r/mesembs

Image 1 — Seedling advice
Image 2 — Seedling advice
Image 3 — Seedling advice
Image 4 — Seedling advice
Image 5 — Seedling advice

Seedling advice

Was wondering if maybe they are receiving a bit too much light due to them looking quite light in color, the slightly shaded ones seem to be larger and look healthy.

They are also currently in a humidity dome if that should be changed.

u/Deep-Number5434 — 12 hours ago
▲ 28 r/mesembs

From dumb 2cm golf ball to beautiful flower. May we all learn from dinteranthus

Aspirational.

u/WeDrinkSquirrels — 1 day ago
▲ 753 r/mesembs+2 crossposts

Two of my cono calculus with contented smiles! Lol

u/arioandy — 2 days ago
▲ 14 r/mesembs+2 crossposts

Mystery mesemb

I have this mystery seedling that popped up in a packet of ember Lithops seeds. It will be a year old approximately 10/20/26.

I did message the seller that I obtained the Lithops seeds from, she identified it as a Monilaria moniliformis, which she sells.
I agree, that it started out looking like a Monilaria moniliformis, however at this point, I’m not totally convinced.

It is very small, growing very slowly in mostly grit, because the substrate dries out so quickly, I have been giving a light watering once a week. I actually don’t have a clue on its care. I’m still learning about lithops, I know even less about conophytums. Though, I did notice that during this last dormant cycle the two main fissures seem to be shrinking.

A friend mentioned that she agrees that the brown outer leaves are likely due to dormancy, and you can clearly see fresh green growth peeking out from the inside. The fact that it's branching (or splitting) at such a tiny size definitely means its growth cycle is completely different from Lithops or Conophytum!

She is as curious as I am to solve this mystery.

If anyone could help identify this, offer advice on its care, what kind of substrate it would appreciate, when would be a good time to give it, its own pot. I would greatly appreciate it.

u/mnmsgirl1 — 1 day ago
▲ 114 r/mesembs+1 crossposts

Planting Fenestraria natural style

I love the way wild fenestraria look but have always read that this is a great way to kill them in captivity. The worst part is that i ran out of good pots so had to put this in plastic which is going to make keeping the base of the plant dry even harder. I washed the hell out of the roots to remove all organic matter and buring the thing in that 1mm granite sand up to the windows. Been fine for two weeks no with no change.

Very curious to see how this turns out! Anyone have experience with buried fenestraria?

u/WeDrinkSquirrels — 4 days ago
▲ 12 r/mesembs+1 crossposts

how do I know if it’s under watered or going dormant (for the wrinkly two)?

I’m so confused with conophytums 😂 but they’re so cute

u/daturique — 3 days ago

Identify and care tips

Hi! First time with one of these kinds of plants and I have questions 😅
I picked these up about a month ago and one of them has started wrinkling and looks like it mayyyy be splitting?
I know they don’t need water often and should be in majority inorganic substrate, but I left them where they are since they looked plump and I wasn’t going to water. But now I’m wondering where to go!
As far as substrate, I don’t have tons of options, can I put them in majority perlite? I mostly deal with tropicals so I have bark, potting soil, worm casting, and stratum for the organic portion. But if none of this works I can absolutely get different substrate, but would prefer to avoid since these are my only type of plant like this at the moment. Can I even repot them when they might be splitting?
I have them indoors in my office, usually stays around 68 degrees. They stay under a Sansi grow light for 12 hours a day and they have never been watered since I got them, current substrate is very dry

u/sunflower_night — 4 days ago
▲ 2 r/mesembs+1 crossposts

Particle sizes for gritty mix

I was directed here from the succulents community to ask about grit size. I've purchased hardy ice plants to place outdoors on a small retaining wall. I was going to use a 2-4 mm crushed granite with some pumice but was not sure if I should use 6 mm or 3 mm pumice? Or does it not matter? I live in Easter Pa so I need well draining soil for the fall, winter and spring Any help or advice would be appreciated

Thank you

u/This_Foundation_3444 — 4 days ago
▲ 12 r/mesembs

Concerned about my Conophytum calculus

(Pictures are in reverse chronological order)

First picture was taken today

Second picture was taken in May

Third, Fourth, Fifth pictures were taken in April

Kept indoors under grow lights bright enough to cause a small amount of sun stress on a Jade plant.

