Narrow-leaf Chalksticks

Narrow-leaf Chalksticks Care

Senecio Vitalis

What is the plant

The Narrow-Leaf Chalksticks, Senecio talinoides subs. cylindricus, is a low growing, glabrous, pruinose, evergreen succulent shrub 45- to 60 cm tall and spreading to 90 to 150 cm wide. It has semi-prostrate stems that turn upright and is distinguished from the standard Senecio talinoides by its leaves that are grey-green 7-15 cm long, tubular, slender, slightly upcurved and crowded at the stems tips. The small rayless dull cream coloured flowers appear in corymbs in late spring to early summer. This plant is commonly listed as Senecio cylindricus but acknowledge that it is correctly considered to be a subspecies of Senecio talinoides, together with the more ground-hugging and lower growing but similar Senecio mandraliscae. It is also found under the name Senecio vitalis.Stem: Sparingly branched, long, tubular and stout. Fleshy, becoming woody as they ages, erect becoming procumbent and often rooting at the nodes and brittle, 5-10 mm in diameter, usually short but much more long in cultivation.

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Humidity

Normal

Lighting

Part Sun

Temperature

min 12°C

Hardiness zone

10 - 11

Difficulty

Medium

How to Care for the Plant

Water
This plant seems to thrive with summer irrigation but does well if withheld and tolerates winter rainfall if soil drains tolerably well. It adapts to different growing conditions from extreme heat and drought, to high moisture as it has a low rot potential.
Pruning
The flower stems need to be removed to keep a tidy appearance.
Fertilizer
Senecio can do quite well with no fertilizer, but it will appreciate a top dressing of natural compost every couple of years.

Disease diagnosis

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Sunlight
They seem to do well in part shade such as at the base of trees, but thrives also in hot sunny positions and will tolerate coastal conditions.
Soil
It requires a very free draining enriched soil, mildly acidic to mildly alkaline but is very tolerant of poor soils.
Temperature
It is cultivated in open air in the tropical and warm Mediterranean climate, with temperatures which it is good to keep over the 5°C, best 10-12°C, but can withstand light frost for short periods if very dry (hardy down to -2 to -10º C, even if with damage to the foliage) in these situations it will better resist if sheltered by the winter rains, seen that the humidity and low temperatures render it more sensitive to rottenness. Plants in containers however, suffered major leaf loss. USDA Zone 9b to 12.