Kingdom Plantae
Phylum Magnoliophyta
Class Magnoliopsida (Dicotyledons)
Sub-Class Rosidae
Order Rosales
Family Crassulaceae
Genus Orostachys
Species Approximately
Similar to
jovibarba, the
taxonomy of
orostachys is still widely disputed.
Orostachys is an
Asian genus of
monocarpic,
rosette-forming
crassulaceae, similar in appearance to
jovibarba,
echeveria,
sempervivum, but it looks most similar to
aeonium. One of the major visible differences between
aeonium and
orostachys is that each leaf is tipped with a
spine. It is a fast-growing
succulent, with grey or green leaves forming small,
globular rosettes. The small
bell-shaped flowers are usually white or pink and grow densely packed on a conical
inflorescense (which are really quite amazing to see, up to 12 inches tall). Natively, the plant lives in
Korea,
China,
Mongolia, and Northern
Japan.
Some species show amazing
symmetry of the
rosette.
Orostachys spinosa is of note, as the leaf pattern follows a
Fibonacci sequence.
COMMON NAMES:
"
Dunce Caps" (due to the conical flower stalk).
CONDITIONS PREFERRED:
As with most similar
genera of
crassulaceae, this plant can survive in fairly poor soil, so long as it is well draining. This
genera is very cold-hardy and can survive temperatures to -30°(
fahrenheit). Allow soil to dry to the touch between waterings, and avoid getting water on the
rosettes.
Orostachys requires some bright
light. This plant doesn't tolerate high
humidity well.
Orostachys grows actively in spring and summer.
PROPAGATION:
Orostachys self-propagates through offshoots, and given time one plant will form a dense mat of many.
Propagation is primarily through offset separation.
To separate an
offset, remove soil from the base of the offset to find the
stolon (thick
root which attaches the pup to the
mother plant). It is best to use an offset which has already established some roots of its own. Cut the
stolon close to the pup (to discourage roots growing from the
stolon). Place the offset into a small pot with well-draining, sandy soil. Do not water until new growth is noted.
PRUNING AND GENERAL CARE:
Pruning:
In general, this is a good plant to forget about. Leave it in a bright
sunny location and water very sparingly. Water in the morning so as to prevent water from remaining on the leaves during the night. Remove any dead leaves from rosettes, as dead leaves invite
rot and
insects). When a
rosette has flowered, it will
die shortly.
Problems:
In the event of an unhealthy plant, the first thing to examine is your watering habits. The most common problem is root rot due to overwatering. If the
soil is too
wet, don't hope it will safely dry out so long as you don't water it for a while. Replace the soil immediately.
One of the most common pests to
houseplants is the mealybug, and your
orostachys may fall prey to this pest. However, due to the tightly packed leaves, more often than not the
mealybugs will attack the
roots. This makes them far less visible than
mealybugs which attack leaf-stem junctions. The symptoms of a root mealybug infestation is slowed or stopped growth (though in
winter this is a normal sign of
dormancy). If this occurs without apparent cause, remove the plant from the pot and examine the roots. A white cottony substance on the roots and in the soil is a sure sign of mealybug infestation. Remove all
soil and wash the roots gently. Remove any roots which appear damaged with a sharp
sterile knife or
scissors. Let them dry very throroughly before replanting.