Ceropegia Species, African Hats, Milkweed, Queen of the Namib

Central Phoenix -- Despite having success with many various Stapeliads, I cannot seem to get Hoodia gordonii to survive in my garden. It...Read More always succumbs to rot in mid-summer, although only getting water variously from every other week to once a month. Here in the center of Phoenix the heat is high and nights stay warmer than surrounding areas. We are in a flood irrigation area and there are lots of large trees, so that humidity is relatively high for Phoenix. That combination of higher heat and humidity seem to be deadly to many succulents.

In Orange County, California, this plant does quite well underneath some shade netting of at least 20%. Note that if you buy this plant f...Read Morerom a nursery that grew the plant in full direct sunlight, then no shade netting is necessary, as it would have gotten acclimated to full sun. It does well in our mild winters that never quite get as low as 30F. Do, however, provide protection from long periods of rain.

Per Jan Emming owner of the Destination:Forever Ranch and Gardens, a 40 acre desert botanical garden and sustainable living homestead in ...Read Morethe Arizona desert with a nursery:

Hoodia gordonii is one of the many succulent Asclepiads, which are milkweed relatives, found in Southern Arica. Hoodia went through a surge of popularity in the mid and late 2000s when it was proven that a chemical in the stems of the plants was capable of acting like an appetite suppressant. This led to a fad in the diet industry and the establishment of farms of Hoodia gordonii, but I am not sure of whether this new-found popularity has been sustained over time. The San People (often referred to as Bushmen, which is now considered to be a bit of a pejorative reference to the San) knew about the appetite-reducing properties of Hoodia long ago. They used the plants for that precise purpose to endure long treks at food-poor times of year while hunting, specifically to keep hunger pangs at bay.

Best results after numerous germination experiments: Use a medium of 1 part coarse sand and 1 part good sterile potting mulch containing ...Read Morepeat, leaf mold, or similar. Use a large container with clear top (bread pan works well) gravel in bottom for drainage. Make sure medium is uniformly moist and place seeds on top of medium but in good contact. Also good luck if seeds are half buried. Moisten daily with sprayer. Adequate light is needed. Will germinate in 3-7 days. Germinating on paper towel will work but transplant is tricky and damage is frequent. Also, DO NOT LET THEM DRY OUT for the first 4 weeks or they will become very spindly. Here is how you can accelerate growth: Grow light them 24/7. Keep container covered to allow light in but retain moisture. Warm the container with a heating pad or put on top of refrigerator.about 80F is great. I use an old waterbed heater on my germinating shelf. Most seeds germinate in 2-4 days this way. Occasional dryout is OK but mostly keep them damp for the first 6-9 months. Please post your experience good/bad so we can all learn.