Pterodiscus (Caudex)

Pterodiscus are native to South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Zimbabwe. Their habitat are usually grasslands with bare, alluvional soils or either sandy, calcareous and clayey ones. Its name comes from Greek and makes reference to something winged, indicating, according to some opinions, the particular shape of its seeds. It is a rare succulent, which is highly appreciated by green collectors from all over the world for its massive caudex, which makes it unique in its kind and makes it easily adaptable to any environment, as it always has the water reserve it needs with it. In the vegetative period, stems with leaves of various shapes, often serrated and wavy, are born from the barky tuber, which contrast pleasantly with the bright colors of its funnel-shaped flowers. Here are some easy tips for its proper care and cultivation: It likes very bright places, however, avoid direct sunlight during the hottest hours of the day. Keep it at mild temperatures and never below 5 °C, it is recommended to shelter it during the winter period. Water regularly but moderately during the vegetative period, always making sure that the soil is always dry between one watering and another one, avoiding stagnation of water. During the vegetative rest period, suspend watering. A well-draining and porous soil is an optimal solution, even better if further enriched with 50% or more of inert materials such as pumice or lapilli. They do not need frequent fertilization, it is sufficient to dilute the fertilizer with watering once a year.