Distinctive features of anakampseros and its origin, cultivation, transplantation and reproduction, difficulties in cultivating a flower, interesting facts, species. Anacampseros is a plant belonging to the Portulacaceae family, which includes another 70 species. The native habitat of representatives of the genus falls on the territory of the Southern Hemisphere, namely on the lands of South and Central America, regions of southern and southwestern Africa (namely South Africa and Namibia). And there is one variety that has taken a fancy to the Australian continent. In our strip, varieties of leafy, filamentous, lanceolate, reddish and tomentose anakampseros are most often cultivated and they are grown with greater success than varieties of the subspecies Avonia.
The plant got its name from the Latin words "ana", "camps" and "eros" - literally translated as "a plant that returns lost love." This is due to the observation of the indigenous population that the succulent is able to quickly revive a large amount of lost foliage immediately after a rainy season.
Anacampseros is a herbaceous or shrubby plant with succulent leaf blades and shoots. The leaves are whole-edged, with oval, elongated-oval or ovoid, rounded shapes, truncated-wedge-shaped (similar to the papillae of roseocactus), lanceolate or even cylindrical outlines are found. The foliage is painted in monochromatic shades from dark emerald to crimson-red, the surface can be decorated with mottling.
The arrangement of the leaves is like a tile, they densely cover the stem with a low height - they form a densely leafy column. Sometimes they can collect in root rosettes. From the leaf sinuses, whitish or yellowish bristles of different lengths most often grow. It is extremely rare for a plant to form an adjacent or hanging stem, which is loosely leafy. In many varieties, the shoots and leaves have pubescence, the density of which depends on the type of anakampseros. The hairs located on the stem are formed from stipules that have changed their appearance. It often happens that there is a thickening at the base of the shoots or tuberous roots.
The endemic Australian species is distinguished by its root, the tuber of which reaches the size of a hen's egg. The uniqueness of the Compton anacampseros, which grows in African lands, is that it has only 2–4 leaf blades. The plant is very often well camouflaged (mimics) with the help of hairy (bristly) pubescence, brown foliage, and sometimes by half hidden in the ground or hiding in crevices of dried soil or rocks.
It has flowers of regular shape (actinomorphic property) and small sizes. Their color is very diverse: all shades of white, pink or red color scheme. The flowering process stretches from May to September. Succulent buds open only in sunny warm weather and then, for some time in the afternoon. The perianth consists of five parts, the number of stamens is the same.
As soon as the flowering process takes place, the fruit with seed begins to ripen and this time stretches for 2 weeks. The ovary of the anakampseros is upper and the fruit ripens in the form of a teardrop-shaped capsule, which seems to be covered by a cap. The capsule fruit of anakampseros includes up to 20–60 seeds. They are quite large, colored in a light brown, yellowish or whitish shade. The seeds reach a millimeter in diameter and are distinguished by excellent germination.
They, as if with a shirt, are covered with a translucent shell, and on this basis the plant is easily distinguished from other varieties representing the Purslane family. Seeds can be scattered by the wind, or they are scattered at the time of cracking of a well-dried fruit.
Since flowers mainly open in hot weather conditions, that is, they are cleistogamous, and therefore, succulent species with such buds self-pollinate, while other species are pollinated by bees or flies.
Conditions for growing anakampseros flower indoors
- Lighting. The succulent loves sunlight, but the plant can be placed on the south window only after it has been accustomed to direct sunlight. In winter, it will be necessary to supplement it with phytolamps.
- Content temperature. Indoor heat indicators (20-25 degrees) will be required in the spring-summer period, and with the arrival of autumn, the temperature should be reduced to 5-7 degrees, the plant enters a dormant period.
- Air humidity and watering. Anacampseros does not require spraying and grows well in dry air. From spring to mid-autumn, the plant is watered abundantly, but so that the soil has time to dry out. In autumn, soil moistening is reduced, and in winter it is stopped altogether. After a dormant period, water gently and little by little. The water should be soft and warm.
- Fertilizers applied only from March to mid-autumn. Apply feeding for cacti in a half dose. Fertilize the bush only once a month.
