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| Category: Succulent |
| Family: Aizoaceae (Ice Plants) |
| Origin: South Africa (Africa) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Flower Color: Mauve |
| Bloomtime: Spring/Summer |
| Synonyms: [Mesembryanthemum uncinatum] |
| Height: <1 foot |
| Width: Spreading |
| Exposure: Full Sun |
| Summer Dry: Yes |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 25-30° F |
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Ruschia uncinata (Doringvygie) - A mat forming winter growing succulent to 1 foot tall and spreading several feet wide with interesting leafless gray-green rounded stems that have small opposite pointed nodes that alternate 90 degrees from one set to the next ever 1/2 to 1 inch. In spring it produces 1/2 inch wide pinkish purple flowers that have petals that radiate outwards along the edge but are erect in the middle of the flower, surrounding the reproductive parts, in what is often described as a crown. Plant in full to part sun in a well-drained soil and irrigate occasionally to very little. A very nice container or landscaping plant that will quickly form a large solid mat. This plant comes from the Great Karoo and Vanrhynsdorp in the Western Cape in South Africa north in Namibia. Our thanks to Santa Barbara Doctor Dan Ovadia for giving us this unusual plant and to John Bleck for helping us identify it. The genus was named after Ernst Rusch (1867-1957), whose farm called Lichtenstein was near Windhoek in Namibia. This genus has in the past been included with Mesembryanthemum and there have been nomenclatural name changes recently with some Ruschia being moved to Antimima based on the shape of the fruit. The very similar looking Smicrostigma viride seems to not have the crown in the middle of the flower.
This information about Ruschia uncinata displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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