Watered never (I got it in March, it was plump)

Planted in 50% perlite (pot is tiny so I'm not worried that it will stay moist for too long)

In May I assumed it was shriveling because it was sheathing, but it's been three months and it doesn't seem papery at all, just shriveled.

Do I need to be patient and wait for the sheathing process to finish, or is my plant extremely thirsty and not actually sheathing yet?

u/Sigong — 6 days ago
▲ 12 r/mesembs

Excitement exceeded knowledge.

Ok so I’ve loved the look of split rocks and always wanted one, but they’ve been impossible to find in my area so I never really looked into them.
So of course when I came across this bad boy, I picked him up without a second thought.
Within 36 hours of having this gorgeous little creature, it started to split!

So my questions are:
1). I understand that a more inorganic soil is best, but with the splitting and being Winter, repotting would not be the move, right?
2). The breakage of the lower leaves. This is also normal, surely?
I don’t know when it was watered last, but I’m hoping it hasn’t had too big of a drink or something?

Dumb questions I know, I just wanna keep this gem alive.

u/wetrope — 6 days ago
▲ 52 r/mesembs

Aloinopsis schoonesii bouquet

My aloinopsis schoonesii surprised me with blooms this afternoon! Four of five buds finally opened up. The smell is kind of sour and grassy.

Bonus Faucaria flower at the end.

u/StaticBrick — 8 days ago
▲ 51 r/mesembs

Conophytum Hammeri Flower

One of my Conophytum Hammeris flowered recently! this is my first time seeing this species flower in person. The flower itself appears at night and is very fragrant.

u/AdventuresofZoo_1 — 8 days ago
▲ 15 r/mesembs+1 crossposts

how do they look

Hello everyone, I need advice regarding C. Maughanii

  1. How do I know if it’s going dormant/underwatered/dying?
  2. When do I water?
  3. If they’re gonna split or wake up from being dormant?

It’s in a terracotta pot with gritty/sandy/rocky CNS mix and receives morning sun + bright indirect light during the afternoons

PS: I live in a tropical country in Asia

u/daturique — 9 days ago
▲ 8 r/mesembs+1 crossposts

HELP! What do I do for this little guy and what's wrong??

I've had this dinteranthus inexpectatus for a little over a year now. Leaning very badly, and the bottom is dry and brown, or at least it looks like a bottom leaf is. I'm not sure what to do to fix this or how to propagate this type of plant to salvage, which sucks because this is one of my favorites. Any advice welcome!

u/throwaway14715815818 — 10 days ago

I’ve been growing Conophytum for about 4–6 months, but I still struggle to understand them.

I’ve been growing Conophytum for about 4–6 months, but I still struggle to understand them.

At first, I kept them on my balcony, but about half of my conos dried out from too much sunlight. After that, I moved the remaining conos indoors and started using an LED light, with the plants still getting some indirect light from the shaded balcony area. However, they have continued dying. Almost every week, one or two conos gradually dry out and die. Lately, I’ve also been watering them less frequently than before. I don’t follow a fixed schedule anymore; I usually water when it feels soft or looks like it needs water.
My soil mix is akadama, kanuma, peat moss, and volcanic gravel. I don’t know the exact ratio yet, but it is a fairly gritty/mineral mix with some organic material.

Some plants gradually became gray/dry and died.
One of my oldest recently died just before flowering.
Another twin-headed was about to flower, but both heads became soft/mushy and died.
One dead plant still had white-looking roots.
I’ve also noticed very small black insects around the soil/plants. The mushy plant didn’t have a bad smell.
I live in Thailand, so the growing environment is warm and humid.

u/bloomstudy0110 — 8 days ago