Picture via unusualseeds
Basic Info
Trachyandra Tortilis is a succulent that has an unusually long life span, making it even better for people who want a unique succulent that lives for a long time. It is best grown indoors in a well-lit room with well-draining sandy soil. It grows up to 25 cm (10″) tall and has a green basal leave of 10 cm (4″) in length that can be up to 2 cm (1″) in diameter. Unlike other succulents the Trachandra species have leaves that filiform or linear. The plant folds up once it finally flowers it becomes pale pink (like these). As plant makes for a great decoration around the house and perfect for taking cute photos at home.
Scientific Classification
Family: Crassulaceae
Subfamily: Sedoideae
Tribe: Kalanchoe
Genus: Adromischus
Care and Propagation Information
Watering
When watering the Trachyandra Tortilis be careful it is a plant that is sensitive to over-watering. It is a plant that needs to be thoroughly drenched in water and dried before watering again.
The plant should be water mostly between Spring to Fall, let the plant dry thoroughly before watering again. Have a look at this watering guide to learn how to water your plant correctly.
General Care for Trachyandra Tortilis
What kind of a plant carer should select the Trachyandra Tortilis It is perfect for
The plant does best when cared for indoor in a proper light home. If planted outdoors, it creates small clusters all around it, especially if planted in a rock garden.
Quick Facts:
- Thrives best inside in a proper lit-room
- Grows up to 25 cm (10″) Tall
- The plant has a long life span
- Use well-draining soil
- Flowers pale pink
- Growing Temperature 5 – 15° C (41-59°F)
- Extremely rare plant
- From South Africa
- Very unique curly leaves
- Decorative plant
Where to Plant
Trachyandra Tortilis is a plant that grows easiest in well-drained sandy or rocky soils. The plant does not handle cold well, so if you live an area that is colder than 6°C ( 20° F ) use a succulent container. It makes it easier to transport the plant indoor and outdoor.
You can learn how to grow indoor succulents in this guide here.
Trachyandra Tortilis is a plant that requires up to 6 hours of sun when planted inside keeps it on a window ledge. That means a south-facing window for most of us.
How to Propagate Trachyandra Tortilis
Learning how to propagate Trachyandra Tortilis begin by selecting a sturdy, healthy leaf. Then remove the stem from the main plant, cut the stem off with a sharp knife. Trachyandra is one of the species that easily drop its leaves during transportation; it can, however.
Once the leaf is off the Trachyandra Tortilis, let it sit for a few days before placing in nutritious and well-drained soil (Guide). The soil should be drenched thoroughly, never let the soil dry. Once the plant’s root has started to appear, let the plant take its time to grow.
Picture via Africa-Seeds
Temperature
Even if we have summarised the ideal tempature for the Trachyandra tortilis above in our quick facts we feel that it is important to talk about this more because tempature control is vital when growing succulents.
The ideal tempature for growing the Trachyandra tortilis is around 5-15°C (41-59°F). That means that the plant belongs to the USDA Hardiness Zone 9a – 11b.
Chances are that you already own other succulents that have similar tempature requirements so consider placing these succulents close to each other.
All succulents are sensitive to drastic changes in temperature; that means that your succulent does not want to be exposed to way to cold temperatures or to warm temperatures that come suddenly. If you are a succulent grower that means you need to monitor the temperature where you grow your rare succulents so that they won’t die.
In some instances it might be better to move your plant to different locations or ideally Grow Your Succulents Indoor.
If you need to transport the Trachyandra Tortilis long distances be sure to have a look at our guide that explains in detail How to Transport Succulents Long Distances.
Origin and Habitat
Origin from the Northern and Western Cape (Mostly from Richtersveld and Namaqualand located southwards to Vredendal, and Saron), Republic of South Africa.
Soil
It is important to use the right succulent soil for the Trachyandra Tortilis so that it may thrive for longer in your garden. This is why we recommend using our guide on How To Prepare a Well Draining Soil For Succulents. One of the key elements of our soil is that it allows for sufficient airflow.
In our guide above we recommend that you layer the soil with with the well-draining soil, sand, and perlite; doing so will ensure the best airflow for the plant.
In some cases it might be advisable to add moss to the mix but that depends on your pH of the soil mixture and the location that it has been planted in.
The pH of the soil can be messured by various pH meters; these type of measurement tools ensure that the plant keep track of the plants nutrients.
Common Problems With the Trachyandra tortilis
As you might have already guess the plant is rare and requires uniqe type of care. For this reason we recommend that you keep track of the amount of water you give to the plant as well as where you place it. This is best done by taking notes and comparing them over time.
Trachyandra tortilis Pest Problem
The Trachyandra tortilis does not generally experience much problems with pests. That means that your plant wont get infested with small organisms that may, over time, destroy your beautiful plant.
However, if you notice that your plant has been infested with mealybugs you will need to take actions. We recommend following our guide on How To Get Rid of Mealybugs. There we will take you through each step that you need to take to fix this issue. To spot the mealybugs be sure that you check under the plants leafs.
In shorts, to get rid of mealybugs you need a few things: a cutton ball and a bit of alchol. You will need to take the cutton ball and dip it into the alchol and then gently tap the ball on directly onto the mealybugs.
A note of warning: Use this method sparingly because succulents do not like much alchol.
Is the Trachyandra tortilis a succulent?
We have been reciving questions about the Trachyandra tortilis, the main question that we came across is if the plant is a succulent; it is true that the plant looks unique and is often descriped as strange. But the plant is a succulent that originates from South Africa and Madagascar.
Can you grow Trachyandra tortilis from seeds?
In short, yes! Most succulents can be grown from seeds if you use the correct methods. However, finding Trachyandra Tortilis seeds can proof dificult. But if you do have a look at our guide on How To Grow Succulents From Seeds. In the guide we explain the essential steps that you need to take so that you may grow the plant succcesfully.
Is Trachyandra tortilis toxic to animals?
The Trachyandra Tortilis is not known to be toxic to most animals. But that does not meen that you should feed your animals with the plant: we would NEVER recommed that. However, if your animal has consumed the plant, do not panic. It is considered to be a non-toxic plant and not harmful when ingested.
If you want to learn more about pet frendly cactus you should have a look at our guides on Poisonous Cactuses.
