skip to main content
Software
Integrations
Mobile App
Expert Support
All-In-One Platform for Construction and Design
See Pricing
Schedule a Demo
Talk to Sales: (888) 316-4595
My builder uses Houzz Pro to plan the timeline and give detailed estimates and daily updates with photos of progress, and provide invoices at pre-agreed key points in the build. This made the whole experience much more efficient and stress-free.
Steve W.
Client of Cribbs Construction
Learn More
Ideas
Discussions
Houzz TV
Houzz Research
Sign In
Houzz Logo Print
Explore DiscussionsFeatured Home DiscussionsFeatured Garden Discussions
Arizona Gardening
grant_in_arizona

Hoodia gordonii in bloom

11 years ago

Hi everyone, just for fun I thought I'd share a couple of pics of my oldest/largest Hoodia gordonii in bloom this week. I can't tell you how many I killed until I learned to absolutely keep it dry all winter long. Since that discovery, I've kept this guy and its descendents from seed happy for over ten years now. I give it crazy full insane hot full sun every day of the year, and water only when DRY spring/summer/autumn. I don't give it a single drop of water from mid October until late March when it starts actively growing again.


Here are a couple of quick pics. The plants originally came from areas of Africa without native pollinating bees, so the plants have flowers that look like and smell like, carrion, to attract pollinating ants and flies. From 4 feet you don't really smell anything--from four inches you smell EVIL, hah!



Fun interesting plants that are quick to sprout, although a bit slow to grow, from seed (remember the no winter water for seedlings especially!).

Here's the same plant above with a three year old (left) and a two year old (right) seedling, along with Wilson the tennis ball to show size. If you look closely you can see the two year old seedling at right is actually just starting to make a new stem at lower right.


If your'e growing them too, we'd love to see pics/hear tips and tricks.

Happy gardening!

Grant

Featured Answer
  • 11 years ago

    That is really something! Well done, and thanks for sharing.


    Comments (9)

    • 11 years ago

      Mine has just finished it's first blooming cycle and I see it's got a new set of buds forming. I would have killed mine due to over watering if not for Grant's advice on keeping them extremely dry over the winter. I've never had a seed pod on mine, maybe I should try to hand pollinate. I can tell when mine needs to be watered, the whole thing leans to one side. Fun plant!

      Kevin

      grant_in_arizona thanked azbolt

    • Related Professionals

      Florence Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Longview Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · San Antonio Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Lincoln Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Hempstead Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Santa Maria Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Wichita Landscape Contractors · Anderson Landscape Contractors · Hilton Head Island Landscape Contractors · Killeen Landscape Contractors · Texarkana Landscape Contractors · Saint George Landscape Contractors · Washington Basement Remodeling · Savannah Basement Remodeling · Harrisonburg Basement Remodeling
    • 11 years ago

      Thanks Grant for the infos on this really cool plant. No idea the flower is that attractive. Question, can this plant survive full sun on a bed of DG along my other South African plants? Have you try eating it ? If it truly suppresses your apitite then perhaps it will work on the DARN rabbits in my yard from eating my precious aloes! Just a thought. :).


      grant_in_arizona thanked nick_2013
    • 11 years ago

      Thanks for the likes all and the GREAT comments, Gee, Kevin and Nick, I appreciate them. I killed so many of these with winter watering, but now have quite a few that have been happy for quite a long time, seedlings included. I don't get seed pods every year, Kevin, but I do get some most years. They're quick from fresh seed although once sprouted, the seedlings are fairly slow. I recommend keeping them VERY crowded until they force you to divide them some warm early summer day. I haven't tried eating them, Nick, but I DO know a lot of dietary suppressants are made from them. Post pics of yours all, if you have them, in bloom or not. Happy gardening!

    • 11 years ago

      Never seen that one. Interesting peachy pink flowers. Inspiring me to get more cacti/succulents. I am a big killer of them. Who said they're easy to grow in the desert.

    • 11 years ago

      Here's mine, leaning a bit, with Wilson the navel orange for size ;-)

      Kevin


    • 11 years ago

      LOL @ Wilson the orange, Kevin. I LOVE your hoodia! It's so big and tall compared to mine. Really really a great specimen! I would be SO NERVOUS growing mine in a glazed pot as I really did used to kill them with too much water years ago. Do you protect yours from winter rain?? Is it in full sun? Love it, thanks for posting it! Some folks say they are not self-fertile, but mine set seeds even back when it was the only one I grew. I doubt any neighbors were growing any, but you never know, hah! Happy gardening all!

    • 11 years ago

      I put it in the greenhouse during the winter, so it gets no water at all. It's a funny thing, it leans different directions on different days. Today I noticed half was leaning left and half was leaning right, even after watering it. Maybe it's getting too tall. It gets mostly full sun. It's so unusual, has some personality, which I like.

      Kevin

    • 11 years ago

      I'm so envious of you folks with greenhouses, hah. SO envious! In any case, thanks for sharing your tips/tricks with yours. I like plants with personality and character too. That's funny about it leaning this way and that. Good thing the pot is nice and heavy to help reduce the chances of it tipping over. Mine is in crazy full hot sun spring through autumn, though I have to keep it on the covered patio in winter so it doesn't get rained on, and that's about half a day's sun. Great fun plants--I wish more folks grew them. Happy gardening all!

    0
    Sponsored