Gibbaeums are dwarf, clumping, extremely xeric mesembs. G. dispar occurs in the dry interior Ladismith district of S Africa where it can experience both summer and winter rainfall. It has proven to be surprisingly easy for us to grow in our shade house year-round. New growth and flowering are uninhibited or perhaps stimulated by winter cold and wet. Seedlings volunteer with some regularity in neighboring pots. Plants flower dependably Dec to Jan after reaching a couple of leaf pairs and continue to multiply to form clumps of a dozen or more heads. Watering is light and infrequent in summer lest the leaves split. Seedlings from HBG 70711, plants from seed collected by H. Hartmann and S. Liede (30291) near Vanwyksdorp, W Cape, S Africa. $5.
Published in the Cactus and Succulent Journal, Vol. 76 (2), March - April, 2004