Echidnopsis cereiformis var. brunnea – Succulent plants

Echidnopsis cereiformis var. brunnea is a small, ornamental, snake-like succulent with thin tufted cylindrical branches. It is a dark flowered variety of Echidnopsis cereiformis with tiny, yellowish-brown to purple-brown flowers that sprout out of the entire length of each stem but mainly toward the tip. The stems are up to 30 cm long, reclining to upright, leafless, green, dull dark green, brownish-green or reddish. It was originally described as a variety, later synonymized with Echidnopsis cereiformis.

Scientific Classification:

Family: Apocynaceae
Subfamily: Asclepiadoideae
Tribe: Stapeliae
Genus: Echidnopsis

Scientific Name: Echidnopsis cereiformis var. brunnea A. Berger

How to grow and maintain Echidnopsis cereiformis var. brunnea:

Light:
It thrives best in partial sun or light shade.

Soil:
It is shallow rooted and a collection of them can be planted up nicely in a wide, shallow bowl. When planting, it is a good idea to allow the roots to be buried in soil and then put pure gravel or sand around the base of the plant to prevent rot. Use a cactus mix or add extra perlite or pumice to regular soil potting soil. A gritty, very free-draining compost is suitable, and clay pots help the plants to dry out between watering.

Water:
It requires moderately watering through the growing season but enjoys plenty of water and some fertilizer in hot weather, this helps them to flower freely. Water more sparingly in winter according to temperatures. But, as with most asclepiads, it is unwise to leave them wet in cold weather.

Temperature:
It does not like winter cold and should remain fairly dry and warm during its winter resting period.

Fertilizer:
Fertilize lightly, if at all, to prevent overly lush and weak stems.

Repotting:
Re-pot every two years.

Propagation:
It can be easily propagated by stem cuttings. Allow cuttings to dry a day before planting. Stems must be laid (Not buried) on gritty compost and will then root from the underside of the stems. It can also be increased from seeds sowing in spring in moist, sandy peat moss. Barely cover seeds.

Pests and Diseases:
It has no serious pest or disease problems. They are susceptible to stem and root mealy bugs, and damage from these may well initiate fungal attack. If you do have problems with a stem or with basal rotting, you can reliably isolate the healthy parts, dry them off, and re-root them in moist compost.