This one sure looks... peculiar!
That's probably something everybody thinks when they first see it, including the person who named it.
Looking though the pictures online I still can't tell how exactly it grows. Is it like - first it grows those floppy leaves, than some fat round-ish ones with flowers inside and than floppy ones again? Does it have two monilaria-like sets of leaves?
It does get a nice lilac color in the strong sun I'm very much looking forward to.
Hello Rika. Yes, Cheiridopsis peculiaris is certainly peculiar. It is another winter grower; requiring water and good light in the winter and flowering in the winter. It is called a dimorphic species, meaning it has two different pairs of leaves which different purposes. The large, flat leaves are its winter leaves. Their size allow them to collect as much light as possible during the shortened winter days. Over the summer these large flat leaves will dry up completely. The smaller upright leaves in the center will persist through the winter and form a papery sheath in summer. The plant will, or at least should, look just about dead in summer. By the end of summer the old flat leaves will be gone, and the sheath on the upright leaves will break open revealing a new pair of flat leaves which will then be the new winter leaves. If the plant is old enough and healthy enough you may get a second pair of upright leaves in the center and these will produce a flower, In winter C. peculiaris needs as much light as possible and cool, almost cold nights, to grow best. This plant grows easily in a greenhouse, but it is not an easy plant for a window in an apartment. But you seem to do amazing things with plants so who knows. :) Good luck and keep us informed.
ReplyDeleteVery odd. I have never grown this plant. How big is it?
ReplyDelete{Thank you Bob for the information]