Cotyledon is a perennial succulent plant of the Tolstyankov family. In the genus, there are about 40 varieties in the form of small bushes or trees with unusual curved leaves. The birthplace of this plant is Africa: from Ethiopia and the Arabian Peninsula to South Africa. Highly decorative bushes look great in pots and are able to cover the entire surface of the soil. Some varieties are used to create bonsai.
Description
Succulent has a fibrous superficial root system and fleshy branched stems. Plant height is 30-70 cm, annual growth is small. The color of the stems, like foliage, varies from light green to bluish and reddish. As it grows, the stem begins to stiffen and becomes covered with brown bark.
The leaves are attached to the stems on very short fleshy petioles or have no petioles at all. The shape of the sheet plate can vary greatly. Varieties are found with triangular, rounded, rhombic, oval or lanceolate leaves. The fleshy leaf can be plain or colorful. Sometimes the outer edge has a contrasting eyeliner. The surface of the leaves is covered with many short whitish villi.
The flowering period lasts from March to August. Small tubular flowers gather in panicle inflorescences. Each bud has the shape of a drooping bell with dense glossy petals. Petals are usually yellow, white or orange. The flower stalk rises above the green mass by 20-30 cm.
Types of cotyledon
Cotyledons are quite diverse, which allows you to choose the most interesting instance or create a composition of several varieties.
Revision Cotyledon. The plant forms a branched bush with dense, smooth foliage. The length of a single sheet can be 15 cm. The outer edge has small waves and a thin red border. Leaf rosettes densely cover the surface of the soil, and in the central part there are fleshy peduncles. The plant blooms from May to the end of June with bright pink buds with many petals.
Cotyledon is rounded. The plant forms sprawling bushes up to 90 cm high. Stems cover sessile leaves in the form of flattened tubes. The color of smooth leaves is gray-green, with a bright reddish border around the edge. An umbrella inflorescence with bright buds is formed on a peduncle 30 cm long.
Saxifrage Cotyledon - A low shrub plant with a dense root rosette of leaves. The leaves are flattened, they have a lanceolate shape and a pointed end. The overgrowth is covered with a thick pile. On a long peduncle is a paniculate inflorescence of small white buds. Flowering occurs in June.
Cotyledon wavy forms a moderately branched shrub up to 80 cm high. Foliage is especially attractive. Rhomboid fleshy leaves have a very wavy whitish edge. The surface of the smooth sheet plate is covered with powdery coating. Along the high peduncle, contrasting white stripes are visible, and a dense umbrella inflorescence crowns its top. Red and orange drooping bell-shaped buds also have small stripes.
Cotyledon felt forms compact bushes up to 15 cm high. Erect, branched shoots are densely covered with fleshy ovoid leaves. From a distance, the leaves resemble bear paws with reddish growths. They are compared with claws on animal legs. Stems and leaves have a short whitish pubescence. A panicle inflorescence with red small flowers rises above the bush.
Cotyledon colloidal reminiscent of flames from afar. The stems branched from the ground have a slight curvature and are covered with reddish linear foliage. Hairy peduncles 30 cm high end with panicled inflorescences. Petals can be painted red or orange.
Cotyledon forms a sprawling bush up to 80 cm high. On erect stems there are ovoid fleshy leaves with a sharp edge. The leaves and shoots are painted dark green and covered with reddish stains. On peduncles 20 cm long there is a panicle of drooping tubular red flowers.
Cotyledon panicled is a fairly large representative of the genus. For several years, it forms a plexus of thick stems, at the ends of which leaf rosettes are located. Egg-shaped leaflets reach 8 cm in length and 4 cm in width. Umbrella and panicled high inflorescences are densely covered with red flowers.
Breeding
Cotyledon reproduces well by seed and vegetative methods. For planting young plants use light soil from a mixture of sand with leafy soil. Initially use flat boxes or pallets. Seeds are placed in the moistened soil, keeping a distance between them. Sprinkle with sand on top and cover with a film. Every day the greenhouse is aired and, if necessary, sprayed from the spray gun.
Shoots appear within 1-3 weeks. The grown seedlings are transplanted into separate small pots with a substrate for adult succulents. Young plants need very careful watering, as they are vulnerable to root rot.
When rooting cuttings, apical sections with 2-4 leaves are used. The place of the cut is sprinkled with crushed charcoal and dried over air during the day. After this, the process is planted in a sand-peat mixture and carefully moistened. During the rooting period, the air temperature should be in the range + 16 ... + 18 ° C.
Care Rules
Home care for cotyledon is quite simple. The plant prefers bright lighting and long daylight hours. In extreme heat, it is not recommended to set the pots on the south window, so as not to burn the delicate leaves. With a lack of light, the mottled color fades, and the leaves may turn yellow and partially fall off.
The plant normally tolerates heat and small air changes. For the summer, it is recommended to put pets on the balcony or in the garden. The optimum temperature in summer is + 18 ... + 25 ° C. In winter, during dormancy, it is useful to transfer the plant to a room with an air temperature of + 10 ... + 12 ° C.
Cotyledon needs very moderate watering, he is used to frequent droughts. Between irrigation, the soil should dry completely, and excess moisture should flow out through the drainage holes. Dry air is not a problem for cotyledon. He also normally perceives rare spraying or showering. However, accumulation of water in the bases of leaf sockets should be avoided.
Cotyledon is accustomed to poor soils and spends beneficial substances. Top dressing can be carried out only in the summer. Mineral complex for cacti is added monthly. For planting, use prepared soil for succulents or prepare a mixture of the following components yourself:
- river sand;
- gravel;
- charcoal;
- leaf soil;
- clay-turf land.
The transplant is carried out as the rhizome grows into small pots with a layer of drainage.
Cotyledon does not need regular pruning. With sufficient lighting, it retains a decorative appearance for a long time. Sometimes pinching young shoots stimulates bushiness. Pruning is also used when forming small trees. The plant normally perceives this procedure.
The plant is resistant to diseases and parasites. With excessive watering, infection with fungal diseases is possible. Remove the affected areas and dry the substrate. Sometimes a mealybug is found on cotyledon. It can be quickly dealt with with insecticides.
