Senecio Articulatus

Senecio Articulatus is deciduous and it spreads by tubers forming clumps of stems that can spread considerably. It is South African native from Cape Province but grown as a decorative plant globally.

Family:	Asteraceae/ Daisy
Genus:	Senecio
Scientific Name:	Senecio Articulatus
Other Names:	Cecalia senecio articulatusrticularis, Cecalis Runcinata, Kleinia Articulata, Curio Articulatas, Causage Plant, Hot Dog Cactus, Candle Plant.
Growth Season:	Winter
Preferred Temperature:	It does best in temperatures between 15.5 and 21oC (60-70oF). Also, it is moderately frost hardy and it can withstand outdoor temperatures as low as -4oC (25oF) for a time. Take it indoors if the temperature is consistently below that.
Hardiness Zone:	USDA Zone 9b-11b
Average Mature Height & Width:	It rises to between 22-40 cm high and 30 cm or higher.
Toxicity:	Every part of this plant is toxic to humans and pets when ingested.

Senecio Articulatus Physical Characteristics

Its stem is one of its outstanding features. It is upright but it isn’t monolithic. It has blue-purple joints each section being between 5-10 cm and they can be 1.5 to 2 cm in diameter. These joints look like blue-purple sausages thus the plant’s common name, Hot-Dog Plant. Additional joints occur in winter. The stems are covered with waxy farina which prevents moisture from escaping.

It has fibrous root tubers that are spreading, they form an underground anchorage and scaffolding for the plant. Leaves are typically 5-8 cm long, they are soft and fleshy and they drop when it is dry. In addition, the plant has inflorescence that rises to 12-20 cm from which grows disk flowers. The flowers produce an unpleasant smell to attract wasps and beetles that are their pollinators.

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Senecio Articulatus Care

This is a winter grower, producing leaves and additional stem growth in winter. You should therefore give it some additional water whenever you see some leaves forming and go slow on watering when leaves start turning yellow and dropping. Some botanists classify this plant as being opportunistic; growing when the conditions are right. They, therefore, advise watering it sparingly throughout the year whenever the weather is temperate and stop watering when it gets too hot or too cold.

Though it typically grows to 40 cm, it can grow more when kept under shade and watered as appropriate. You should also keep it in low humidity conditions because its stems rot easily thus low humidity and low temperatures will cause it to rot.

DO YOU KNOW? Caring (propagating, pruning/trimming, beheading, watering, …) is a set of skills that is applicable to almost every succulent. Read the in-depth succulent care guide right here >>

Richard from Succulent City

Senecio Articulatus Growth

This plant is ideal for growth in succulent gardens, Mediterranean gardens, and container plants. You propagate it cuttings or division since it has multiple stems. The division produces established plants faster than cuttings. Also, its cuttings are relatively easy to grow because the stems root at the nodes when they contact with the soil.

Follow the usual steps for propagating succulents using cuttings during the process. If you grow this plant in a pot, it will probably be from a hanging basket. Repotting is necessary every time it doubles in size.

It is vulnerable to mealybugs, scale insects and spider mites.

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