Fenestraria rhopalophylla, also known as ‘Baby Toes’, is a unique and fascinating succulent that is native to Namibia and South Africa. With its small, delicate leaves and interesting growing habits, it’s a great addition to any succulent collection. However, like all succulents, it requires proper care to thrive. In this article, we’ll go over everything you need to know to care for your ‘Baby Toes’ succulent.
How much sunlight does Fenestraria rhopalophylla ‘Baby Toes’ need?
Whether growing this plant indoors or outdoors, please ensure it gets at least six hours of daily sunlight. The flowers of your Fenestraria rhopalophylla ‘Baby Toes’ will open, close, and occasionally turn in reaction to light, which is a really neat thing to witness if you’re lucky.
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How to water Fenestraria rhopalophylla ‘Baby Toes’?
The roots of Fenestraria rhopalophylla ‘Baby Toes’ succulents tend to rot when you overwater them. You should not water when the soil is not dry. When the plant is dormant in the summer, you can stop watering thoroughly. The great thing about it is that they communicate well with the growers. They will let you know when you overwater by displaying cracks on the tips of leaves. Also, the leaves will appear faded due to under-watering.
How to propagate Fenestraria rhopalophylla ‘Baby Toes’?
When propagating from offsets, pull out a baby plant from your mature Fenestraria rhopalophylla ‘Baby Toes’. Do this gently so you do not damage the plant’s roots. Alternatively, you can use a sterilized knife to cut the offset. Place the offset on a piece of paper and allow it to dry for a few days before placing it in well-draining soil as well as pot with drainage holes to grow.
What kind of soil does Fenestraria rhopalophylla ‘Baby Toes’ need?
Fenestraria rhopalophylla ‘Baby Toes’ prefer well-draining, sandy soil with a pH range of 6.0-7.5. It is also important to make sure that the soil doesn’t hold moisture and stay too wet or waterlogged, as this can lead to root rot. Adding inorganic grit like pumice or perlite to the soil can help improve drainage. Additionally, it is recommended to repot the plant periodically to ensure that the soil is fresh and doesn’t contain any pests or diseases.
How to repot your Fenestraria rhopalophylla ‘Baby Toes’?
A very important reminder when repotting your Fenestraria rhopalophylla ‘Baby Toes’ is to ensure that you avoid burying your plant’s leaves. Aside from that, handle your plant gently to avoid any damage or breaking.
It is also essential to repot when you purchase a new plant. It is to avoid bringing in any pests or diseases that might be stored in your new plant’s soil. Repotting is also crucial to avoid water build-up due to the old stock soil.
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What are the ideal temperature and humidity levels for Fenestraria rhopalophylla ‘Baby Toes’?
Fenestraria rhopalophylla ‘Baby Toes’ is not cold hardy and prefers warm temperatures. It’s ideal to place your plant indoors if you live in a zone that gets colder than 30 degrees Fahrenheit. The ideal temperature is 66 degrees Fahrenheit. However, keep in mind that placing your plant in locations with low temperatures for a long time can also damage your plant.
In terms of humidity, it prefers an average level of humidity. Ensure that your Fenestraria rhopalophylla ‘Baby Toes’ is placed in a location with continuous air condition.
How Do Fenestraria rhopalophylla ‘Baby Toes’ Survive in Desert Conditions?
Fenestraria rhopalophylla ‘Baby Toes’ are adapted to survive in hot and dry desert conditions. They belong to the Mesemb family. Mesembs are known for their unique and intricate leaf formations, as well as their ability to survive in harsh desert conditions. They have thick leaves that store water and help them retain moisture. Additionally, the tips of their leaves do not have green pigment, which helps to conduct heat, allowing them to survive in high temperatures. The tips of the leaves of this odd looking succulent have clear ‘windows’ that help attract sunlight and promote photosynthesis, which is essential for their growth.
Do ‘Baby Toes’ flower?
They do flower, however, it is not very common for them to do so. The flowers usually only appear on mature plants and may only appear during certain times of the year. The flowers are small and yellow or white in color. Trimming off the bottom of any dead flower stem can help encourage the plant to produce new flowers.
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Conclusion
Fenestraria rhopalophylla, also known as ‘Baby Toes’, is a unique and fascinating succulent that is native to Namibia and South Africa. With its small, delicate leaves and interesting growing habits, it’s a great addition to any succulent collection. However, like all succulents, it requires proper care to thrive. By providing yours with the right temperature, humidity, sunlight, and watering, you’ll be able to enjoy
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General Mesemb Care Info
Mesembs, also known as “Ice Plants” or ‘Mimicry Plants’ are a group of succulents native to South Africa that are highly desirable by collectors to grow but can be difficult to care for. In this guide, we will explore the basics of growing mesembs, including the seasonal growing cycle, soil requirements, light and air needs, and watering techniques.
What are the basics of growing mesembs?
Mesembs are a highly sought after group of plants to grow, but the ease of killing them has discouraged many potential succulent collectors from enjoying the full spectrum of this group of plants. The name mesemb is short for the Sub Family Mesembryanthemaceae. They get the name ‘Mimicry Plants’ because in the wild they mimic rocks and other natural features of their habitat.
Success in growing mesembs is providing the right balance of light, circulating air, water and well-draining soil. These succulents require a little more attention (that doesn’t mean watering and messing with them) than others. One must be aware of the seasonal growing cycle, and sensitive to how much water and when as well as what it should look like when it’s healthy during its yearly cycle.
How does the seasonal growing cycle affect mesembs?
Knowledge of the plants seasonal growing cycle is super important in keeping mesembs alive and thriving. Basically there are two possible growing categories; summer or winter growers. The summer growers actually start growing (waking up) in mid spring, kind of slow down in the mid summer heat, and then have a flourish of growth in early fall. Winter growers wake up in late summer to mid fall, grow quickly for awhile, slow down in mid winter, then have a flourish of growth in the spring.
The main issue most hobbyist succulent collectors is knowing the plants dormant season, summer growing mesembs don’t like to be watered during their winter dormancy, and winter growing plants don’t like to be watered in the hot summer or being out in the full sun being cooked all summer long. But during the spring and fall almost any mesemb can be watered- if it is showing signs of needing water. Again, mesembs can be some of the trickiest succulents to keep alive.
What kind of soil do mesembs need?
Mesembs require a well-draining soil, which means it dries out quickly. Basically the soil should contain a higher proportion of pumice, perlite or coarse sand. I use a lot of pumice in my soil mix for mesembs to make sure that they don’t sit in wet soil longer than they need to.
How much light and air do mesembs require?
All mesembs require a lot of light and moving air (meaning not humid or stagnant air). High heat is not necessary, but a decent area with lots of sunny exposure is required, some shading is recommended during the summer and heat waves. I keep mine under a covered porch that receives a lot of afternoon sun. Moving air is of utmost importance to keep these succulents happy and healthy.
