Baseonema gregorii Ø 18

The living sculpture from East Africa

Baseonema gregorii is an extremely rare and fascinating subtropical caudiciform plant native to East Africa. This extraordinary species develops a woody, sculptural caudex (which can reach up to 25 cm in diameter in the wild), from which long, vigorous climbing shoots emerge, covered in graceful green leaves. During the summer, it surprises with the production of small greenish or yellowish flowers, followed by bizarre forked fruits. When grown indoors, the caudex is usually partially raised above the soil during repotting to showcase its spectacular knobby shapes and wrinkled bark. From its top, flexible climbing stems arise, which can be left to cascade freely from the pot or trained onto bamboo supports.

Growing notes

• Exposure: prefers very bright positions with filtered sunlight or partial shade. Avoid direct sun during the hottest hours, which could scorch the leaves. In winter, provide as much light as possible.
• Watering: during the growing season (spring-summer), water regularly but allow the substrate to dry out between waterings. In autumn and winter, reduce drastically: water only when the caudex shows slight signs of shrivelling, to prevent root rot.
• Soil type: needs a very well-draining and airy substrate. Mix equal parts of succulent potting mix with pumice, lava grit, or coarse sand. Good drainage is essential for the health of the caudex.
• Fertilizing: from spring to summer, apply a liquid fertilizer for succulents with low nitrogen, diluted to half strength, every 3-4 weeks. Stop completely in autumn and winter.
• Flowers and fruits: in summer it produces small greenish or yellowish flowers, inconspicuous but fascinating. If pollinated, they give rise to bizarre forked fruits resembling horns – a true botanical rarity that adds extra interest to the plant.
• Curiosities: it is a deciduous plant: in autumn it partially or completely loses its leaves and enters dormancy, transforming into a minimalist natural sculpture. The caudex stores water and nutrients, making it surprisingly drought-tolerant. It is a slow-growing and very long-lived species.

Being a deciduous plant, it goes through a dormant phase where it partially or completely loses its foliage, turning into a minimalist natural sculpture.

Unique piece
Not grafted
Code 1734F