It may not be that procumbens is more susceptible to rot, it could just be that hislopii is tolerant of excess moisture.

So, if yours are rotting, adapt your growing conditions appropriately.

FWIW, my stapeliads are only watered regularly when it is sunny and hot, which for me in my greenhouse is May to Sept.

Plantgrrl,

I used to have some trouble with Huernias wanting to rot in the winter months especially. I've found that if I grow them in small bonsai pots, I don't have that problem. Seems they dry out a LOT faster, and most of them have shallow root systems, so it eliminates the too much soil problem of deeper pots.

Denise in Omaha

xerophyte, you more than likely have a point there. Although I didn't water at all this winter, just the occasional misting. I think I probably started watering again too soon this season. I have about 60 different cacti and I've actually started keeping a garden log, so I can remember which ones need water when, and when I watered last so maybe that will help. I've just got to be extra careful with the procumbens.

Denise...you are a genius! I hadn't though about bonsai pots, but now that you mention it, I will definately track some down at my local garden center.

Plantgrrl,

I discovered this kind of by accident. I was frustrated with losing them in winter, but there's one particular species that grows like a weed for me no matter what (it's either schneideriana or pendula - I'm not sure which...) I had a clump I needed to pot up becuase it had fallen out of the main pot and I threw it in the nearest pot, which was a very shallow bonsai pot. Well, that has grown to be one of the nicest looking heurnias I've ever grown, and it's been a prolific flowerer since I put it in that pot, too. In fact, last winter, it flowered all winter long. (Not so much this winter because it's been more dreary...) I had all but quit growing Stapeliads, partly due to my winter losses and having to constantly fight mealies. I decided last summer since I've gone to using systemics to keep mealies away that I'd give them another try and I got an H. urceolata and promptly put it in a bonsai pot. It's done wonderfully and I'm going to bet by summer's end, it will be like my other Huernia and have completely filled that pot. And the best part is that I can water them all winter long without fear of losing them.

By the way, after this discovery, I decided that surely just filling the bottom of a regular pot with pebbles or packing peanuts to turn it into a shallow pot would have the same affect, but it doesn't for some reason...

Denise in Omaha

HI,
A book I got from the library by Victor Graham has a tip for Stpeliads that would work for your Huerinia. He suggests putting a nourishing layer of compost at the bottom of the pot, and filling the rest with drainage material so only the ends of the roots are in contact with the compost

I've heard that from several sources now, I'm betting that'll be the ticket. Thanks everyone!