About
Cotyledon 'Elephant Trunk' is a perennial succulent shrub that typically grows to about 20 cm in height. It features elongated, fleshy, tubular leaves with a grey-green hue, resembling the trunk of an elephant, which inspired its name. This plant is straightforward to cultivate and demands little care.
About the genus
Cotyledon consists of succulent perennials and shrubs characterized by simple, opposite leaves. These plants produce nodding, bell-shaped flowers in shades of red, orange, or yellow, which are arranged in dense panicles.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil type
- Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Well-drained
- Aspect
- East-facing, South-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H1C
Plant details
- Plant type
- Cactus Succulent, Conservatory Greenhouse, Houseplants
- Habit
- Bushy
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Height
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Spread
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Time to full height
- 2-5 years
- Suggested uses
- Patio and container plants
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grow under glass in a standard cactus compost, in full light. Provide low humidity. Apply a dilute low nitrogen fertilizer fortnightly during late spring and summer. Take care not to overwater, and keep almost dry in the winter. See houseplant cacti and succulent cultivation for further details
- Pruning
- No pruning required
- Propagation
- Propagate by cuttings
- Pest resistance
- Generally pest-free
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free