Dorstenia gigas

[tacobender]

,Here is a pic of one that is about 4-5 yr. old. I planted another nearby which is only a seedling. In order to get viable seeds two are required. Recently I was told that more than two are needed. Anybody growing these?

[Monòver]

What is this??!!

[XYZ]

Giant Socotran fig. Yes, I believe you need another individual in flowering synch to seed gigas. Grew several mdium-sized ones in Guatemala but got wiped out due to acid rain following the 2010 volcanic eruption. Even as recently as 10 years ago they used be the Holy Grail for many caudexed succulent collectors.

This one looks great but was it topped?

 

 

J

[tacobender]

They are certainly uncommon and valuable at this size. Hasn't been topped, though the ocean can raise havoc with the wind and salt. Trying to leave as a natural type growing condition. The trunk is getting huge, should be amazing in a few years.

I have one seedling nearby, just was told that 3 or more are needed to pollinate. Haven't found much information on growing this outdoors. Any advise is appreciated.

[msporty]

That's just awesome!!! I have had one in a pot for years, but it grows so slowly in SoCal, that it's hardly bigger than when I bought it. 

 

Seeing how well you've grown the D. gig as, I would recommend you buy another Socotran marvel, Dendrosicyos socotranum. It's an incredible plant and I think Arid Lands has some for sale (or they used to). 

 

Thanks for sharing!

[Jubaea]

Wow that plant is only 4-5 years old from seed?  Or was it planted 4-5 years ago into the ground?  

I have two small potted plants with only one that has produced a few inflorescenses.  Unfortunately it can get too cold here in the winter for their liking so I have to bring them inside for some period during the winter.  I water my plants several times per week in the summer when they are outdoors actively growing, but will back off on the watering in the winter if they drop their leaves.  I finally put them back outside and left them out overnight early this week and expect that they will stay outside until November or December.  I will try to post a picture tomorrow of my plants.

More than one plant is needed to produce viable seeds.  Only two are needed if they are compatible and bloom at the same time.  Here is an informative link that I stumbled onto a while ago:

http://biology.fullerton.edu/facilities/greenhouse/Stories_out_of_School/dorsteniagigas.html

 

[Geoff]

That is indeed amazing.. perhaps I shouldn't avoid getting a dinky seedling if it could grow that fast...   thought I'd share some shots of an incredible plant I saw in San Diego a few years ago... this plant was enormous

[tacobender]

They are steady growers here, blooms year round. It may utilize the humidity in the air, heat  doesn't faze it. Doesn't  get much water. Usually get a storm event once or twice a year to defoliate plants here. Thank you for the link, I will try to locate another seedling, 3 of those in the yard would not be overkill, very attractive plant.

11 hours ago, msporty said:

That's just awesome!!! I have had one in a pot for years, but it grows so slowly in SoCal, that it's hardly bigger than when I bought it. 

 

Seeing how well you've grown the D. gig as, I would recommend you buy another Socotran marvel, Dendrosicyos socotranum. It's an incredible plant and I think Arid Lands has some for sale (or they used to). 

 

Thanks for sharing!

 Maybe I'll try that, make a Socotra section of yard, already have a desert rose from Socotra in area.

[Jubaea]

Here are a some pictures of my Dorstenia gigas from March 2016 and from today.  The plant on the left in the first picture is on the right in the second picture.  My newest plant grows much faster than my old plant, and holds many leaves though the winter.  It was nearly half the size of my old plant in 2016, but is about the same height today with only a slightly smaller caudex than my oldest plant.  My older plant has bloomed for the past two springs and it looks like it will do so again this year.  It seems like different individual plants grow at much different rates.

 

 

[tacobender]

2 hours ago, Jubaea said:

Here are a some pictures of my Dorstenia gigas from March 2016 and from today.  The plant on the left in the first picture is on the right in the second picture.  My newest plant grows much faster than my old plant, and holds many leaves though the winter.  It was nearly half the size of my old plant in 2016, but is about the same height today with only a slightly smaller caudex than my oldest plant.  My older plant has bloomed for the past two springs and it looks like it will do so again this year.  It seems like different individual plants grow at much different rates.

 

 

Wish I could find one that size, could have viable seeds a year or so earlier. They get expensive past seedling stage.

[XYZ]

Incredible specimen plants in Geoff's post!!

Of all the phantasmagorical "Big Four" caudexed Socotran succulents, this one is probably the most satisfying to grow in terms of speed from seedling to show plant. I have grown multiple individuals of all of them over the years and find that - unless you're a young feller with a stable residence - most are plants that one grows for the next generation if the prize desired is a plant resembling photos taken of the landscape on the island. I *think* line breeding is providing much faster growing Adenium socotranum than the first big batch of seedlings that became available a little over a decade ago, so there may be people with access to this material and the right climate that will be able to grow a respectably "fat" one in 20-30 years from seed.

Began playing around with a pair of seed-grown Dracaena cinnabari about 18 months back and find it a winner for local conditions for most of the year. They do need some protection from heavy winter rains and temps sub ~38 F. This photo was taken six months back before they stalled into fall and winter semi-dormancy. I'm too much a graybeard to hope to see them get big, but prices for small plants have come down so much from the last decade that it's hard to resist such a legendary plant.

J

[Tracy]

On 3/10/2017, 10:41:50, stone jaguar said:

 

Giant Socotran fig

 

I was initially a little puzzled when I read "Socotran fig", because I was thinking about planting a "Ficus socotrana" after falling in love with the one up in the then Quail Botanical Garden (now San Diego Botanical Garden), and this plant doesn't look like a ficus.  I read on, and got the clarification though

On 3/10/2017, 11:29:22, Geoff said:

some shots of an incredible plant I saw in San Diego a few years ago... this plant was enormous

Just had to compliment the great photos you posted Geoff.  Always enjoy seeing your work with a camera! 

So my follow up question for all, is what sort of lows can these handle?  A frost free environment or is their threshold even more "mild"?

[XYZ]

My experience is that they are touchy at temps below 45 F/7 C unless dry and sunny. Size matters in stem succulents, for sure, with seedlings being much more fickle about less than optimum conditions.

I agree that "fig" is a stretch for dorstenias, but that is indeed the family they belong to. I had, however, quite forgotten that there is another "Socotran Fig" in cultivation, Ficus vasta/"socotrana".

[Tracy]

37 minutes ago, stone jaguar said:

"Socotran Fig" in cultivation, Ficus vasta/"socotrana"

My photo of the Ficus socotrana wouldn't upload (didn't like my file), but this is the marker for the one in Quail (San Diego) Botanical Garden.   I know Geoff has posted photos of this one on Dave's Garden.  Very different plant, and I know it will grow in my climate (I'm just a couple of miles away from Quail).  Sounds like the one in the photos above would require me to move it into a greenhouse during winters, which I don't have .  Well, I can at least enjoy everyone's photos.

[Jubaea]

My plants have seen lows down to about 35 F without any damage to the stem/caudex.  The plants will start to shed their leaves fairly quickly when temperatures regularly hit the mid to low 40's at night. I always bring my plants inside the house when it is expected to drop below 35.  This past winter I kept them inside the house for about 3 months and one plant did not drop its leaves while the other did.  The winter before last I left them outside for all but 1 week and they both dropped all their leaves but resumed regular growth in the Spring.  I'm in the Santa Barbara area in a bad 9b / 10A microclimate with at least some frost/below freezing temperatures every winter.  I think they would do OK in a frost free zone 10 Southern CA if they don't stay too wet in the winter and receive sun year round.