The Corpuscularia lehmannii “Ice plant ” with fleshy leaves that grow on stems of a quite thick reddish color.
This genus belongs to the Aizoaceae family, a group that has a good amount of curious plants, all succulent and cheerful flowering.
They are native to Africa, mainly South Africa.
It forms a dense layer of interesting plump leaves that grow on long and thick stems, both are a good store of liquid reserves, so the plant has a good disposition to a possible drought.
The leaves and stems are greenish-gray, although due to the incidence of direct sun they can become partially reddish.
The stems grow in a creeping way, so it is easy to cover the edge of the pot or container giving the specimen a very colorful appearance.
It must be located in areas where you can receive a great abundance of light, even better with a few hours of sunshine a day, provided it is not in the power plants where the sun is too vigorous and can burn the foliage.
It needs the waterings to be moderate, in this plant it is easy to know when it needs to be watered since the leaves wrinkle when it is lacking in water, returning to its normal state once it is watered.
It blooms in summer, the flowers are small, with a multitude of fine yellow petals, the hue decreases as they age.
During spring and summer, it is paid with a special cactus fertilizer added to the irrigation water, once a month will be enough.
It reproduces quite simply using cuttings of cuttings, which must be introduced into a sandy mixture of a cactus substrate.
Tips to take care of the Corpuscularia lehmannii “Ice Plant”
Illumination
Located outside: The Corpuscularia lehmannii grateful to be in the sun, so it is ideal to put the plant in full sun when it is planted in the extreme. But it can also grow without any problem.
Located inside: as mentioned above, the Corpuscularia lehmannii likes direct sun, and for this reason, it is important that if the plant is inside, locate it in an area where it receives enough sunlight so that the succulent can have the best possible growth and grow very pretty
Substratum
Located outside: They prefer poor soil of nutrients and organic matter and especially Corpuscularia lehmannii needs a porous substrate, which has excellent drainage and aeration. If you plant your Crassula rupestris directly in the garden, a specific substrate is not needed, as long as it is porous, has good drainage and low in nutrients:
Located in the interior: when we plant the Corpuscularia lehmannii in the interior if it is important to have a good substrate and with good drainage, since it does not receive direct sunlight the substrate takes longer to dry, and if the soil is kept very wet or With water pools, the roots of the plant can rot.
For this reason, cactus-specific substrates are the most suitable, since they also contain high doses of magnesium. You can also use a universal culture substrate mixed with perlite in equal parts
Irrigation
Watering them in excess is the biggest mistake usually made with succulents.
Too much water, and above all, a caked and poorly drained substrate provide the appearance of fungi and the death of the plant.
From October to May they should be irrigated with a small amount of water, depending on the geographical area, weather, and rainfall.
Before watering it is essential to check that the substrate is dry.
Located outside: in summer and spring times it is important to pour enough water to the plant (especially in summer) since the substrate dries faster by heat.
But despite this it is important that between irrigation and irrigation, make sure that the substrate is completely dry. In winter and autumn times you have to be more careful when watering the plant, because the substrate takes longer to dry.
Therefore, you should not water the plant in excess, and leave the plant with the substrate completely dry before re-watering the plant, to avoid the appearance of fungi or root rot.
Located inside: if the Corpuscularia lehmannii is located inside it is ideal to water it until the excess water begins to flow out of the hole at the bottom of the pot.
Being located inside the substrate takes longer to dry, especially in winter, so it is not necessary to pour too much water when watering.
And as if it were located inside, you should expect that between irrigation and irrigation, the substrate will dry completely, especially in winter and autumn seasons.
Fertilizer
Succulents do not show great nutritional needs. Only those that come in a pot can require fertilization, although always with care, and especially to stimulate the flowering of the succulent.
It is advisable to use specific fertilizers for cacti and succulents from March to September, and always apply them on the moistened substrate, respecting the dose and frequency indicated on the package.
Temperature
Located outside: Corpuscularia lehmannii can withstand cold and weak frost up to -2 ° C, but being outside they need to be protected against hail.
Located inside: as mentioned above, the Corpuscularia Lehmann supports frost up to -2ºC. As the plant is inside, there is no need to be careful with slush and frost, just do not locate the plant in places where it receives strong winds and thus prevents it from dying.
Diseases
Regardless of whether the plant is inside or outside, the greatest threat of plant disease comes from excess water in the substrate and / or a humid, poorly ventilated and cold atmosphere, a lot of shade, Also the plant can suffer burns in its leaves produced by the sun, excess of dryness and heat.
To avoid rot after rains it is advisable to treat them with Funcida Copper Cuper Plus (preventive) or Triadimenol 25% 20 CC Blangueta (systematic, preventive and curative). But this is only necessary if the plant is located outside.
Plantation or transplant
The best time to transplant Corpuscularia lehmannii is in spring. If the succulent plant is in a pot, it is important to change the pot every 2-3 years for a larger pot.
If the plant is planted directly in the garden, transplantation is not necessary.
If in the garden area where I plant the succulent plant, it is left without enough space to grow or the substrate is scarce, if it is good to transplant it to an area where the Corpuscularia lehmannii can grow better.
Propagation
In general, each succulent leaf is capable of forming a new plant. That is why the best way to spread Corpuscularia lehmannii is by stem or leaf cuttings, and the best time to do so is in spring-summer.