Huernia

Family: stapeliads. Habitat: predominantly in Southern and Eastern Africa, Ethiopia. More than 60 species are known.

Perennial plants forming small clumps. Stems low, prostrate, slightly ascending, branched near the base, up to 10 cm high, 4-7-angled, sometimes 20-24-angled (H.pillansii), with large teeth along the margins. Shoots are fleshy, glabrous, grayish-green, often reddening or browning in the sun; flowers form near the base of young shoots. Root system is fibrous, so it is better to keep Huernias in shallow, wide dishes.

Flowers 5-parted, on a pedicel. The corolla is fleshy, bell-shaped, 2-3 cm in diameter, variously colored (from cream to all shades of red or purple, either uniform or with irregular transverse striping); the inner surface is warty, and often there is an additional small protuberance between the petals. They bloom throughout the summer. The flowers have an unpleasant odor, but only up close. They are pollinated by flies.

Propagated by stem cuttings and seeds. From spring to autumn watering is abundant. In winter keep at a temperature not below 15°C, practically not watering. If the temperature is higher, they should be moistened, otherwise the shoots will become too wrinkled and will not regain their original shape. Transplant in spring using a soil mix of sand, leaf mold, turf soil and peat (1:1:1:1). Some species grow slowly and are prone to rot, especially during the winter period.