Conophytum Pageae Care and Guide: Full guide

by Becky Decker · February 28, 2024

I got attracted to Conophytum Pageae because they resemble a pair of plump, pouting lips. They are truly charming, making them a great addition for any plant lover.

I know it’s interesting to hear, but just hearing about it won’t grow Conophytum Pageae. There are certain requirements and care needs you must know to ensure they thrive best in a pot. So, you need to be enthusiastic to grow them.

Before you drop the idea of growing them after hearing these things. I have outlined easy-to-care-for and growing methods. Once you go through them, you’ll succeed in planting them as your houseplants. In case there are still any problems, we can discuss them in the comment section. Let’s grow them together.

Natural Habitat, Distribution & Morphology:

The Conophytum Pageae are succulent plants found in regions of Namibia in South Africa which are places having poor soil, intense sunlight, and scarce water availability all of which make them have unique physical characteristics and can survive in dry conditions without water for months. The body of the plant is green or brownish-green and consists of two leaves that give it a pink lip-like formation which makes them different from other succulents.

The leaves of the plant store water and nutrients which help to survive for prolonged periods of drought. The flower consists of a star’s center splits open and looks like a bright daisy-like blossom. this combination of color and life gives a great contrast with the stark backdrop.

Conophytum Pageae Care and Guide: Full guide

The Appearance of Conophytum Pageae

Leaves:

The plant does have leaves that like to grow in clusters or as stem less bodies.
The size of the plant is about 1″ (2.5 cm) high and has a shape like a fig or an inverted cone.
The leaf’s body consists of two fused, dull, gray-green leaves with puckered fissures at the top, ringed in red, that look like two lips.

Flowers:

The Conophytum Pageae plant has a flower that is yellow, pink, or purple in color, which is used to bloom during late summer or early fall.
The flowers of the plant are small in size having a few millimeters in diameter.
Although they are small in size they are intricate and complex.
The flower does consist of a few petals which are in the form of a star shape having a flower with a center that is filled with delicate stamens and pistils.
The flower petals are striped or spotted which adds more beauty to the plant with unique flower blooming.

Care for Conophytum pageae:

Conophytum pageae are used for growing rocky areas in the wild having well-draining soil. They are used to adapting and surviving in harsh desert conditions in which they dont need water for months. To grow a plant in your home garden it is necessary to provide the plant with its natural habitat here are some requirements you need to provide the plant for growing them.

Sunlight:

To grow Conophytum pageae you need to provide the plant with plenty of bright, indirect sunlight.
You need to keep the plant in a place where it gets at least 6 hours of sunlight per day.
I will suggest you place them in a south or west-facing window.
The plant can also grow if it does not get natural light.
Make sure to avoid the plants getting direct sunlight which will cause them to sunburn on the leaves of plants.

Water:

These are succulent plants that use to store water in their leaves which makes them resistant to drought conditions.
The issue of overwatering the plant will lead to root rot problems and other issues so make sure to avoid the situation of overwatering the plant.
Before watering the plant you need to dry out the soil completely between watering then only water them.
Make sure to reduce the quantity of watering the plant during winter.

Temperature:

Conophytum pageae plants prefer to grow in warm temperatures.
Need to keep the plant away from drafts or extreme temperature changes.
Marinating temperature growing Conophytum pageae between 60-85°F.

Soil:

To grow Conophytum pageae you need to provide them a well-draining mix that is rich in organic matter.
There are options available to use a commercial succulent potting mix or make the mix on your own by using equal parts sand, perlite, and peat moss.
The plant gets the problem of root rot if the soil is not well draining and a waterlogged situation does arise.

Air Humidity:

You need to provide the Conophytum pageae with dry, arid conditions and do not need to maintain high levels of humidity.
Make sure to avoid the plant from excessive humidity that can be harmful to the plant and will increase the risk of formation of fungal infections and other issues in the plant.
Maintaining the humidity level of 30-50% in the room for growing Conophytum pageae successfully.

Fertilizing:

The plant does not need frequent fertilization but make sure to feed the plant once or twice a year in a balanced ratio of water-soluble fertilizer.
Make sure to dilute the fertilizer according to the instructions mentioned on the label and always apply the fertilizer during the active growing season of the plant.

Repotting:

The Conophytum pageae used to grow slowly so you need to repot the plant every few years.
In the case of repotting the plant, you need to use a pot that is larger than the previous one so that the plant root gets the space to grow.
While the repotting process be careful not to damage the plant roots.

Pruning:

There is no need for frequent pruning of plants.
You need to remove the dead or yellowing leaves as soon you notice any.
Make sure to use clean, sharp scissors or pruning shears to avoid any damage to the healthy leaves of the stem of the plant.

Propagation of Conophytum pageae:

Here are some ways that will help you to propagate Conophytum pageae:

Leaf cuttings:

To propagate Conophytum pageae you need to remove a healthy leaf from the plant and make it dry until a callus forms over the cutting end of the leaf.
Now you need to plant the cutting in a well-drawing soil mix and water the cutting until you observe new growth on the cutting.

Division:

To complete the process of repotting Conophytum pageae you need to divide the plant into smaller clumps and then pot them separately.
Make sure to plant the cutting in new and fresh well-draining soil and while repotting handle the roots gently.

Seed propagation:

Growing Conophytum pageae is possible from seed but for this method, you need to have more patience and attention.
You need to sow the seed in a well-draining soil mix and maintain the moisture until the seed is germinated.
Seed propagation will take a few weeks or months to start showing seedlings.
You need to give extra care and attention to the seeds while growing them.

Common Problems of Conophytum pageae:

The Conophytum pageae is considered an easy plant to care but you can face some problems that will affect the growth and appearance of the plant. the following are some common problems that you can experience while growing the plant:

Overwatering:

These are the succulent plant that adapts to dry conditions.
In case you water the plant to frequently or keep the soil wet it will increase the risk of root rot development which will kill the plant.
Make sure to dry out the soil completely between watering times.
The plant does require some moisture to thrive best but remember not to overwater them and not to underwater them which will make the leaves shrivel and dry out.

Pest infestations:

The Conophytum pageae succulent plants are more susceptible to some pests such as mealybugs, spider mites, and scale insects.
All these pests do damage the plant by sucking sap from the leaves and stems.
In case of having signs of pest infestation such as webbing or sticky sap on leaves, you need to treat the plant with insecticidal soap as soon as possible.

Fungal infections:

These plants are more prone to fungal infection when the soil is too moist or the plant is kept in too much humidity.
You will see the signs of fungal infections by having brown spots on the leaves or white powdery substances on the plant’s surface.
If you want to get rid of fungal infection you need to remove the infected parts of the plant and provide the plant with airflow.

Incorrect lighting:

To grow Conophytum pageae you need to provide plants with bright, indirect light to thrive.
In case the plant is not getting light the leaves of the plant will start to stretch or will change to pale in color.
If you keep the plant in a place it receives too much direct sunlight the leaves will start to burn or scorch.
You need to monitor your plant and take steps as soon as you notice any of the problems so that the plant thrives and maintains the beauty of the plant for a long time.

Conclusion

I think now it will be easy for you to grow Conophytum pageae, all you need to follow all the caring ways to grow Conophytum pageae and add them in your plant collection.