Red Monadenium

Red Monadenium is one of the smaller more collectable Monadeniums with a swollen tuber-like base known as a caudex, the sole purpose of which is to store water for the plant in an exceedingly harsh environment. Coming from the Machakos District of Kenya, that is exactly the type of conditions it must endure. This semi-woody base can be perfectly round as a turnip or can be quite free-formed and have multiple sections. Arising from this base are thin, succulent, hanging stems marked with reddish-brown stripes. The stretched oval succulent leaves are green on one side and pink-red on the other. The plants are more red when exposed to more sun light, and turn entirely green in the shade. The small pink-red flowers resemble a very exotic type of orchid. In cultivation the plants are quite tough and remain in leaf and flower almost continuously. They can go dormant and drop the leaves and flowers in the winter. As to care, they should be kept warm in winter (temperatures above 50 degrees F.) and are usually deciduous. Keep on the dry side when dormant, but feed and water regularly when the plant is in leaf. Most look best when grown in some sun or bright indirect light, especially for the best color! The only real demand is a fast draining soil – a 50/50 mix of Perlite to potting soil is great. Water well when you do, but don’t water again until the soil has become fairly dry. Remember that swollen base is storing water and the plant can get by without regular watering. It also looks nice in hanging pots where the foliage and small but exotically intriguing flowers can be allowed to cascade down.