Characteristics of Donkey Fig Plants (Mestoklema tuberosum) in the Wild

Donkey Fig or Donkey Mesemb (Mestoklema tuberosum) is a plant in the Aizoaceae family, it was given this name by Nicholas Edward Brown in 1981.

Mestoklema tuberosum is a native plant of the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa, growing in sandy soil or other well-drained soil with little water and lots of sunlight.

The roots of this plant swell, each about four centimeters in diameter will form a cluster with a diameter of up to 20 centimeters. Mestoklema tuberosum can grow up to 70 centimeters high. Common flowers are reddish bronze to pink or salmon. Mestoklema tuberosum is easy to propagate either by seed or cuttings.

Synonyms of Mestoklema tuberosum recorded in scientific journals include:

• Mesembryanthemum tuberosum
• Delosperma tuberosum
• Mesembryanthemum megarhizum
• Mestoklema tuberosum var. macrorhizum
• Delosperma macrorhizum
• Mesembryanthemum macrorhizum

 

Characteristics of Mestoklema tuberosum Leaf

The leaves are small, finger-like, fleshy, curved at the tips, and green.
 

Characteristics of Mestoklema tuberosum Flower

The flowers are like daisies, small, ranging in color from red, and orange, to yellow. Blooms from early summer to late autumn and the flowers are grouped in cymose inflorescences. After the flowers fade, the old inflorescence branches remain as light gray zigzag weaves between the leaves.
 

Characteristics of Mestoklema tuberosum Fruit

5 locules, without a covering body, about 3.5 mm in diameter.
 

Characteristics of Mestoklema tuberosum Tree

Mestoklema tuberosum grows as an upright shrub and can reach a height of up to 70 cm. The stems are woody, sturdy, densely branched, dark brown with peeling bark. The roots are very unique, at first the roots grow underground and as they age, the roots grow openly outside the soil, creating a beautiful bonsai effect. The roots are tuber-shaped and have a storage function to withstand the dry season.

Mestoklema tuberosum is very popular with bonsai and succulent lovers.
 

How to Cultivate Mestoklema tuberosum

Mestoklema tuberosum propagation can be done by cuttings or seeds. With cuttings, you can use shoots in the spring. Cut the shoots and let them dry, after a few days the cut surface will dry and the callus will form, then place the cuttings in a mixture of sand, soil, and pumice. To increase success, you can make two or more cuttings at the same time. It is advisable to use rooting hormone at the base of the cutting to energize root development. For cuttings, the recommended temperature is around 20 °C. With seeds, it is very easy to propagate the plant, simply by sowing the seeds in sandy loam soil and keeping them with high humidity and at a temperature of 15-21 °C. Germination usually occurs in about a week or two.

Mestoclema tuberosum is very slow-growing but easy to grow. It requires full sun exposure all year round and a breezy location. It can tolerate temperatures up to 45 °C and short periods of frost.

The right soil for growing Mestoclema tuberosum has good drainage and is porous, so you can use standard cactus soil or a mixture of fertile soil and sand. Pumice should always be placed at the bottom of the pot. Remember to use a pot with holes to drain excess water. This plant can be watered every 5 days, and check that the soil is completely dry before watering again.