petals pink, white, tube very long
Blooming season: It flowers rarely in summer.
Fruits: 4-6-locular.
Origin and Habitat
Northern Namaqualand, Northern Cape, South Africa.
Habit and ecology: It grows on quartz or granite.
Cultivation and Propagation
Conophytum jucundum is a “winter” grower which is most active from late winter until later spring and heading for summer dormancy, but in favourable growing conditions it keeps going over the summer too and doesn’t need particular care. All the forms of Conophytum jucundum are relatively easy to grow.
Soil: Requires good drainage as it it is prone to root rot. It can grows outdoor in sunny, dry, rock crevices (protection against winter wet is required) It can also be cultivated in alpine house, in poor, drained soil.
Watering: It requires little water; otherwise its epidermis breaks (resulting in unsightly scars). Water minimally in summer, (only when the plant starts shrivelling), but it will generally grow even in summer if given water. Water regularly in winter after the previous year’s leaves have dried up. Requires good drainage.
Fertilization: Feed it once during the growing season with a fertilizer specifically formulated for cactus succulents (poor in nitrogen), including all micro nutrients and trace elements diluted to ½ the strength recommended on the label. It thrives in poor soils and need a limited supplies of fertilizer to avoid the plants developing excess vegetation, which is easily attacked by fungal diseases.
Exposure: Keep cool and shaded in summer, it needs full sun or light shade.
Temperature: Hardy to -2°C. Ensure a very good ventilation.
Repotting: Avoid to repot frequently. This plant may stay in the same pot for many years.
Uses: Container, rock garden.
Pests and diseases: It is vulnerable to mealybugs and rarely scale.
Propagation: It can be reproduced both by cuttings and seeds. Take the cutting from a grown-up mother plant. Each cutting must contain one or more heads along with a fraction of root. It is easily propagated by seed. The small seeds can be sown in pots of fine, well-drained sand, any time during the spring and summer months when temperatures are warm. Cover the seeds with a very fine layer of grit and water from below with a fungicide to prevent damping off. For the first 3-4 days cover the pots with a sheet of glass/clear perspex to keep the humidity levels high. Remove the glass and replace it with light shadecloth and mist once or twice a day for the next two weeks after which most seeds should have germinated. From then on mistings can be reduced to every second and then every third day as the little plants grow.
Bibliography
Major references and further lectures
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Gibbs Russell, G. E., W. G. Welman, E. Reitief, K. L. Immelman, G. Germishuizen, B. J. Pienaar, M. v. Wyk & A. Nicholas. 1987. “List of species of southern African plants.” in: Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa 2(1–2): 1–152(pt. 1), 1–270(pt. 2).
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James Cullen, Sabina G. Knees, H. Suzanne Cubey “The European Garden Flora Flowering Plants: A Manual for the Identification of Plants Cultivated in Europe, Both Out-of-Doors” Cambridge University Press, 11/Aug./2011
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Hammer, S. 1993. “The Genus Conophytum - A Conograph.” Succulent Plant Publications, Pretoria.
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Hammer, S. 2002. “Dumpling and His Wife: New Views of the Genus Conophytum.” East Anglia Engraving Creative Colour Ltd, Norwich, England.
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Ernst Van Jaarsveld, Ben-Erik Van Wyk, Gideon Smith “Succulents of South Africa: A Guide to the Regional Diversity” Tafelberg Publishers, Limited, 01/Jul/2000
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Heidrun E.K. Hartmann “Illustrated Handbook of Succulent Plants: Aizoaceae A-E” Springer, 2002
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Werner Rauh “The Wonderful World of Succulents: Cultivation and Description of Selected Succulent Plants Other Than Cacti” Smithsonian Institution Press, 1984
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Gard. Chron., ser. 3 71: 231 (1922)
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Cholo, F. & Raimondo, D. 2008. Conophytum jucundum (N.E.Br.) N.E.Br. subsp. jucundum. National Assessment: “Red List of South African Plants” version 2013.1. Accessed on 2014/02/04