Huernia Procumbens

Day 327: I live in a hours divided. The hoyas occupy the east and north facing windows of the living room (actually, it's more like NE and SE), and the cacti are mostly all crammed onto a shelf in the small south (SW) window of the Loom Room where they can receive the greatest amount of light. The Loom Room tends to be cooler as well, especially in winter, i.e., the best possible situation I can provide in order to bring them into bloom. The largest two, Huernia procumbens (Pointed Star Lifesaver Plant, above) and Epiphyllum oxypetalum (Night-Blooming Cereus), are in hanging baskets above normal eye level when I'm seated at the loom. Huernia's stars sometimes escape my notice until they've faded. I always feel a little guilty when I find a dried-up one among the stems. This one almost eluded me, since it appeared on the side of the cactus facing the window. If I hadn't brought the plant down for a pruning, I might not have seen it. While not as colourful as Huernia zebrina, the flowers of this species still look as if they'd eat you alive if they were only bigger.

Huernia Procumbens

Day 93: Huernia procumbens (Pointed Star Lifesaver Plant) is proving to be a bit more difficult to bring into bloom than its showier cousin, H. zebrina. I suspect that my watering schedule is to blame because either too much or too little soil moisture can cause buds to drop before they are fully formed. The Huernias were formerly classified as stapeliads, but are now considered to be a distinct genus. Like true stapeliads, the flowers emit a smell akin to rotting meat, fortunately not noticeable when grown in the home. Accordingly, they attract small flies which are the plant's primary pollinators in nature. The second half of the Latin binomial refers to the trailing (procumbent) habit of the stems. Grown in a hanging basket, the stems of mine frequently have to be pruned back to prevent them from tangling in the Christmas cactuses on the shelf below. In the wild, these "trailers" often separate from the parent plant and readily root where they fall.

Starring Role

Day 50: "Lifesaver Plant" (Huernia zebrina) is another one of those forgiving, go-ahead-and-ignore-me houseplants no one should be without. Unlike its cousin Huernia procumbens, whose sole mission in life appears to be to sprawl with abandon and drop bits of itself in other flower pots, zebrina rewards the lack of care it receives from its grower with displays of star-shaped blooms several times a year. The raised disk in the center of each flower give it its common name, and each one has more freckles on its face than Huckleberry Finn. Starts may be made by taking a section of the foliage and sticking the end down in soil, keeping it damp until it takes root. Indeed, segments may root themselves wherever they touch down. The "spines" are soft rather than spiky. I think of Huernia zebrina as a "happy plant," content to play its starring role without any great coaching on my part.

Huernia Procumbens

Day 286: Native to southern and eastern Africa, the Huernias are sometimes referred to as "Lifesaver Plants" for having a raised disk which resembles the popular candy at the center of the flower. It is not as apparent in Pointed Star (Huernia procumbens, above) as it is in some other Huernias, but as the blossom ages, the points of the star reflex and the "lifesaver" becomes more obvious. Huernias are creeping succulents, forgiving of neglectful watering although they tend to drop sections if allowed to become too dry. No problem! Simply stick the butt-end of the stem into damp potting soil, pack the dirt lightly around it and keep it lightly moist for a few weeks, and you'll have a new Pointed Star to give away to a friend. As with any cactus or succulent, over-watering is to be avoided. Likewise, mealybugs can be a pest, but application of a systemic will eliminate them from this attractive and unusual houseplant.

Huernia Procumbens

Day 51: Huernia procumbens has developed its first "pointed star" (the common name attributed to the species), and I am wondering what factors contributed to its deviating from the form shown in the catalog. As a "lifesaver plant," it should exhibit a raised red ring surrounding its center, similar to that found in Huernia zebrina. Could the lack of development be due to the fact that it was transplanted only a month or so ago? No buds were showing at that time. As noted a few days ago, the mature bud was long and pointed, quite different from that of zebrina. If the "lifesaver" had grown normally, would the bud shape have been more like that of its cousin? I will be interested to see how subsequent flowers develop.

New Kids On The Block

Day 9: Meet the new kids on the block! I've so enjoyed Huernia zebrina (Lifesaver Plant) that I decided to add its close relative, Huernia procumbens (left) and another similar plant, Stapelia scitula. Procumbens' flower sports the family's typical red "lifesaver" in the center of a star the colour of rich cream. I've just transplanted it, so it will undoubtedly drop the blossoms currently forming (lower left), but if it's anything like zebrina, it won't be long before it puts on more. Stapelias bear a similar star-shaped flower, but lack the raised "lifesaver" center. Scitula's blooms will be purple-maroon flecked with yellow, reminiscent of the starfish which supply its common name. Stapelias are native to South Africa. Both succulents root easily from pieces broken off the parent plant.