Fantastic Design Plant: Slipper Plant
For home gardeners who love the idea of xeriscaping but think that cacti and agave are your only choices for reducing water consumption, think again. The slipper plant (Pedilanthus macrocarpus) isn’t just a sustainable gardening godsend, it also conveniently spreads through cuttings. Consider this plant since the gift that keeps giving.
“Among those plants we have a hard time not using is Pedilanthus macrocarpus,” states Kathryn Prideaux of Prideaux Design. “It is a fantastic looking succulent, looks great-year around, and is ideal for massing in narrow planting areas or featuring in raised planters.” And with a gorgeous fall-blooming flower to boot, we’re just about to find the slipper plant at its yearly prime.
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Botanical name: Pedilanthus macrocarpus (syn. Euphorbia lomelii)
Common names: Slipper plant, woman’s slipper
USDA zones: 9-10
Water necessity: Water monthly or as necessary
Sun requirement: Full sun to light shade
Mature size: 3′-6′ tall x 3′-6′ wide (clumps)
Growth rate: Slow
Environmental benefits/concerns: Drought tolerant; attracts hummingbirds; could Lead to skin irritation; white sap poisonous if ingested
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Distinguishing attributes. This ‘desert bamboo’, as Prideaux has aptly recognized it, grows in a clumped mass of 1/2″ thick meaty stems. The stems are coated from a vegetable wax, a survival method for locking in what little moisture a desert could offer, giving the plant a sound, nearly plastic-like look.
While the glowing green stems of this perennial succulent remain bare for most sections of the calendar year, fall and spring usher in showstopping orange blossoms where the slipper plant increases its title. In autumn, when many plants are beginning to shed their leaves, the small bright pops of gold are an unexpected surprise from the landscape, suggesting the impact of the seasons.
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The best way to use it. Showcase the slipper plant by treating it as a piece of living sculpture on your landscape. A clean planting plan highlights its own quirky, undulating stems.
Create your own desert modern landscape using linear plantings of this slipper plant in a bed of gravel. If minimalist gardening is not quite your idea of a inviting landscape, consider using the slipper plant as a potted accent piece. Container gardening is a great way to show your own personal design style and combines your garden decor with the overall theme of your home.
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Before you plant. Native into the deserts of Mexico, the slipper plant is very tolerant of hardy and heat to approximately 22 degrees Fahrenheit. If you reside in a climate with winters that are extreme, your best choice for the plant’s survival is to restrict the usage of this specimen to portable planters and make it indoors for the season as soon as the temperature starts to drop. Keep the dirt well-drained, along with your Pedilanthus will result in a great house plant.
Next: Watch Pedilanthus in an inspiring desert scene
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