Straight pumice. I personally do not like growstones of any kind. They break down into mush and I don't like having to repot every year or even every two or three years.

Pagan

Thank you, Pagan. I was under the impression that the Growstones product didn't break down. Guess I misunderstood.

Arid Lands said this one is approx 3 years old. I hope I can provide it with a long & happy life.

Tyler

Tyler,

If you're going to grow it potted, I'd throw some sifted organic material in there, but no more than 20%, the rest pumice. Caudiciforms, IMO, like some organic stuff. And of course join the San Diego Cactus and Succulent Society, where you can learn about growing it in the ground, where it really gets big (San Diego usually has the perfect watering schedule for this plant, as you likely know).

www.sdcss.net

Whaddya know! There's this going on next month, too!

LOL! Thank you cactusmcharris. I'll have to check it out.

As far as the organic stuff, might commercial cactus mix fill the bill? Usually kind of moist though. Not sure it's siftable.

Tyler

My plants seem to do well in a pumice mix with organic dirt they call it lol.no leaves no water is what I do. Also they do grow somewhat faster than one Might think if giving good growing conditions ,got some 8 month old ones that are bigger than a half dollar, quarter is pictured haha.

Look who decided to break dormancy.

...what's that..? "Can't see it", you say? Hold on...

I wasn't sure what, if anything was going on under there. Dead & shriveled? Still alive and dormant? Oh, ye of little faith!

Tyler

your thinking on yours, like I do mine lol, sometimes they set forever it seems .then all of sudden time to vine

Hooray! I really need to get one of these guys...

Well, you said that they keep African time wherever they are in the world and it is spring here. I keep waiting for the Cyphostemma Juttae to do something

I have used 50% pumice and 50% potting mix for many years without issues. I have two over 15 years old and a number between 5-10 years. My only problems is a very poor germination rate from the seeds I get when my two mature plants overlap in flowering times...

I'm not familiar with Cyphostemma Juttae, Nik.

s g, I had initially purchased seeds, but they never germinated. After several months, I gave up and tossed them out. I'm kind of regretting it at this point since my Puya Alpestris seeds took 4 months to germinate. I'm pretty sure I gave the D. Elephantipes seeds at least that long too, but I followed the seller's sowing instructions and at some point when I went looking for the seeds, they just weren't there. I'm sure they rotted. At least, at this point, I hope they did. I'd hate to think that I gave up too soon.

Tyler

I'm trying not to be an enabler ;)

Cyphostemma Juttae is a caudiciform, almost a natural bonsai. But very strictly dormant in winter and not to be watered. Read about it here

Nik, what's one more enabler? ...or one more plant?

Cyphostemma Juttae sounds like a very interesting plant, for sure, with the potential to get pretty big. Do you have any or are those that you are waiting for in their natural habitats? Either way, I'd love to see some pictures, both dormant and awake, if you could manage it.

Tyler

They do get large, in about 50 years. They are extremely slow growers.

This is mine now, dormant, it's probably about 2-3 years old (some miniature gasteria varieties in the front) I have repotted it into something larger since I took this picture but the aim is to plant it in the rockery later. At this size, it only gets one or two leaves. New leaves may sprout from the brown patches, which are bud nodes

This is one I took a picture of at The Aloe Farm about 6 weeks ago, so it has no leaves yet either. Probably about 10 years old

This is a picture off the net showing leaves and fruit

They only get really big if planted outside but that wouldn't work in a mediterranean climate. They are dormant in winter and you don't water them. So you would have to put it in a pot under cover over winter if it is raining

I use mixture of "everything" for my dioscorea. Small part is substrate for indoor plants. Fine black one from decomposed peat/organic matter, not the fibery brown one. The rest is gritty mixture consisting of zeolite, serpentinite, bricks and quartz. Because the mix has nearly no nutrients, I add some Osmocote fertiliser. This is my plant that recently woke up from dormancy. So far it grows nicely.

raxidor, very nice. Of course though now I have questions for you.

How long have you had it? Do you know how old it is? How much as it grown since you've had it? How big is the caudex...maybe a picture with a common item for perspective?

For anyone else who has experience with these, Al of Botanic Wonders (not who I purchased from) suggested to me that since mine is so very young that I bury the caudex. Not sure how long (how many...years...?) I need to keep it buried, how often I should check the caudex/roots/repot? Left as is, will it at some point push itself up from under the growing medium so that the caudex is visible?

Thank you,

Tyler

I think I bought it 3 years ago as 2-3 cm big seedling. Back then it already had whole caudex out of the substrate. Now it's maybe 9 cm on the wider side. The bowl has 16 cm diameter if I remember correctly and it was third repot.

I have heard it makes them grow faster buried ,my seed grown ones seem to grow above ground, so I just let them do what they want.I like looking at them anyhow

Raxidor- I'm pretty sure you're the first person I've heard of that puts serpentinite and bricks in their soil! Lol!

