I recently visited the Getty Museum in LA while visiting family back
home in the US. I admit to snipping a small bit of ice plant from the
walkway to their cactus garden. Really amazing place, if you have not
been and are in LA, go.

I managed to hold onto the iceplant in a glass of water for 2 weeks
before getting back to Malaysia and transplanting it. It looked like
it was going to make it but wilted up and died sadly after another 2
weeks. The bottom of them stem rotted and it went up from there. In
retrospect I should have not kept it in water..

I bought a house here and want to do the landscaping with succulents
and cactus. I love the way the Senecio Mandraliscae looks. I had never
seen it before visiting the Getty.

My question is -can I get seeds for this ? or can it only be grown
from cutting, if so where ? Also does anyone see a reason why it won't
grow here in Malaysia.

Plenty of sun, temp is always around 85, no seasons. Rains hard every
day for about 10 minutes then dries off quickly when the sun comes
back out. The sun here is INTENSE, I see other cactus/ succulents
growing well here though.

I have not seen ice plant here yet so I am thinking that there might
be a good reason for this- or maybe they just don't know about it.
Begonias were only introduced a few years ago and now they are
everywhere.

Thanks in advance for you replies.

-Anthony

anthony_eu writes:

Plenty of sun, temp is always around 85, no seasons. Rains hard every
day for about 10 minutes then dries off quickly when the sun comes
back out. The sun here is INTENSE, I see other cactus/ succulents
growing well here though.

The large leafed succulents usually grow that way as a method for water
storage, because rainfall is not common in their native habitat. All sorts of
them grow in California. It was a common method of erosion control to plant a
bank of it. Some of the delicate varieties have tiny leaves too. But back to
the water problem, some of them don't like wet feet. They are just not built
for that. You might have succeeded if you had not kept the specimen wet. They
usually like to dry out a bit before you plant them. Or at least they can stand
that treatment easily. Cultivating them is usually just putting the cut end
into dirt, which gets wet irregularly and they thrive. Maybe if you protected
the plant by keeping it inside, and they always tell you if they need a drink.



David Giunti email: unity
What is the question? Gertrude Stein's last words
No one mouth is big enough to utter the whole thing. Alan Watts

On Display in the UK http://www.web-gallery.co.uk

Most succulents would not do well in the constantly hot, humid and wet
climate, obviously because they are adapted to a dry climate with seasonal
changes.

The few succulents that will do well in Malaysia are the tropical ones
adapted to the climate or can tolerate it. Many of the ones that can grow in
your climate never bloom because you are so close to the equator and do not
experience the seasonal variation needed to trigger flowering. Note that the
majority of succulent plants species are found closest to the tropics of
Cancer and Capricorn, far from the equator.

Never keep succulent cuttings in water. They should be rooted in moist sand.


anthony_eu wrote in message
om...
I recently visited the Getty Museum in LA while visiting family back
home in the US. I admit to snipping a small bit of ice plant from the
walkway to their cactus garden. Really amazing place, if you have not
been and are in LA, go.

I managed to hold onto the iceplant in a glass of water for 2 weeks
before getting back to Malaysia and transplanting it. It looked like
it was going to make it but wilted up and died sadly after another 2
weeks. The bottom of them stem rotted and it went up from there. In
retrospect I should have not kept it in water..

I bought a house here and want to do the landscaping with succulents
and cactus. I love the way the Senecio Mandraliscae looks. I had never
seen it before visiting the Getty.

My question is -can I get seeds for this ? or can it only be grown
from cutting, if so where ? Also does anyone see a reason why it won't
grow here in Malaysia.

Plenty of sun, temp is always around 85, no seasons. Rains hard every
day for about 10 minutes then dries off quickly when the sun comes
back out. The sun here is INTENSE, I see other cactus/ succulents
growing well here though.

I have not seen ice plant here yet so I am thinking that there might
be a good reason for this- or maybe they just don't know about it.
Begonias were only introduced a few years ago and now they are
everywhere.

Thanks in advance for you replies.

-Anthony

I plan to grow the blue chalk sticks in a well draining elavated
planter box and let them cascade down around. Wet feet should not be a
problem if the planter soild mix is right. Any suggestions for hot wet
climate ? I am still wondering if it is possible to get seeds and if
so where.

Thanks for your suggestions, next time I won't try to root them in
water Live and learn.