Avonia quinaria - please take a look and tell me what you think

[BennieAnTheJets]

Just got through searching 25 pages of previous posts on here and the internet for care advice on these

Got this little beauty as a Thank you gift from a generous grower - it is very special to me and I would like to see it do well here

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What I think I have learned so far:

From Africa - difficult but easy to grow (?) - very heat and drought tolerant

They are may go dormant in very hot summers and winter - do grow in fall and spring - but may need >100 F in summer to grow and open blooms, so "very hot summers" is even hotter than 100 F - may be summer growers in climates like UK - winter temps >55F may allow for some watering without harm - can survive frost and freezing down to -8 degrees C

Small roots that need deep watering to fill the caudex which can then last them a good while - do not keep them wet, though, because they will rot, especially when water sits on top of the caudex - water twice a week in fast drying medium and pot in spring and fall

They can lose all their top growth and regrow from the caudex if it stays alive if they get used to a new place

Slow growing and tiny plants - hard to grow from seeds that will sprout when fresh but not survive very well

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Hm - after all that, I still need some advice - my house is in VA, USA with 40 to 60 degrees in winter and can go to the 30s rarely (we only heat and air-condition the bedroom pretty much), it will go to 70s and maybe higher on very mild and bright sunny winter days behind the glass - we're in VA with usually sunny days and my plants are indoors at windows (summer 90+ F, winter 50 F, roughly) - this is my new pride and joy, tiny little Avonia quinaria - it is December 1 - would you not water it until April or May? It is just a baby, it seems (seedling or small plant) and may need some water? If it gets to 70 F could/should I give it some? Looks very healthy to me but the caudex does not look very plump. The grower may have had it in winter dormancy. It came from CA, USA. How would you proceed with it to keep it healthy and strong?

Avonia top.jpg (73.55 KiB) Viewed 1625 times

Avonia side.jpg (71.2 KiB) Viewed 1625 times

[esp_imaging]

There's a good thread here:

http://forum.bcss.org.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=164101

I'd maybe water it once in 2 or 3 weeks time, then keep dry until March. As Iann says, "Don't be afraid to water as soon as you get some reasonably warm days in early spring. I start watering when there are still nights below freezing."

Many S. African succulents grow strongly in damp periods in spring in cooler conditions and may go dormant in the heat of summer.

[BennieAnTheJets]

Thank you for the thread, esp_imaging! It really helped.

Love these little plants and would like to see mine live! Sounds like I am on track.

Basically, just don't keep them wet for a length of time (summer or winter)- short watering and immediate drying again is ok, even when cold. Best to water when warm. Can survive for 4 months in winter without water, depending on the size of the caudex, i.e. if the plant is big enough to be considered adult. Got it.

I think I will follow your advice and let it get used to the new environment and let any damage from the transport below the surface heal for 2-3 weeks and then give it a drink, making sure it dries out again quickly.

[TimN]

These things have gotten ridiculously expensive lately. That's one of the main reasons I don't have one. I'll find one on a bargain shelf some day...

[BennieAnTheJets]

It's only money, Tim, ha ha. And: the last shirt does not have any pockets!

From what I heard so far the flowers are self-fertile and seeds will be readily available if I can get it to survive and bloom. The seeds are supposed to germinate eagerly but not survive very well - hm. If I get any offspring, I will let you know and I can send you some.

[Aiko]

The hardest part is to harvest the seeds. I have never managed it yet...