I purchased 2 small plants, caudex approximately golf ball sized, and they were already half exposed - I am afraid to rebury them deeper because I heard that if you do that with Adenium the caudex that was previously exposed and then reburied will become a strange and corky texture. Does anyone know if that's the case with many / some / all caudex plants? I haven't ever tried it.

I currently have them in pure gritty mix but wondering if I should add a bit of soil to them...?

I got 5 of my seeds to germinate and they were pushing themselves out of the soil. I had to separate them due to crowding and those I definitely reburied. The little baby caudices were about the size of a pea after a few months.

I give mine soil mix not only grit,they seem to fine,but that might not work for everyone

Thanks for the photos, Nik. Looks awesome. Not sure I would be able to provide it what it needs and it would really hurt my feelings to kill it, so I'm going to admire from afar. That big one reminds me of a totem pole. Like a spirit or an elder. Seems very spiritual to me for some reason.

Tyler

For the D. Elephantipes, what type of light do you all provide? I have had mine on my succy table where it's been getting filtered lighting all Summer. Now that it's broken dormancy, I've brought it inside for a couple of reasons. 1. When the wind blows the patio umbrella spins around. I'm not sure how extensively the vine is going to grow and I don't want to risk the vine getting pinched or snapped off thereby impeding the growth of the caudex. 2. Inside, it is in a south facing window that has verticle blinds so while not constant direct sunlight, it definitely gets more direct light than when on the succulent table...if you can count sunlight through a window as "direct sunlight".

I recall reading that the vine should get as much light as possible, but the caudex needs to be kept cool.

So, what do you all do?

...and (sorry...one more thing) do you provide some type of trellis or framework as a support structure for the vine?

Thank you!

Tyler

I provide a trellis and train the vine into a circle around the support. After two weeks of vine growth, you don't need further training as it stops growing. I have my plants close to a window so they get sun for at least half of the day. I just checked the date of germination on one of my plants and it is over 24 years old - how time flies! The caudex is about 25cm diameter. The trellis is a small one about 50cm high and stuck in the pot.

WOW!!! 24years. Very cool.

Tyler

I have my seedlings in a west facing window inside and the 2 plants I bought were both outside with a little morning sun and then shaded the rest of the day with just the bright light around. Then one of them looked like it went dormant or the most part and the other is vining away, so I brought the semi-dormant looking one inside and put it in the bright west facing window.

During the winter I put therm in the room with my other succulents where I have a bunch of grow lights but I try to keep it towards an end or off to the side so the caudex isn't baking under the lights. I think it did get a little too much in one spot and it turned kind of white so I agree about the caudex needing to be out of harsh direct sun.

It sounds like both of the conditions you were providing for them are good - mine seem happy in their different spots, I guess they are pretty opportunistic that way it seems? I'm going to just watch the vine too and make sure it stays green and happy looking.

I had previously staked the vine and I will again although it is not staked at the moment - it's easier to keep it out of your way and the vine naturally wants to cling to things or it twists itself sometimes. I find the vine getting easily hung up on things if it is not staked. That may help keep it from getting caught in your umbrella.

A member of this forum (caudex1 = Keith; didn't see him posting for few years - probably busy with his pots :) grows Cyphostemma juttae and it is huge. Most photos do not show anymore on this forum, here is a thread with a photo of his plant:- cyphostemma juttae - that plant is most likely much bigger now. Some probably have seen it in shows.

I am not absolutely sure but I think he purchased it in 4" pot in 1991; grew it in a pot for few years and then in ground. In 2008 (?) it weighted 140lb...about 17 yrs or so?

This Cyphostemna at this year's Inter City show was the biggest plant I've ever seen at a C&S show. I wonder how they got it in there.

This is my C juttae last year, and this year pics, growing in a 6 inch clay pot it doubled itself.Had 4 leafs last year 3 really big ones this year.it be nice if it grew faster but its going have to stay in a pot

Well, it's been over 2 weeks and I guess my D. Elephantipes decided it only wanted to put out one leaf this year as that was all it did. Still looks healthy and green, though. Hopefully that's sufficient for the caudex and it's making the most of that one leaf and growing as best as it can.

Tyler

Yep Tyler with you on that thought, as I had many that did the same one leaf ,always next season

I wonder if putting a few granules (say about 1/4 teaspoon) of Osmocote would hurt anything. Not to attempt to push out more leaves, but just to feed it, in general. I think the gritty mix is pretty lean, as raxidor mentions above. Still early enough in the Southern Hemisphere for that, right?

Tyler

I think it would be fine ,growth in the caudex is what we want,and we ain't got forever to see it do it lol.There a strange plant to figure out sometimes

I hope Tyler doesn't mind me asking a question on her post. Wait I think this is her post;).

Tanpexoctics Willis- I was lucky enough to do a trade with a fellow Houzzer and she was nice enough to give me one of her D. elephantipes seedling. I love this plant. So do you have any tips. I'm curious of how much you water yours?

