15 Unique Types of Aloinopsis Succulents [With Pictures]
Aloinopsis is a genus of ice plants native to South Africa. Aloinopsis species are indigenous to arid areas straddling the borders of the Western, Eastern, and Northern Cape provinces of South Africa. The majority of species are found in areas with arid winter rainfall. In the far northeastern corner of the Northern Cape, there is an outlying species.
A close relationship exists between this genus and Titanopsis, Deilanthe, and Nananthus. The root system of the Aloinopsis species is tuberous, and they are sometimes cultivated for their looks. In addition, they produce more “heads” when raised. Aloinopsis grow best in winter and can suffer from too much water during the summer.
Some dwarf species of Aloe are similar in appearance to the genus Aloinopsis, which means ‘aloe-like’.
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1,000 Types of Succulents With Pictures
Contents
Types of Aloinopsis Succulents
Aloinopsis acuta
Aloinopsis acuta is a mat-forming succulent that is named for the acute tips of the leaves. Leaves’ surface is rough, probably to minimize water loss through stomata transpiration. Flowers are yellow.
Aloinopsis aloides
Aloinopsis aloides is a very low succulent, belonging to the Aizoaceae, and has a stout, tuberous rootstock with closely-set dark green, pointed leaves with white warts. It grows in a tuft like a little aloe, eventually closing in to form a mat covered with small daisy-like yellow flowers.
Aloinopsis loganii
Aloinopsis loganii is one of the lesser-known Aloinopsis species. These are very rare in nature.
Aloinopsis luckhoffii
Aloinopsis luckhoffii is one of the innumerable and controversial forms and varieties of the very variable Aloinopsis luckhoffii complex that comprises several species which have received numerous names. On one hand, the complex Aloinopsis setifera distinguishes for the extremely long hairy elongated warts, while at the other extreme of the scale Aloinopsis villetii has only very shortly raised warts.
Aloinopsis luckhoffii exhibits well-developed warts intermediate in length between the former two.
Aloinopsis malherbei
Aloinopsis malherbei is a cryptic perennial succulent with flat, bluish-gray, fan-like, spatulate leaves similar in shape and texture to Aloinopsis spathulata and Titanopsis calcarea. All these species have blunt tips to their leaves, which are densely covered with prominent white tubercles.
Clumps of these plants thus resemble the limestone outcrops amongst which they grow. In the wild, these plants are often overblown by fine soil, leaving only the leaf margins visible.
Aloinopsis orpenii
Aloinopsis orpenii is a low, multi-branching, mat-forming species with compact succulent rosettes of 2-4 pairs of leaves.
Aloinopsis peersii
Aloinopsis peersii is a low-growing succulent that forms small rosettes 2-4 cm in diameter or more. Its leaves are silky, pearly grey, and spathulate up to 25 mm long. It flowers in the night and morning (between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m).
Aloinopsis rosulata
Aloinopsis rosulata is a low-growing succulent plant with a rosette of thick leathery, spathulate (pug-like) leaves arising from a thick tap root up to 4 cm in diameter, the whole plant will only rice to 10 cm across. It is a winter grower and produces pale pink flowers sporting red midline stripes.
Aloinopsis rubrolineata
Aloinopsis rubrolineata is a low multi-branching, mat-forming mesemb, that will eventually form large caudex in time. Its leaves are thick, dark olive green, tongue-like, finely warty and textured that form low rosettes. It produces golden with red midstripe flowers in winter.
Aloinopsis schooneesii
Aloinopsis schooneesii is a highly succulent mesemb forming dense mats of clustered rosettes. Its leaves are thick, small knob-like, dark blue-green, finely warty and textured that form low rosettes. It produces blooms that are daisy-like, silky, yellowish bronze with a file darker line at the center of each petal and quite large compared to the tiny leaves.
Aloinopsis setifera
Aloinopsis setifera is one of the innumerable and controversial forms or varieties of the very variable Aloinopsis luckhoffii complex that comprises several species which have received numerous names.
On one hand, the complex Aloinopsis setifera distinguishes for the extremely long hairy elongated warts, while at the other extreme of the scale Aloinopsis villetii has only very shortly raised warts. Aloinopsis luckhoffii exhibits well-developed warts intermediate in length between the former two.
