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, 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.