This is my summer flower surprise - a blooming Moss Rose. I had thought they were history after last winter’s freeze. But I was wrong!
M first spotted the young mysterious plant in the Meyer Improved Lemon tree pot. We wondered whether we should pull it out since it’s probably weed. Then we both decided to keep it and just see what kind of plant it would become. And I’m glad we kept it, as it made for a nice surprise.
This is an update on one of my flowering succulents.
I had mistaken them as vygies, when they are really a part of the ice plant family. The correct names are Baby Sun Rose or aptenia. Scientific name: Aptenia cordifolia.
This year I had to cut them back because it was growing too fast.
This variety with red flowers has become widely used as an ornamental plants. They are used as popular ground cover in really hot places such as Arizona. I sometimes see aptenia used as ground covers or grown around city sidewalks.
This photo was taken last year. Aptenia is a trailing perennial that requires very little water. Aptenia are native to southern Africa.
It’s a hardy plant that can stand temperatures as low as 23°F (-5°C). We had temperatures as low as 32 °F last winter and I forgot to cover them up. And they didn’t seem to be effected by the freeze at all. Unlike the Moss Rose, those did not survive the California winter.
Aptenias are so easy to grow. I just took a few cuttings and stick them to some good potting soil. Within a few months they start to grow new stems and leaves. They seem to want to thrive in any type of conditions.