I bet Tyler don't care,cause all the info we can get on growing these is a plus.

My watering is not by schedule,I kinda go by look and feel,if the plant is actively growing, I do water more often, than one that is setting just with a few leaves, If it has no leaves and warm conditions, I will water at Least once ever couple weeks hoping for a new shoot to start.if I don't get shoot by time to pack in the room for winter there in for a dry spell lol.

My soil mix is usually pumice ,granite and organics like pine bark and with a touch of peat some perlite as well but still a fast draining mix I got around 60 plants from dime size up, most seed grown but not all, here is a nice D mexicana I got 3 weeks ago

Congrats on the new acquisition, Kara.

For sure! Please ask all the questions and post all the comments you want. Trying to learn as much as I can and actually was wanting to ask about watering myself.

I've watered a couple of times since it started vining. Before that just a sip every 2-3 weeks to try & keep the feeder roots alive, so definitely have watered more since it broke dormancy.

It's very tricky trying to find that balance, especially since mine is so young and the caudex is totally buried. No idea whatsoever how it's doing. I just hope it's ok, growing and not rotting!

I'd also like to get a D. Mexicana one day. That's a nice one.

Tyler

Thanks for the tips Tanpexotics Willis:).

I bought a D. mexicana this summer. I just cut the vine yesterday it was starting to die back. This whole caudex thing is new for me so that was a bit scary;). I bet a lot of these plants get thrown away by newbies when they go dormant;).

Your welcome and yeah I bet your right on the tossing in the trash

Oh ya one more question if you don't mind:).

How should I keep the dormant caudex? In the shade sun or inside?

I kept mine outside on my succy table under the umbrella all Summer, which is supposed to be their dormant season since they are from South Africa and supposedly perpetually on South African time. It seems to not be true for all, but was certainly true of mine. It got the heat of the Summer but only filtered sunlight.

I just bring inside and let go dormant when I bring all my other plants in for the winter here, since it gets to cold to leave outside here ,even though they are supposed to be winter growers ,if I happen to see some growth I will put in warm place under T5 and let it grow

I've watered my seedlings every time I felt the soil got dry enough that the pot felt light and they were in well draining but a good amount of organic mix. They've been fine since they were actively growing, I'm more worried about the "transition period" where at some point they prefer less water (?)...I have 2 older (but still quite young) plants that are in straight gritty mix and they also seem fine so I dunno. The seedlings like or tolerate watering well. I am considering adding some organic to the older plants and many of my other plants but just not sure. I already have to some, considering others.

I kept the older ones going last winter under grow lights and the seedlings were just getting started. Does anyone know if it's better to let them go dormant? Our winters are for sure too cold to leave little plants out there but I could leave them out of the grow light's reach if they would prefer it.

Tyler, I also have to say that I take back my wishy-washy attitude on trellising and stand firmly on the pro side of trellising - I turned my back for a minute and my vines got unruly, tangled themselves and latched on to other plants. I had a roll of wire that was just a nice enough gauge to bend into a U shape and stick right in the pots, making a beautiful, sturdy little arched trellis for my D's.

Kara, from what I understand the caudex doesn't really like / benifit from the sun at all, only the vine. So I would say it is not necessary to keep it in sun unless possibly that is for warmth? Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

TanP - nice Mexicana! And on the eliphantipes am I reading your post right that you have 8 month old seedlings that are the size of a half dollar?? Please, please elaborate if I read that correctly!

hoovb - that D at the Huntington is absolutely jaw dropping, WOW.

Thanks, elucas. I'll keep my eyes peeled for some suitable wire for next year. Since mine decided that it only wanted to put out one leaf, training the vine around one chop stick is as far as we got. Since my concern about the vine wrapping itself around the patio table umbrella was clearly unfounded, I put it back outside on my succy table. I think I'll be able to water it better there since there is greater airflow and the substrate will dry out more quickly than when it was inside the house for these past few weeks

Tyler

Elucas that is correct on size of some of the seedlings .some of them out did the others by leaps and bounds.havnt figured out why either lol .they all grow in a gritty organic type mix.any that is growing now will be under grow light this winter .they pretty much rest when they want to for me it seems .

I am quite new, sowed the seeds of dioscorea slyvatica and dioscorea elephantipes.... The dioscorea slyvatica sowed 3 weeks ago is growing good.

But dioscorea elephantipes sowed less then 2 weeks ago is still not sprouting. I think in my hot zone, it is not cool enough for them to germinate. It is 23c in day and 15c in night with very heavy and dense fog and dew.

Dioscorea slyvatica is going great, so I am hopeful. Out of 25 seedlings about 11 already germinated. I checked others and some have sprouted roots meaning they would germinate in few days.

I am using about 60 percent pumice with leaf mould and compost in equal quantity. It is working fine, drains instantly and didn't stay wet so I am quite hopeful.

Please share your progress when you start. There is so less information about dioscorea online, we must help each other from our experience.