Conophytums are about the most reduced plants in existence. They consist of one pair of fused succulent leaves that get absorbed and regenerated every year. They have a very rudimentary filamentous root system, no stem to speak of, and the ability to produce one, sometimes two, small flowers a year! Some species only form one or two heads.
Conophytums are distributed essentially throughout the winter rainfall areas of South Africa (the three Cape provinces) and the southern parts of Namibia.
They enjoy being grown in either plastic or clay (dries out more quickly) pots with good drainage holes. The soil medium should be essentially mineral with very little organic matter - decomposed rock (granite/sandstone etc.) is best with both fine and coarse particles.
They can be grown in full sun in winter but in the summer months they should be shaded to protect them from drying out.
The drainage should be fairly good but should retain the moisture well as the watering only needs to happen about once a week in winter. In summer the plants go dormant by covering themselves in a shell - the shriveled up leaves of the previous year. During summer they should not be watered at all as this might stimulate them into a new flush of growth, which is not a good idea in the baking heat. Misting the plants with a spraycan using rainwater is a good idea in summer as it keeps the plants from dehydrating - this simulates fog. This can be done even more frequently in winter when they are actively growing.
Conophytums can be very easily propagated from seed and cuttings which means that one never has to remove whole plants from the wild. Seeds can be sown in autumn thinly on the soil surface with a thin layer of fine grit covering them. Keep them moist and use a fungicide to prevent them from damping off. Cuttings can be taken anytime during the growing season - no rooting hormones are necessary.
