Cotyledon orbiculata var. flanaganii is an erect, succulent shrub up to 34 inches (75 cm) tall. The leaves are spirally arranged, powdery gray-green and up to 6 inches (15 cm) long. The bell-shaped, orange to orange-red flowers are small, up to 1.2 inches (3 cm) long, and droop from the top of up to 9 inches (22.5 cm) tall stalk during summer.

How to Grow and Care

Cotyledons can be divided into two groups. One group consists of evergreen plants with a summer growing period. The other group is made up of deciduous plants, splendidly magnificent with large, solid fleshy stems. The second group grows during the winter, and sheds its leaves during the summer.

Cotyledons require a free-draining gritty mix and plenty of sun. They are tolerant of cool, frost-free conditions during the winter if kept dry. Some require pruning to maintain an attractive shape.

Cotyledons should be kept in a sunny position. Follow general succulent watering procedures. Be careful of over-watering when they are deciduous.

As succulents go, Cotyledons certainly are rewarding garden and indoor subjects, practically independent of irrigation in all but full desert conditions, though they cannot survive poor light or bad drainage in the wet.

Feed it once or twice during the growing season with a fertilizer specifically formulated for cactus and succulents (poor in nitrogen), including all micro nutrients and trace elements diluted to ½ the strength recommended on the label.