Mesembs on a Windowsill

I've kept these plants now for more than four years. Some change, some just...stay pretty much the same. Mesembs evolved in some of the harshest real estate on Earth, much of which has sadly become actual real estate and no longer supports these exquisitely weird little plants.

From left to right, they are Gibbaeum (likely heathii), Titanopsis, Pleiospilos nelii, and Argyroderma. None of these grow well outdoors in tropical Zone 10, but inside a not-very-humid house, in quartz chipped soil in a sunny eastern window, they're fine. They get some water every 7-10 days.

Argyroderma Blooms!

Not much has been happening in the World of the Mesembs lately, but today is watering day, and look what I found!

Argyrodermas, or "silver skins", are lovely, utterly unique mesembs that I've been growing for several years. Some have gone through leaf regeneration, but this is the first one to bloom. Argy flowers can also be yellow or white. They mostly live in dry quartz fields of coastal Namaqualand in an area known as the Knersvlakte. They need 2-4 inches of winter rain per year, and fog. I will try growing some in crushed quartz someday perhaps. They proliferate well in their native habitat but are notoriously fussy here in the tropics and most people I know who grow them seem to have given up on them. If you grow Argies, what's your opinion?

Mesemb of the Month: Argyroderma

Ah, those lovely "silver skins"--not so easy to grow, but so unique and beautiful. One of their colloquial names is "bababoudjies", or "baby bottoms"!

I have a solitary "Argy", and also this pot of Argies, which are growing in a clump. They weren't identified when I bought them (just a tag that said, "succulent", duh!). I'm thinking they are actually A. congregatum, which do grow in clumps. Could be A. delaetii, framesii or pearsonii, though, because I've seen them clump also, and frankly, they all look pretty darn similar. They are definitely not A. fissum, as those have long, finger-like leaves.

Argies come from the northwestern part of the Western Cape Province in South Africa. They like quartz gravel flats and sunny hillsides. They must be kept very dry in summer, and a little shaded. They'll wrinkle up a bit, but fear not, when they come out of dormancy, they plump up like these.

I can't stress enough how Argies don't like much water. If you take a closer look at the central clump, you'll see what happens if they have too much.

The two Argies on the bottom handled a normal watering just fine. But the smaller one on top had too much, and it split. Chances are, it will survive, but even with a clump of Argies, some may want more water than others. And none of them want much! I only water mine once very two weeks or so, and then, sparingly. During dormancy, they only get a few drops now and then. If you think that's tricky, it is. These are not the easiest mesembs to grow, but they are utterly unique.

The Cryptkeeper Regenerates, and a Cameo by Opuntia

Do you remember my crumpled and wrinkly Argyroderma, the one I dubbed the "Cryptkeeper"? Well, I followed the advice of my alert readers, and did not overwater it to make it plump up again. After a few months, and only monthly waterings, Argy is regenerating.

You can see the tiny new leaf pair in the cleft. So thank you, good readers, and Argy thanks you, too.
On my walks this week, I've seen so many plants come into bloom. Spring has sprung, and my camera is busy. Here's a wild Opuntia in bloom. We call it "The Prickly Pear", but the fruits are only tasty after the glochids (tiny needles) have been removed...otherwise, that's one scary dessert!

Have a great weekend, and happy gardening.

The Cryptkeeper

Do you remember the Cryptkeeper? Well, lately, my Argyroderma has been emulating him....

 Poor Argy. But according to a couple of my books, a wrinkled Argyroderma can be healthy. It might be growing its new leaf set, and that set is starting to absorb the outer leaves. So I'm keeping it on its regular (minimal) watering schedule and seeing what happens. I'm a newb with just one argy, so I hope the books are correct. Any Argyroderma growers out there who want to comment on my Cryptkeeper?
UPDATE: According to several more sources I've found, and kind readers who have left comments, my lovely Cryptkeeper is perfectly normal, and I am to resist the temptation to water it! Thanks, everyone!

Please Don't Call Me Lithops (Though I'm Awesome, Too)

I can't believe I found this mint-green cutie at a big-box store in the spring. They only had one, and it was labeled as a Lithops. It's an Argyroderma, or "silver skin" mesemb, and ain't it gorgeous?? Despite the cool and refreshing color, Argy seems to like a LOT of sun, so it's outside to catch the morning rays, then inside during the hot afternoons. Seems to want about as much water as cousin Lithops, in other words, not much. I'd love to find more of this genus someday. They hail from Namaqualand.