Sarcocaulon

The name Sarcocaulon comes from the Greek words “sarkos”, which means “flashy” and caulon, that is “stem”. Commonly known even as the "Bushman's candle" (an indigenous tribe from the place of its origin), this succulent was used by indigenous peoples to light the fire, the bark of these plants is in fact inflammable. The scientific name, on the other hand, indicates their tendency to have fleshy stems, which are erect, branching even when the plant is young - a characteristic much loved and appreciated by green collectors, because it makes them take on the graceful shape of miniature trees! The appearance of these wonderful bonsai is further embellished by huge flowers of various colors, which cover the entire plant: a jewel that will not go unnoticed in your house! Sarcocaulons are not very difficult to grow. They love direct sunlight and should be watered abundantly about once every 10 days during their vegetative development phase. As soon as the leaves begin withering and falling, watering should be thinned out until completely suspended. Excess water is the most frequent reason for failure in growing Sarcocaulon. Keep it at mild temperatures, never below 10 °C. It’s recommended to shelter it in winter. It requires a substrate consisting of soil, gravel and sand in equal parts, it will be an optimal solution due to its good draining properties. Since these are plants that do not need frequent fertilization, it will be sufficient to dilute the fertilizer with watering once a year.