SEATTLE — Some of the most interesting houseplants are succulents that come from South Africa. Some of my favorites are Lithops or living stones, small succulent plants that look like stones so birds don't eat them; Cotyledon tomentosa 'Bear Paws,' with fuzzy leaves that really do resemble bear paws; Faucaria tigrina, known as shark Jaws, because of it's heavily toothed jaw like leaves; conophytum bilobum another type of living stone; and adromischus marianae, commonly called mottled pig's ears because its foliage is covered with tiny white hairs, giving it a fuzzy appearance.
These tough plants come from areas of extreme weather and most of them go dormant in the heat of summer. They do need to be watered in summer, but only after the soil in the pot is completely dry. Then give them a thorough watering and wait to do it again until the pot feels very light and the soil is dry again. Don't water in winter unless the leaves appear to be shriveling up. There main growth period is in spring, but they also grow and bloom in fall. Water more frequently during those periods, but let the plants dry out slightly between watering.
These plants have colorful blooms in fall that can brighten up the house in fall. They rarely bloom unless they experience lots of sunshine during summer, so grow them out in a sunny location in summer and wait to bring them in until they begin to bloom in fall. Fertilize with a liquid 10-10-10 diluted to half strength or a cactus fertilizer once a month during spring. Transplant if necessary in spring when they are in active growth.
One other really cool succulent from South Africa is Stapelia gigantea, commonly known as the carrion cactus. It's not really a cactus, but it resembles one with stiff upright branches. The coolest thing about this plant is that it produces a hand sized, star shaped flower in October or November. The flower is incredibly beautiful, but the best part is that it smells like a cow died in your back room. It's trying to attract flies for pollination. It's really fun to surprise your partner when this fragrant flower blooms in your front room! Fertilize once during the growing season in spring with a balanced fertilizer diluted to ½ the strength recommended on the label. Stepelias need a well-drained potting-mix. For best blooming, grow them outdoors in summer, but avoid direct sun. They do best in partial sun or light shade.
Segment Producer Suzie Wiley. Watch New Day Northwest at 11 a.m. weekdays on KING 5 and streaming live on KING5.com. Contact New Day.