Kleinia pendula (Inch Worm, Inchworm Plant, Tapeworm Plant)
Botanical Information
Family | Asteraceae |
Genus | Kleinia |
Species | pendula |
Synonyms | Senecio pendulus, Cacalia pendula, Kleinia subulifolia, Monadenium subulifolium, Notonia pendula, Notonia trachycarpa, Notonia trachycarpa, Senecio gunnisii |
Category | Perennials, Tropicals |
Origin | Native to Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya and Yemen. |
Details
USDA Hardiness Zone | 10a - 11b |
USDA Hardiness Ref. | |
Canadian Hardiness Zone | Requires cold season protection under glass. |
Canada Hardiness Ref. | |
RHS Hardiness Zone | H3 - H1c |
RHS Hardiness Ref. | |
Temperature (°C) | ?1.1 - +10 |
Temperature (°F) | 30 - 50 |
Growth | Medium |
Description and Growing Information
General Description | A creeping succulent with green patterned stems and showy, red flowers. |
ID Characteristic | A dwarf, perennial herb, forming prostrate mats up to 50 cm in diameter of slender, "cucumber" shaped stems recurved and re-entering the soil, only to re-emerge a few centimetres away in a repeating pattern. |
Landscape | It is suitable for small “desert” gardens, in association with other xerophytes or as a potted plant. |
Propagation | It is easy from seed in spring but less so from cuttings. Seeds germinate in 14-21 days at 21°C. Cuttings grow easily once left to callous for several days and then planted in succulent soil mix. |
Pests | Mealybugs, scale insects and spider mite. Prone to rot if overwatered. |
Notable Specimens | Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, Mae Rim District, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. |
Habitat | It grows in humus-rich areas where moisture regularly comes from the sea. |
Bark/Stem Description | The stems arch over and touch the soil where they re-root and send out new stems. They often will turn purplish in strong light. Individual stems are jointed and brittle, up to 30 cm long, up to 2 cm in diameter, variable in size and shape, waxy, green to bronze-green with white dots and darker purple arrowhead markings and rough from persistent dried leaf-scales. |
Leaf Description | Scale-like, ephemeral, shrivelling quickly but persisting for a while as pseuo-thorns. |
Flower Description | Terminal, orange, rarely branched, 4-9 cm tall, peduncle broadened conically upwards. |
Fruit Description | 2.5–5 mm long, ribbed, hairy, with a pappus 14 - 23 mm long. |
Photographs
![Kleinia pendula, form, Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, Mae Rim District, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. Kleinia pendula, form, Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, Mae Rim District, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand.](photos/Kleinia-pendula-qsbg-frm1.jpg)
Kleinia pendula, form, Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, Mae Rim District, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand.
![Kleinia pendula, flower, Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, Mae Rim District, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. Kleinia pendula, flower, Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, Mae Rim District, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand.](photos/Kleinia-pendula-qsbg-flw1.jpg)
Kleinia pendula, flower, Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, Mae Rim District, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand.
![Kleinia pendula, form, Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, Mae Rim District, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand. Kleinia pendula, form, Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, Mae Rim District, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand.](photos/Kleinia-pendula-qsbg-frm2.jpg)
Kleinia pendula, form, Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden, Mae Rim District, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand.