Avonia papyracea (Anacampseros papyracea) / 20 seeds

A very interesting plant, Avonia papyracea is a dwarf, perennial succulent, native to South Africa, growing in the Little Karoo and Great Karoo (Eastern Cape). This succulent hardly even looks like a plant. It has several slender branches radiating from a tapered rootstock or basal caudex, and is fully covered with silvery white overlapping scales which are actually modified stipules or leaf bracts – a characteristic of the Avonia genus. Avonia papyracea is the largest, stoutest and most common species of the Avonia genus. These plants have relatively large diameter of stems (5-6 mm) compared to other members of the genus, and develop a mass of erect or creeping stems which are maximum 5 to 10 cm long. Seed-grown plants produce these stem branches from the top of tuber-like roots pulled down into the ground. The bright white stipules reflect a large fraction of the visible solar radiation and thus protect the plant from the intense sun in their habitat. If taken care of properly, Avonia papyracea will reward you with a generous display of beautiful tiny flowers. Flowers are solitary and whitish-green, develop in the uppermost stipules of the branch tips and last merely for 2-4 hours in full sun in the afternoon, and are so unobtrusive that it’s quite hard to identify them as flowers. They are scented, have five rounded petals positioned at right angles to something that seems like a central ring of yellow anthers. Flowers turn into 4-mm long, almost globular capsules containing many seeds that ripen quickly and are dispersed by the wind. Seeds are somewhat round, pale brown with a white sheath.

Avonia papyracea is very easy to grow and care for. It needs full sun to light shade. It needs high levels of light to flower and for good development.

Water normally during the growing season i.e., from March to October, but keep dry in winter. Allow the soil to dry out between waterings. Remember to increase watering when the plant is in flower.

As such Avonia papyracea doesn’t require fertilization but you can feed it with a high-potassium liquid fertilizer in summer.

Avonia papyracea is quite frost resistant. If kept dry, it’s also hardy to temperatures as low as -5-degree C.

As such, Avonia papyracea is disease- and pest-free, but you should always look for mealybugs and spider mites. Root rot can also be a threat and it’s due to overwatering. Hence, underwatering this plant is better.

Avonia papyracea can be best propagated through seeds. Seeds germinate at 15-21-degree C.