Aloinopsis spathulata
Aloinopsis spathulata is a mat-forming succulent with blue-grey, tightly held, rounded leaves with prominent warts. It grows up to 2 inches tall with a spread of 12 inches. Flowers are bright pink, aster-like, and hover just above the foliage in early spring.
Aloinopsis thudichumii
Aloinopsis thudichumii is a low-growing succulent that forms small rosettes 2-4 cm in diameter or more. Its leaves are silky, pearly grey, and spathulate up to 25 mm long. It flowers late in the afternoon (between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m).
Aloinopsis villetii
Aloinopsis villetii is one of the innumerable and controversial forms or varieties of the very variable Aloinopsis luckhoffii complex that comprises several species which have received numerous names.
On one hand, the complex Aloinopsis setifera distinguishes for the extremely long hairy elongated warts, while at the other extreme of the scale Aloinopsis villetii has only very shortly raised warts. Aloinopsis luckhoffii exhibits well-developed warts intermediate in length between the former two.
Aloinopsis vittata
Aloinopsis vittata is a low, multi-branching, wrinkled, plant forming a mat with thick fleshy olive-green to dark green leaves arranged in low rosettes and carrot-like roots, which will eventually form large caudex in time.
It grows up to 4 inches (10 cm) tall. Leaves are ovate to lanceolate, up to 12 inches (30 cm) long, and up to 0.4 inches (1 cm) wide. The daisy-like flowers are yellow with a red stripe down the middle of each petal, up to 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter, and appear in winter. It is very cold hardy.
How to Care for Aloinopsis
It is not particularly difficult to care for Aloinopsis but it can get a little complicated because it has its growing period in the winter, when all your other succulents are dormant.
However, they are pretty adaptive. Novice gardeners won’t find it too difficult to keep a Aloinopsis alive. Here’s how you can care for them:
Light
They need a lot of sunlight to grow. You can expose them to full sunlight. It depends on the climate in your area, but these succulents are used to the hot summers of Africa and can easily tolerate the milder climate in America.
Watering
They don’t need too much water, like most succulents. Since they are active during the winter, they need to be watered more frequently when the temperature is low. September onwards, you will need to water it once every 4-5 days.
Follow the same rule you do for all succulents—flood the pot with water and let it drain out. Water again only when the soil is dry.
Soil
Use a quick-draining succulent soil mix for Aloinopsis. Add perlite to avoid water retention and enhance drainage. Like all succulents, drainage is extremely important. Water retention can cause rotting and fungal growth.
You need to repot often. This succulent tends to grow horizontally, so as soon as all the ground is covered, it will need a new pot to continue growing.
Fertilizing
You can add fertilizer about once a month. Choose a well-balanced fertilizer like 20-20-20.
Organic and slow-release liquid fertilizers usually work well for Aloinopsis. Adding loamy compost to the soil is also beneficial and increases the nutrient content of the soil.
Climate
As it is active in winter, it is quite cold-hardy. If you experience mild winters, you can even place it outdoors. However, if the temperature reaches the freezing point, move the plant indoors.
Pests and Diseases
Fortunately, you don’t have to worry about diseases with Aloinopsis. It is a robust plant and is not susceptible to diseases that usually plague succulents.
Pest management is also very simple, as mealybugs are the only pests attracted to this succulent. If you see a fuzzy white growth in the nooks and crannies of the plant, immediately quarantine it to protect it from other plants in your home.
Remove the damaged leaves and use a pesticide on the rest of the plant to make sure there are no viable eggs left. If the succulent is heavily infested, it might be best to just get rid of the plant as mealybugs can be very persistent.
How to Propagate Aloinopsis
Aloinopsis succulents can be propagated from both seeds and cuttings. For best results, propagate this plant in early autumn.
If you are propagating by seeds, prepare a potting mix similar to that of the adult plant and place it in a wide and shallow container. Leave about half an inch of space from the top, do not fill the container to the top.
Moisten the soil by misting it with water. Place all the seeds on top of the soil (you don’t need to bury them). Now cover the container with a plastic wrap or glass cover to trap the moisture without avoiding sunlight.
The germination process should start in a few weeks. Be very gentle with the plants because they are very delicate for almost a year.
If you are growing these succulents from cuttings, use clean tools and make precise cuts. Let the cuts heal and then plant them in a well-draining succulent mix. Water every week or until the soil is completely dry. New buds should sprout in a couple of weeks.