Beautiful "living stones" - Konofitum. A variety of types and features of care

Living stones not only exist, they can also be easily grown on your windowsill.

Miniature, a variety of shapes and colors of flowers is definitely a good reason to take a closer look at the amazing conofitum. This plant is unpretentious and it is a pleasure to grow it.

Learn about what types of conophytums exist, how to properly care for and propagate them from our article. Also, look at the photos of this amazing plant.

Description and characteristics of the plant

Konofitum - Aizova leaf succulentsoriginally from South Africa. In nature, there are 270 species of conophytums, the growing areas of which are invariably arid areas. The plant is miniature, a pair of fused leaves.

In what part of the plant is the water-storage parenchyma located? The leaf plates are dense, fleshy. In their tissues there is a water-storage parenchyma, which helps the existence of conophytum in harsh natural conditions. The succulent can be in the form of a heart, a truncated cone with rounded edges or a tuberous ball. The stem of the plant is short, does not protrude above the ground.

The color of the succulent can be green, blue or brown, sometimes interspersed. This appearance gives them a resemblance to the stones that surround the conophytum in the natural environment.

A long-lived plant, but upon reaching the age of 15 years is prone to overgrowth, so it is best to dissect it.

Flowering Conophytum Species

Concave (Concavum)

Succulent flat pillow-shaped, formed by two fused smooth leaves with a diameter of 2 cm. The gap between them is not pronounced. The body of the plant is light green, slightly concave in the upper part.

Flowering begins in October. The flower is white, 2 cm in diameter.

Two-bladed (Bilobum)

Represents two fused fleshy gray-green with a reddish fringing of the leaf with a distinct gap. The structure of the body is heart-shaped, flattened. The plant reaches a height of 4 cm, a width of 2.5.

Flowering occurs at the end of September. A yellow flower, about 3.5 cm in diameter, appears from the gap between the leaf plates.

Friedrich (Friedrichiae)

Leaves are heart-shaped, almost completely fused. In height reach 2.5 cm. Visually create the impression of translucency, have a grayish-green color. On the upper edge are spots-stains of a darker tone. White flowers with reddish tips, up to 1 cm in diameter

Pearson (Pearsonii)

A spherical body about 1.5 cm high. Available in colors from bluish green to yellow green. The flowers are lilac-pink, 2 cm in diameter.

Circumpunctatum

The plant forms dense pillows from numerous, small, bluish-green shoots.

Shrub (Frutescens)

Leaf plates fused, elongated, bluish-green color. A flower with red or orange petals has a bright yellow core.

The plant tends to form colonies due to rapid growth.

Whitish (Albescens)

The succulent has leaflets of gray-green color with blotches and white pubescence. The shape of the leaves is obovate. White flowers with yellow spots.

Reverse Conical (Obconellum)

The body of a succulent, with a diameter of about 2 cm, has an inverse conical shape. The color of the leaves is green with small dark dots. The flowers are yellow.

Konophytum Nanum (Nanum)

The leaves are fleshy, spherical with a diameter of only 7 mm. Flowers with a diameter of about 1 cm, yellow with fluffy petals.

Elisha (Elishae)

Dwarf succulent with smooth, bluish-green leaves about 3 cm in circumference. Leaflets covered with small dark spots.. Yellow flowers bloom in October.

Flavum

Miniature succulent in the form of two fleshy fused leaflets of green color with small brown spots. A high pedicel is crowned with a yellow flower.

Pelicidum (Pelicidum)

The species is characterized by fused leafy plates of brown-green color. On a high pedicel is a white flower with a diameter of about 3 cm.

Equal (Pageae)

Succulent with almost round smooth leaves of a grayish blue hue. One of the largest species, its height can reach up to 5 cm. Flowers of yellow and orange colors.

Keisatam (Quaesitum)

The body of the succulent is rounded flat with a gap in the central part.

The color of the leaves is gray-green or light green, sometimes it has dark green mottling.

Single flowers, white color.

Truncated (Truncatum)

Succulent forms narrow bumps with numerous pea-shaped heads, each of which is a pair of fused leaf plates, absorbed and regenerated every year. The top of leaves with bright green, blue-green, gray-green or reddish hue, flat with a deep crack. The flowers are small, nightly, with a faint aroma pale yellow shades.

Apiatum

Each year, changing, small leaves tightly adjacent to each other, green with a yellowish tint and dark green spots.

In autumn, yellow or orange flowers appear in the gap between the leaves.

Conradii

Compact, groundcover, stemless succulent. Paired leaves, triangular keeled, 3.5 cm long and 0.9 wide. The color of leaf platinum is dark green, with a dark purple border. Flowers with a diameter of up to 3 cm, yellow color.

Fragile

A plant with an eternally green rounded body of light green color interspersed. Thickly spotted bare paired leaves, 1.5 cm in size. The flowers are purple or white.

