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| Category: Succulent |
| Family: Aizoaceae (Ice Plants) |
| Origin: South Africa (Africa) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Flower Color: Yellow |
| Bloomtime: Summer |
| Synonyms: [Mesembryanthemum agninum, Agnirictus aginus] |
| Height: <1 foot |
| Width: Spreading |
| Exposure: Full Sun |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 20-25° F |
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Stomatium agninum (Lamb's Tongue) - This succulent from the Cape Province of South Africa has dull green rhombodial leaves with rough dots and soft teeth near the tips and are grouped 6 to 8 in opposite pairs. Large bright yellow flowers can appear in leaf axils in summer if plant is stressed - more often this plant does not bloom. Plant in full sun to light shade in a well-drained soil and water only ocassionally. Makes an excellent dense groundcover for a rock garden or mixed succulent planting. The name of the genus comes from the Greek word 'stomation' meaning "open mouth" in reference to the pairs of toothed leaf pairs that resemble a wide open mouth. The specific epithet is from the Latin word 'agninus' meaning "of a lamb or "fleecy", likely referring to its texture. This name carries over to the few common names we have uncovered such as Lamb's Tongue and Lamb's-chop. It is endemic to the Eastern Cape province of South Africa and has previously been called Mesembryanthemum agninum and Agnirictus aginus. We received this plant as an unidentified mesemb from Tony Dinuzzo of Tony's Cactus Garden Nursery in Buellton, CA where he had large patches of this plant growing out in the open in full sun and winter temperatures to 20 F. We thought it was Faucaria or a species of Rabiea but finally got a plant to Steven Hammer who identified it as Stomatium agninum. He also noted that this plant was rather shy to bloom and that it can be very gray to almost silver when grown very dry. We have been growing this great plant since 2003.
The information on this page is based on the research that we have conducted about this plant in the San Marcos Growers library, from what we have found on reliable online sources, as well as from observations made of our crops of this plant growing in the nursery and of plants growing in the nursery's garden and those in other gardens where we may have observed it. We also have incorporated comments received from others and welcome getting feedback from those who may have additional information, particularly if this information includes cultural information that would aid others in growing Stomatium agninum. |
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