- Transfer. The substrate for anakampseros should be nutritious and friable. The acidity of the soil is selected to be neutral or slightly acidic. The soil is mixed from turf and leaf land, river sand, crushed charcoal and medium and fine material (pebbles, pumice chips, expanded clay or crushed and sieved brick), the ratio is 2: 2: 1, 5: 0, 5: 0.5 The succulent does not like transplants, so the pot and soil are changed as needed, when the plant grows very much. At the bottom of the container, drain holes should be made and a drainage layer poured. The transplant is carried out in the spring and at the same time the rotten roots are removed, watered only for 5-6 days.
Self-breeding tips for succulent anacampseros
While the plant is blooming, its seeds are collected. Immediately after both sepals wilt and fly around, the capsule of the fruit immediately cracks and releases the seed material. They will need to be removed before the fruit-box begins to tilt to the soil surface and the seeds can fall onto the ground. Seed germination is very long and they germinate perfectly.
Sowing seeds is best done in May-June. You can carry out the planting process earlier, but you will need to create a bottom heating of the soil for seedlings. Also, many flower growers close up the seeds in January, but at the same time they supplement the seedlings with fluorescent lamps or phytolamps.
For planting, take a peat-sand mixture (or vermiculite). A little fine gravel is poured on top of the surface of the soil in order to prevent the development of algae and support the thin sprouts at the beginning of their growth. A little humus or leafy soil can be mixed into the soil mixture.
After the seeds are sown, it is necessary to maintain a constant temperature within 18-21 degrees and high humidity. To do this, the container with seedlings is wrapped in foil or covered with a piece of glass. Regular ventilation and spraying will be required.
After the sprouts hatch (somewhere, in 5-10 days after planting the seeds), it is necessary to bring the container with the seedlings to a brighter place, but devoid of direct UV streams.
Seedlings will appear very quickly, and after 2-3 weeks the first leaves will grow. And then the plants will not need shelter, since they tolerate low humidity well in room conditions. But young anakampseros are gradually accustomed to the atmosphere of the premises, increasing the airing time daily. Watering the soil is carried out when it dries out slightly from above.
In the first winter period, the temperature of the content should be warmer than with the content of adult specimens, and watering should be very careful. The seedlings will need to be dived after 5-6 weeks from planting the seeds, at which time the roots of the plants will already have developed enough and they will easily take root again. When the plant reaches 2–3 years of age, it can bloom.
Problems with indoor cultivation of anakampseros
Most often, problems arise from damage by rot or mealybug. The first ones come from waterlogging of the substrate in the pot and especially when the plant is kept at low temperatures or with high humidity in the room. As soon as a problem is noticed, it is necessary to urgently carry out an anacampseros transplant. At the same time, the root system is slightly dried, rotten root processes are removed, and the sections are disinfected with a powder - activated or charcoal crushed into powder. Then you will need to land in dry ground. Also, the cause of rot can be a high nitrogen content in top dressing.
The mealybug is noticeable in the form of the appearance on the back of the leaves and in the internodes of formations similar to cotton balls of a whitish hue, as well as a sugary sticky coating. In this case, they are treated with insecticides.
Interesting facts about anacampseros
In ancient times, people believed that anacampseros, despite its modest appearance, has very great strength. Ancient Roman authors often mentioned this in their works. Since the plant had increased vitality, during the periods of the strongest dry periods, the succulent could lose up to 90% of its deciduous mass. And with the arrival of rains, it recovered again, as soon as the plant greedily absorbs moisture, so that its revival takes place literally before our eyes. Observers perceived this process as a real "miracle" and prescribed extraordinary properties to the bush.
In the peoples of the lands where anakampseros grows in the natural environment, it is generally accepted that the succulent can also affect extinct feelings and life, that is, resurrect them. Residents of South and Central America revered this succulent as a talisman or talisman that will help revive faded feelings and glue broken love.