Avenant (Avenantii)

A fragile dwarf succulent with a rounded body, forming loose ground cover mats and pillows. Paired leaflets, 1.5 cm tall and wide. Flattened on top and depressed in the center. The leaf color is grayish-bluish or greenish-bluish.

Flowers of pale pink, purple or white are placed on a very long peduncle.

Kubergensky (Koubergense)

Succulent with fleshy, juicy, rusty-red bodies. Leaflets with a diameter of 1-3 cm and a height of 1.2 cm with a truncated top. The color of the leaf blades may be chocolate brown., ocher or yellowish green with bright stripes. The gap is not pronounced. The flowers are white or pale, pink-purple in the shape of stars.

Yellow (Luteum)

Succulents 4 cm high, consisting of forming groups of small fleshy bodies. Leaflets are round, grayish-green are so densely pressed against each other that they are separated by a barely noticeable alkali on an almost flat top. Flowers are solitary, yellow.

Care

Lighting

The plant is demanding for the sun. But it is worth observing safety measures with newly bought or young plants. Their accustoming to the sun's rays should take place gradually, otherwise the conophytum risks getting burns.

The color decorativeness of the succulent and the strength of its body depend on the usefulness of lighting. With a lack of sun, the plant becomes soft, lethargic, tarnished and lifeless.

Temperature

In summer, the plant feels great outdoors. at an average temperature of +30. In winter, for conophytum, you need to maintain a temperature of +15 to +6 - this is necessary for successful flowering. If it is not important, you can not be afraid of the proximity of the plant to the heating radiator.

Location

At home, window sills on the south side are suitable for placing a conophytum. Such a location will satisfy their photophilousness. In summer, the plant can be put on a balcony, loggia or taken out to the garden.

Watering

The main rule when watering the conophytum is to prevent excess moisture. During the period of active vegetation, watering should be done carefully and moderately, without falling onto the surface of the leaves and, best of all, through a pallet.

At rest, watering is stopped until the skin of the old leaves of the conophytum is thinner and fresh leaves appear from there.

Depending on the type of conophytum, periods of active vegetation and dormancy may differ in timing. When leaving, you need to take into account the characteristics of a particular plant.

Air humidity

Konofitum tolerates dry air very well. Such conditions for him are an opportunity to feel in a natural environment. So no additional moisturizing or spraying is required.

Top dressing

Conofitum can be fed during the active vegetation period once a month.

Ready-made formulations for succulent plants are suitable, in a dosage half reduced from the one indicated in the instructions.

The soil

The soil for conophytum must be loose. Peat mixes categorically do not suit him. It is optimal to use a special, ready-made substrate for cacti and succulents or to prepare a composition for planting yourself, including:

• river sand;
• sheet earth;
• red clay.

In a ratio of 2: 2: 1.

Pruning

Conophytum trimming is not needed.

Breeding

Cuttings

Produced when new leaves begin to appear.

1. A sharp knife gently cuts off a fresh leaf with part of the stem, the cut is dried for 2 days.
2. Then placed on dry, pre-prepared soil and left to root.

The first watering can be carried out in three weeks. The advantage of this method of propagation in its lightness, perhaps the only minus is that an adult plant must be available for cuttings.

Seeds

Seed conophytum breeds hard. Sowing should be done at the end of winter.

1. If planting material is procured independently, then the collected fruits must be kept for several months in a dark, cool room, and soaked for several hours before sowing.
2. Seeds are placed in a container on the moistened surface of the prepared soil and sprinkled with sand.
3. Cover with a film and keep the soil moist until seedlings appear.

You can find more complete information about the features of reproduction and growing live stones in a separate article.

Transfer

Conophytum transplantation is not often required, on average 1 time in 4 years. This is best done when the plant is at rest. The container for transplantation should be about 10 cm deep, 5-10 cm in diameter.

1. A drainage layer is laid at the bottom of the new pot, at least 1.5 cm thick.
2. The plant is removed from the old tank along with an earthen lump, the roots are cleaned of soil and washed with water.

Watering can be carried out only a couple of weeks after transplantation.

Diseases and Pests

The plant is highly resistant to pests and diseases.. Occasionally, a spider mite may appear, which can be treated with fungicide treatment. Rotting leaves and death of plants are possible from an excess of moisture. If the leaf plates of the conophytum fade and lose their original color, the plant does not have enough light.

Content difficulties

• Improper leaf growth. The old pair of leaves has not yet died out, and the new one has already begun to grow - Konofitum early began to be watered at the exit from the dormant state.
• Konofitum does not bloom. The reasons may lie in insufficient nutrition, failure of watering periods, limited lighting.
• Brown spots on the leaves - the plant received a sunburn.

The pebbles that came to life at home do not require special, complex care. Without any fear, you can purchase an attractive conofitum, it will certainly become a cozy and at the same time original addition to the surrounding interior.

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