Description
Mesembryanthemum crystallinum. It is a large, mat-forming plant with sprawling stems. It has peculiar leaves and stems that are covered with many, tiny membranes that form papillae filled with sap, which look like ice crystals from a distance, and give the leaf a succulent texture. Sowing : The small seeds can be sown in pots of fine, well-drained sand, any time during the summer months when temperatures are warm. Cover the seeds with a very fine layer of grit and water from below with a fungicide to prevent damping off. For the first 3-4 days cover the pots with a sheet of glass/clear Perspex to keep the humidity levels high. Remove the glass and replace it with light shade cloth and mist once or twice a day for the next two weeks after which most seeds should have germinated. From then on misting can be reduced to every second and then every third day as the little plants grow. Locality: Klein Karoo. Harvest: May 2021
