Cotyledon sinus alexander - Single Plant Repotted

I was holding this one separately from the other group - just in case something 'happened'. As the others are doing well, I figured it was time to repot this one as well.

 

Red 25 glazed small pot. Works well!

New Pot for the Cotyledon sinus alexander

I've had these plants for quite some time now (relatively speaking - at or nearly a year). They've had their ups and downs and I broke up the cluster originally to help them recover from shipping stress (they got shaken up pretty well crossing the Pacific) and to see how quickly they grew. They definitely have a growing season (late in the calendar year after the heat of summer has passed), but I still have a lot to learn about these plants. Seeing that they've stabilized and are somewhat in a status quo mode (no growing, no leaf shedding), I figured it would be a good time to consolidate the clumps again. I made this pot just for this purpose - low and wider (I've got something similar in mind for my two Fenestaria). I used a lot of gritty material for the planting media - some turface, granite grit, aquarium sand, and added a little amount Black Gold cactus mix (peat and pumice) for organics. This is fast draining, but holds onto a little of the water through the capillary effect of the smaller sized media grains. from the reading I've done, the next thing to expect from these plants is a leaf shed, followed by stem growth and flowering. I'm sure that was written of plants grown in a climate with larger margins (real seasonal shifts), so I expect any changes to be more subtle (like these will not lose all of their leaves before the stems grow out more). Lastly, I did leave one cluster out of this planting just to make sure all my "eggs" are not in one basket. I'll post more when there are changes.

Cotyledon sinus-alexandrii flowering

Flowers everywhere this month! Even on this recently transplanted Cotyledon.

Cotyledon sinus alexander

This is another of the plants I got in my order from www.succulent.us - the Cotyledon sinus alexander. This specimen arrived in good condition with only a few leaves knocked loose from the shipping transit. It is the second specimen I have (I ordered another one a few months back). The first one had a rougher ride and lost a higher percentage of its leaves. I did manage to prune it and plant the cuttings and fallen leaves. Those are now sending out new leaves. I've been challenged by this species trying to find the right combination of light, watering and planting media. The plants have all stabilized, but are not piling on the growth. I know I've only had this first one for a few months and keep telling myself the plants are expending their energy on developing roots, and I also figure it has a preferred growing season - but I haven't figured those things out just yet. The new bunch I just received has a tighter growth bundle and has several new shoots. I'm hoping to track the growth of this one and see if I can apply any lessons learned to the older one(s). I planted this new bunch in a more diversified soil mix, focused on faster drainage (Black Gold cactus Mix, lots of black cinder, and some turface and/or granite grit mixed in - 45-45-10 percentage wise). Country of Origin: Africa (I believe South Africa); Substrate: Cotyledons usually grow in rocky quartz fields where they have excellent drainage provided by very porous soil. Best in porous soil with adequate drainage; Watering: Water thoroughly when soil is dry to the touch. Water with caution in winter, as the plant can lose its roots if the soil stays cold and wet for extended periods; Temperature: Winter temperatures must be kept over 50° F; Lighting: Bright light (I read this to be "bright shade"); Ventilation: Good air movement; Other Notes: Summer dormancy (see - I knew there was a reason for the slow growth) (Care information taken from www.succulent.us)