Anacampseros rufescens, a mini succulent with maxi powers
Anacampseros rufescens
- Exposure
- Sun
- Hardiness (USDA)
- 10b (1.7°C ≤ T° < 4.4°C)
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Family
- Anacampserotaceae
- Genus
- Anacampseros
- Species
- Anacampseros rufescens
Beware of Anacampseros rufescens! Behind its fleshy leaves lies a marabou! Indeed, in Greek, its name means "to make love return", a magical power the plant is said to hold. At the same time, who could resist such spectacular, romantic foliage?
How to recognize Anacampseros rufescens?
Anacampseros rufescens is a perennial succulent. Ten centimetres high and with the same wingspan, it has a bushy, compact habit.
The fleshy, pointed leaves are olive-green. They turn color when the plant receives sufficient sunlight. In the botanical variety, the tips of the leaf blades turn brown, burgundy or dark purple. In the cultivar Anacampseros 'Sunrise', the foliage turns bright pink.
White hairs emerge between the leaves. They help the plant to protect itself from heat or cold and to capture ambient humidity.
Over time, the base of the plant thickens to form a caudex, and the oldest leaves fall off, revealing the round stems.
The flowers bloom at the end of an approximately ten-centimetre flowering spike. Pink, they are star-shaped.
Is Anacampseros rufescens toxic?
Anacampseros rufescens is not toxic to humans or pets, either through ingestion or skin contact.
Our care tips
Your plant needs watering in winter only when the temperature is above 18°C. If it spends the off-season outdoors or in an unheated greenhouse, you can stop watering between November and March.
Watering
Water your Anacampseros rufescens when the soil has dried deeply. Use water at room temperature to avoid damaging the roots. If you can, use rainwater or non-calcareous water.
Never leave water standing in the saucer or planter, as this will rot the roots.
Spray
Your Anacampseros rufescens hates wet foliage. Don't mist the plant.
Repotting
Every spring, repot your Anacampseros rufescens to give it more space.
Obtain a pierced pot one size larger than the previous one.
Fill the bottom with a very light, draining substrate such as commercially available potting soil for cacti and succulents. Plant your Anacampseros rufescens in the center and add potting soil. Stop a few centimetres below the rim of the pot to form a watering trough.
Tamp down and wait three or four days for the soil to dry before watering.
Fertilization
To promote the growth of your Anacampseros rufescens, apply fertilizer in spring and summer.
Apply a cactus and succulent fertilizer to support growth. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's recommended dosage to avoid damaging the foliage.
Plantation
When the risk of frost has passed, it's time to plant.
Choose a place where rainwater runs off easily, the top of an embankment or a location with chalky soil.
Dig a hole slightly larger than the root ball. Prepare a draining substrate, e.g. A mixture of sand and garden soil. Plant your Anacampseros rufescens and fill in. Tamp and water. This first watering helps to promote contact between the soil and the roots.
Seedling
Your seedlings need warmth. Summer is the best time to get started.
Fill a perforated pot with potting soil for cacti and succulents. You can also mix horticultural potting soil for seedlings (two-thirds) with gravel or sand (one-third). Water the soil to keep it moist, but not soggy.
Place your seeds on the substrate. If they're very small, you don't need to cover them with soil.
Seedlings take better if they 're stifled. Place your pot in a mini greenhouse or cover them with a transparent plastic bag. Your seeds also need heat to grow. You can use a heating mat to maintain a temperature of between 23 and 27°C. Place the cuttings in semi-shade.
Open your greenhouse for a few minutes a day and spray the substrate to keep it moist.
Cutting
Cutting is carried out during the strong growth phase, generally in spring and early summer.
Locate a healthy, flowerless branch. Cut a section with several leaves about 10 centimetres long. Use a clean, sharp tool to facilitate healing.
Leave your cutting to dry for 24 to 72 hours, until a callus forms.
Pour a well-draining substrate into a perforated pot. Potting soil for cacti and succulents, for example.
Plant your Anacampseros rufescens in the center and tamp it down.
Diseases / Threats
Information
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Exposure
- Sun
- Substrate
- Calcareous earth
- Planting methods
- Open groundIn potsIn tubs
- Tag
- Fritillary
- Origin
- South Africa
- Hardiness (USDA)
- 10b (1.7°C ≤ T° < 4.4°C)
- Leaf colors
- Dark greenBrownPurple
- Flower color
- Rose
Discover plants from the same family
Anacampseros 'Sunrise
Anacampseros rufescens 'Sunrise'
Find out more
Find all our tips in the Monstera application
