Characteristics
It is an erect herb. It has succulent stems with thorns. It grows 25 cm high. It has 20 or more stems. There are 1-4 flowers in a group. The corolla in bent and red or purple inside. The thorns are near the tip of the plant are often are blown off in the wind.
| Life form |
perennial
|
| Growth form |
-
|
| Growth support |
free-standing
|
| Foliage retention |
-
|
| Sexuality |
hermaphrodite
|
| Pollination |
-
|
| Spread |
-
|
| Mature width (meter) |
-
|
| Mature height (meter) |
0.23 - 0.28
|
| Root system |
-
|
| Rooting depth (meter) |
-
|
| Root diameter (meter) |
-
|
| Flower color |
|
| Blooming months |
-
|
| Fruit color |
-
|
| Fruiting months |
-
|
| Nitrogen fixer |
-
|
| Photosynthetic pathway |
-
|
Environment
It is a tropical plant. It grows in places that are hot and arid. It grows in places with a marked dry season. The dry season can be 6-11 months. It is usually on stony or rocky ground. In southern Africa it grows between 10-100 m above sea level. It grows on the coastal mist belt in Namibia. It is usually within 80 km of the coast. It can grow in arid places.
| Light |
-
|
| Soil humidity |
-
|
| Soil texture |
-
|
| Soil acidity |
-
|
| Soil nutriment |
-
|
| Hardiness (USDA) |
|
Usage
The stems are eaten raw as a vegetable after the spines are removed. They are bitter. They are also used for drinks. Pieces of the stem are added to sugar water to make a drink.
Cultivation
| Mode |
-
|
| Germination duration (days) |
-
|
| Germination temperacture (C°) |
-
|
| Germination luminosity |
-
|
| Germination treatment |
-
|
| Minimum temperature (C°) |
-
|
| Optimum temperature (C°) |
-
|
| Size |
-
|
| Vigor |
-
|
| Productivity |
-
|
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