Types of anakampseros
- Anacampseros alstonii Schonland may occur under the synonym Avonia quinaria. The plant has a root, which has thickened outlines and is similar to a turnip, in diameter it can reach 6 cm (sometimes even 8), its top is flat. On this surface, multiple shoots grow, their number often reaches up to a hundred on one bush. Shoot length - 3 cm with a diameter of 2 mm. Leaf blades are tiny, stipules, which are colored in a silvery tone, completely cover them and strongly adhere to the stem. The tops of the shoots are crowned with flowers. As soon as the buds begin to develop, the branch immediately clearly thickens, however, after the process of flowering and fruiting, it (according to the observation of flower growers) dies off. The diameter of the flowers is 3 cm, but when grown in the middle lane, their sizes rarely exceed 20-25 mm. Their color is snow-white. There is a very rare variety with a pinkish tint of buds.
- Anacampseros papyracea mentioned in the literature under the name Avonia papyracea. The stem reaches a height of 5–6 cm and is almost a centimeter in diameter. The leaves are small, with a light green tint, they are oval in shape. The stipules that completely cover the leaf plates are whitish, paper-like, elongated-oval in outline. The flower-bearing stems are not tall, they have flowers with a white-green color.
- Anacampseros tomentosa has the synonymous name Anacampseros filamentosa (Haw.) Sims subsp. tomentosa (A. Berger) Gerbaulet. The height of the stem is 5 cm. The leaf plates are brownish-green, characterized by fleshy outlines and an oval shape and pointed at the apex. Their dimensions reach one centimeter in length and 8 mm in width and thickness. Usually covered with thin whitish hairs. The peduncle can stretch to a height of 6 cm, buds of pink color bloom on it with a diameter of up to 3 cm.
- Anacampseros namaquensis has upright shoots that reach a height of 12 cm and have branching. The shape of the leaf plate is obovate, the leaf is very juicy in length reaching 12 mm and a width of 8 mm. They are covered, like a cotton layer created by thin whitish hairs. The buds reach a diameter of 8–10 mm. The native habitat is the territory of southern Africa. May also occur synonymously Anacampseros filamentosa (Haw.) Sims subsp. namaquensis (H. Pearson & Stephens) G. D. Rowley.
- Anacampseros filamentosa grows in natural conditions on the territory of South African lands. Shoots can grow up to 5 cm in height. The roots have a thickened-turnip shape. The leaves are very densely arranged to each other, have an elongated oval shape and are covered with long whitish hairs. The flowers are cast in pink color and reach 3 mm in diameter. Also called Portulaca filamentosa Haw.
- Anacampseros rufescens. It is found under the synonym Portulaca rufescens Haw. The stems of the plant first grow straight, and then begin to hang. They measure 8 cm in length and branch from the base. The leaf blades are elongated-lanceolate, 2.5 cm long and one and a half centimeters wide, they are juicy, whitish elongated hairs grow in the axils. When the leaf is already old, then on the reverse side it acquires a reddish tint. The flowers bloom in a reddish-purple tone with a diameter of 3-4 cm. The roots are thickened, tuberous. In natural conditions, it forms dense green spaces - clumps.
- Anacampseros densifolia - a succulent plant with obovate leaves equal in length to 8 mm and a width of 5 mm. They are located very densely and covered with tomentose pubescence. Pinkish flowers are collected from centimeter petals. They are solitary and finite.
- Anacampseros camptonii. The plant is widespread in Africa, has a short, thickened stem with a size of 2.5 cm in height and width. The root grows strongly right from the base of the caudex - a thickening at the base of the stem, where the plant accumulates reserves of liquid during the drought period, often in a bottle form. Aerial shoots bear leaves painted in olive or bronze shades. The length of the leaf plate reaches 3.5 cm and has a sharpening at the top. The surface at the top of the leaf is covered with hairs and carved with grooves of veins. The flowers are arranged singly, with a red-purple hue, and there are also pinkish and whitish tones. They reach 6 mm in diameter. Flowering occurs in the summer.
- Anacampseros lanceolata (Anacampseros lanceolata) is a miniature plant with ovoid, close to spherical leaves. They are noticeable, fleshy outlines with a partially enclosing stipule, which is small in size, covered with villi. The buds consist of 5 petals, whitish, pink or red. They are located singly on branches or in carpal inflorescences. The roots look like thickened tubers. The flowering period stretches from late spring to early autumn.
What anakampseros looks like, see this video:
