Happy Urban Dirt

What do you know about the genus Othonna? Have you ever seen these plants? I’m sure you have, but you may not have known their original name, but the one they are commonly called.

So that this does not happen, below we will talk about these plants, how many there are and some of the most eminent and their care. Is it worth it?

What gender is Othonna?

First, you should know that Othonna is a genus of phanerogamous plants. That is, seed plants, discovered by Carlos Linnaeus in 1753.

A total of 258 species have been described, but not all are officially recognized (accepted), the list is narrow to only 111. They grow in different habitats, and that means that each of them has different characteristics and needs. However, most of them come from South Africa and Namibia.

An fascinating fact you should know about the Othonna plant is that its name comes from othonne, which is a Greek word that translates to “flax,” “cloth.” This refers to the softness of the leaves (not in all species, but in many).

Physically, because I am from the family AseridaeThey are similar to sunflowers and daisies. At the succulent level they are very similar to senecio. And that is what, visually they are herbs or succulents (or subsucculents, depending on the species). The leaves are flattened on the back (more or less dense) with a succulent habit, which means that they store water. They are elongated, although they can have different shapes. They are almost always evergreen, but there are species that die in autumn and have a woody stem and petiole, in which water and nutrients are stored.

As for the flowers, they are similar to daisies, but they do not have the same color. They are completely yellow.

What species of Othonna are there?

The truth is that if we were to tell you about 258 species, it would bore you a lot, so we will only mention the most eminent ones. These are as follows:

• Othonna capensis.
• O. cheirifolia.
• O. triplinervia.
• Othonna cacalioides.
• O. herrei.
• Othonna was teething.
• O. euphorbioides.
• O. opal necklace.
• Othonna sonchifolia, blade of grass.

As you probably know, there are many more, but almost all of them are very similar to each other (only a few differ significantly).

Taking care of Othonna

Although each species is unique and has its own peculiarities, in general the care that we are going to recommend can be applied to almost all of them. And having Othonny at home is not as effortless as it may seem. But for it to last well and not die, perhaps it will be more complicated without some foundation.

Luckily you have these bases here.

lighting and temperature

The first thing you should know is that Othonna is a sun plant, but not directly. It is recommended to place it on the ground or in a pot in a semi-shady place, so that you can benefit from the leaves of the morning and afternoon sun, but not those that have the greatest intensity.

These plants adapt perfectly to warm climates and can withstand high temperatures without any problems. But when it comes to victims, it is not so good at resisting. If it is below 10ºC, it may suffer or even lose.

Subsoil

Another critical point so that Othonna does not die is to operate the right soil for these plants. In this sense, the best is a mixture of peat and sand or lightweight gravel.

Remember that it needs more drainage than nutrition.it is not necessary that the soil you put into it is very opulent in nutrients (in fact, if it is not, it is much better).

Depending on the species, repotting should be done before or after. This involves removing the plant from the pot, completely removing the soil, and replanting it, either in the same pot or in a different one.

Irrigation

Of all the cares, watering is one of the most critical for Othonny. It is recommended to water only from spring to autumn, leaving the winter season and part of the autumn season without watering.

When it comes to watering, you should not do it too abundantly. It is better to wait until the soil dries out before watering again to prevent water from rotting the leaves. Furthermore, it is not recommended to leave water in the tray as this may result in the loss of the plant.

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Generally, succulents are not fertilized, and if they are, it must be in diminutive amounts. However, in the case of Othonnas, they are fertilized in spring and summer. It is usually given every 15 days, but this depends on the dose.If the plant is still newborn, once every two months is enough, more often if you planted it recently.

Plagues and diseases

Succulents are plants that do not cause problems with pests and diseases. And in the case of Othonna it will be no different. Although it is true that it is necessary to know about it, especially to avoid any diseases related to soil fungi or due to problems such as lack or deficiency of lighting or irrigation.

One clear sign that things are not going well is the loss of leaves. If every time you touch Othonna, the leaves fall off easily, it means that it is in trouble and may get lost.

For this reason, you should check the type of soil it is growing in, the irrigation it receives (whether it is ample or not), and the amount of lightweight it receives. Sometimes the reason may be having it indoors, because once it is taken out of the house (and caught in time) it can be retrieved.

Multiplication

Finally, we come to the spread of Othonna. In this case, it will depend on the species, but It is usually possible to propagate using leaves and stem cuttings or in the case of plants with a petiole, they will be more complicated (they can take root but cannot form a petiole).

Is it clearer to you now what Othonna species is?