About Tulista minor (Aiton) Gideon F.Sm. & Molteno
Tulista minor (Aiton) Gideon F.Sm. & Molteno is a small evergreen succulent plant. It has hard, fleshy blue-green leaves covered in white tubercles, and offsets readily to form clumps. In summer, between November and December, it produces white flowers with pink tips. This is a variable species: different populations differ in leaf shape, leaf colour, growth form and tubercles. Popular varieties include T. minima var. poellnitziana, as well as the opalina and obrata varieties. In the wild, this species is naturally distributed in the far southern part of the Western Cape, South Africa. Its range extends from Botrivier and Agulhas, eastwards to Brandrivier, Herbertsdale and Hartenbos. It usually grows in coastal Renosterveld vegetation. It often occurs alongside other Tulista species, and is known to naturally hybridise with Tulista marginata where the ranges of the two species overlap near Heidelberg. In cultivation, this plant is very easy to grow, but it is still very rarely cultivated. It requires well-drained soil, and tolerates both semi-shade and full sun. It can be grown from seed, but since it naturally offsets and subdivides, it can also be propagated easily by dividing established clumps.
