WOW! what a nice looking plant, I'm impressed.

Another for my wish list!

CP

Dear Pijaya,

That's an interesting observation about stopping growing in the summer months.

My experience is that if you water the Sarcs year-around and provide them with light and warmth, they'll keep their leaves.

Now, I don't know if you can extrapolate that if a Sarc has leaves, it is in growth mode, but I don't think it is too far of a stretch to think so.

I do know that if they're not watered for a while, they'll lose their leaves, and it will take some time for them to get them back.

But perhaps since your growing conditions include very high humidity, you have to grow them differently.

I don't know where this particular species comes from.....wait, I will look.....I knew that S. patersonii came from Namibia/western South Africa, and so does S. crassicaule. Both then are from primarily winter-rainfall areas, but both, given the correct conditions, are opportunistic growers.

Nice photo of a nice plant!

Here's an informative link:

Here is a link that might be useful: Monsonia or Sarcocaulon, Call It What You Will

CP: you'll love these plants. I'm sure you can grow them much better in Tasmania as I beleive they like the cooler temp sometimes.

Thanks Jeff for the great link and info. At one time I use to think that these plants can't be grown in my tropical climate, that all changed when I got a plant from a dealer who have been growing it for some years already. What this plant seems to do in the mid summer is just reduce the number of leaves down but doesn't lose all the leaves. I continued watering as usual however and once the rainny season arrives it start putting out more leaves again. I am now also trying out S. multifidum, S. herrei and S. vanderitiae. So far I havn't lose a Sarcocaulon yet, so I still have good faith in them :)

Now all I gotta do is find someone around here who sells them!

CP