Braunsia maximiliani: Care and Propagation Guide

Also called Lampranthus maximiliani or Beads Lampranthus, Braunsia maximiliani is a flowering succulent that is native to South Africa.

Belonging to the Aizoaceae family, the plant has trailing branches that grow to a length of up to 7 inches. It has 1 cm-long boat-shaped, grayish-green-colored fused leaves and produces large, pink-colored blooms.

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How to Care for Braunsia maximiliani

A very easy-to-grow succulent, the Braunsia maximiliani grows well in desert gardens in places with a warm climate. And, in places where it is too hardy, the plant thrives in greenhouses or it can even be grown indoors on your sunny windowsill.

Light

The Braunsia maximiliani plant needs adequate sunlight to grow well and thrive. The plant does well in bright, shaded conditions during the summer and in other seasons, it needs full sunlight.

The plant does best when grown outdoors rather than indoors. Avoid placing the plant in direct, harsh sunlight as this can cause it to get sunburned, which appears on the plant as areas of dry tissue.

The plant does not do very well if kept in the shade. It will have weak branches and will not bloom. Lack of sufficient sunlight will cause the leaves of the succulent to be smaller and the stems to be stretched.

In cold weather conditions, the Braunsia maximiliani plant can be grown indoors, but you must keep the plant near a bright windowsill, where it receives plenty of sunlight.

Watering

Braunsia maximiliani requires moderate water during its growing season, i.e., between late fall and early spring. The plant does well when it is kept dry for the rest of the time.

The plant must be watered only when the top layer of the soil is completely dry. Overwatering the plant will cause root rot and may even cause the plant to die.

Insufficient watering can cause the tips of the shoots to droop and leaves to be wrinkled.

Soil

Braunsia maximiliani grows well in porous, well-draining soil. You can use light permeable succulent soil with some sand added to it. You can make your own soil mix by using 1 part soil, 1 part leaf soil and 1 part perlite or coarse sand.

Fertilizing

The Braunsia maximiliani plant does not require fertilization during its growth cycle. During early summer, you can feed the plant some slow-release fertilizer, although it is fine even if you don’t fertilize it.

Avoid fertilizing the Braunsia maximiliani when it is in its dormancy period, as the plant will not be able to absorb the nutrients and this can damage its growth.

Climate

The Braunsia maximiliani plant can tolerate very high heat and it can even tolerate some frost. The plant grows well in temperatures between 20°F to 50°F (-6.7°C to 10°C).

The plant is very hardy to 23°F (-5°C) or even lower temperatures if the condition is very dry. The plant grows in the USDA Hardiness Zones 9a to 11b.

Pests and Diseases

The Braunsia maximiliani plant is mostly affected by pests such as downy mildew and mealybugs. Overwatering the plant can cause root rot and also cause the leaves of the plant to turn yellow and drop.

Pruning

The Braunsia maximiliani plant does not require pruning. But pruning the branches can keep the plant looking tidy.

Potting and Repotting

It is recommended to repot the Braunsia maximiliani plant with new soil after a year or after it has doubled its size. By this time, your plant would have outgrown the pot and the nutrients in the soil would have depleted.

Propagating Braunsia maximiliani

The Braunsia maximiliani can be propagated easily by seeds, offsets or cuttings.

From Cuttings

To propagate the Braunsia maximiliani plant from cuttings, firstly, using a clean and sharp pair of scissors or knife, cut a leaf from the mother plant.

Wait for a few days until the leaf develops a callous and only then replant it. Plant the leaf in a well-draining soil mix. Water the new plant when the soil dries out completely.

From Offsets

You can propagate the Braunsia maximiliani from offsets; however, before you can do this, you may have to wait for several years before the main plant produces an offset.

When the main plant produces an offset, using a sharp knife, remove the offset from the main plant.

Clean the excess soil from the offset. Wait for a few days until the offset calluses before replanting it. Plant the offset in a well-draining soil mix.

From Seeds

Braunsia maximiliani is a slow-growing succulent and although you can propagate it by seeds, generally, this method is not recommended.

To propagate the Braunsia maximiliani from seeds, the seeds must be planted in well-draining soil. Propagating from seeds is a preferred method when you’re growing the plant outdoors in warm places.

In cooler places, it is recommended to propagate the plant indoors. Water the new plant when the soil dries out completely.