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Pedilanthus macrocarpus (Slipper Plant) - An unusual and attractive slow growing succulent plant that remains mostly leafless, or with tiny, inconspicuous leaves. Instead of leaves it has erect 1/2-inch-thick lime-green photosynthetic stems that rise up to 3 feet tall, sometimes taller in the shade, arching or bending outwards under their own weight. The stems are tapered like a candle near the tips and covered by a waxy substance known as Candelilla, which means "little candle". The plant spreads slowly outwards with new stems emerging from below ground to form tight clumps to 3 feet wide. In mid-summer into fall (in the desert people note in spring as well) the unusual orange-red slipper-shaped flowers, which are also described as bird shaped, appear along the stems and are often followed by reddish fruit.
Plant in full sun in cool coastal climates but looks best if given some light shade in hot inland climates. Requires very little irrigation even in containers where watering every 2 to 3 weeks is sufficient. Plants are hardy to short durations temperatures to the mid 20°s F but do best in near frost free gardens and can suffer stem tip damage below 30 F. This plant makes a great container plant in warm climates but can also grow well in the garden and when used for mass plantings along a wall or in a raised bed it can make a dramatic statement. Hummingbirds are attracted by the nectar-rich flowers.
Pedilanthus macrocarpus comes from the Sonoran Desert of northwestern Mexico, including central Baja California and Sonora. The name Pedilanthus comes from the Greek words 'pedil' meaning "shoe" and 'anthos' meaning "flower" in reference to the shoe-shaped flower structures that some members of the genus have and the specific epithet comes from the Latin words 'macro' meaning "large" and 'carpa' meaning "fruit".
There were 15 species found from Mexico and South America that in the genus Pedilanthus. It is closely related and often included with the genus Euphorbia - when it is included in that genus the name Euphorbia lomelii has been used for Pedilanthus macrocarpus because of the previous existence of a plant named Euphorbia macrocarpa. Other common names include Lady's Slipper, Gallito and Candelilla though this latter name is more commonly used for Euphorbia antisyphilitica. We have frown this plant since 2008 and also grow the larger Pedilanthus bracteatus and the smaller Pedilanthus cymbiferus.
The information displayed on this page about Pedilanthus macrocarpus is based on the research we conducted about it in our nursery horticultural library as well as from information provided by reliable online resources. We also include some of our own observations made about this plant as it grows in the nursery gardens and other gardens that we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in the containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we have received from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information that will aid others to better grow it.
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