Faucaria tuberculosa ‘Super Warty’
Faucaria tuberculosa ‘Super Warty’ displays thick, succulent leaves densely covered with raised, wart-like tubercles across the upper surfaces. This compact perennial forms tight clumps of jaw-shaped rosettes. The extreme bumpy texture creates a rugged appearance that distinguishes this unique cultivar from standard plants.
Origin and Natural Habitat
This plant originates from rocky limestone slopes and quartz plains in the Eastern Cape region of South Africa. Plants grow wedged into shallow mineral soil pockets with rapid natural drainage and seasonal aridity. Plants for sale were all grown from seed by Living Desert Plants.
Plant Characteristics
The low-growing stems branch freely to form dense mats reaching ten centimeters in height. Thick, opposite leaves possess triangular shapes and armed margins with fleshy, tooth-like structures. Abundant raised tubercles cover the upper leaf faces in rigid bumpy patterns. Large, daisy-like yellow flowers emerge from the central leaf pairs during autumn. The more intense the light it receives, the more ‘warty’ it will become.
Care Guide
Light
Provide bright, direct sunlight or intense morning exposure. Direct sun maintains compact growth and enhances the development of the textured tubercles. Insufficient light causes weak, stretched growth.
Soil
The sensitive root system demands rapid drainage to prevent fatal root rot. Plant the specimen in
LDP Super Drainage Mix to ensure quick water runoff and proper root oxygenation.
Water
Water thoroughly during the active autumn and spring growth phases. Allow the substrate to dry out completely between watering sessions. Withhold all moisture entirely during the hot summer dormancy and cool winter periods.
Pot Size
Select a shallow pot or small container matching the compact root structure. Avoid oversized containers that retain excess moisture around the base.
Temperature
Keep ambient temperatures between 10Β°C and 28Β°C. Protect the plant from prolonged wet freezing conditions.
Humidity
Maintain low humidity and high airflow. Stagnant air invites fungal rot during damp periods.
Fertilizing
Apply a balanced liquid succulent fertilizer diluted to quarter strength once at the start of the autumn growth season. Stop fertilizing completely during the summer and winter dormant phases.
Growing Season
Faucaria tuberculosa ‘Super Warty’ grows actively during autumn and spring. It enters dormancy during the summer and winter months.
Propagation
You can propagate this plant through seed or offset division.
Seed
Sow mature seeds onto the surface of a sterilized, gritty mineral substrate during autumn. Maintain high moisture under a transparent cover until germination occurs. Remove the lid gradually after seedlings emerge to harden the young plants. Keep containers in bright indirect light and maintain light moisture during their first active growth season.
Offset Division
Detach healthy basal offsets using a sterile blade from mature clumped specimens during autumn repotting. Allow the cut base to dry in a shaded, well-ventilated area for five days until a solid callus forms. Press the base into dry
LDP Super Drainage Mix. Keep the cutting in bright indirect light and mist lightly after one week to trigger root initiation.