Fenestraria rhopalophylla 'Baby Toes'

Belonging to the large plant family of Aizoaceae, which includes plants known as “mimicry plants” due to their ability to camouflage with their environment, F. rhopalophylla ‘Baby Toes’ is an exceptionally unusual succulent. Hailing from the deserts of Namibia and South Africa, its minty green to soft blue leaves form tubes rather than rosettes, each growing up to 3 inches tall. In the wild, only the tips of the leaves would emerge above the sandy ground – resulting in the adaptation of each leaf having a translucent “window” at its tip, allowing light to filter through and reach the portion of the plant otherwise hidden from view.

Because of the harsh sun of their native desert habitat, they prefer bright light, and are prone to etiolating, or stretching, in lower light environments. These succulents are also especially sensitive to overwatering and rot, and need to be planted in a fast-draining soil mix. Water using the “soak and dry” method, meaning watering until the excess runs from the drainage hole of the pot only once the soil has completely dried from the last watering. The exception to this is during the heat of the summer months, when ‘Baby Toes’ enters its dormancy period – it is best to refrain from watering much if at all during this time, to help avoid rot.

Hardy only to Zone 9a, ‘Baby Toes’ must be protected from frost, and is thus best suited to growing in pots rather than in the ground in all but the most temperate of climates.  When provided with the right growing conditions, these unique succulents will reward your efforts with plenty of offsets, which can be carefully divided as a means of propagation. Additionally, in late summer through fall "Baby Toes" will bloom profusely, offering up 2 inch wide white or yellow, daisy-like flowers.

Plant sizing is based on the diameter of the nursery pot (2", 2.5", 3", 4" etc), not the plant itself. Plants may be slightly larger or smaller than the pot they are grow in depending on availability or time of year. While we do our best to ship plants as similar to those pictured as possible, please keep in mind that all plants are unique from one to the next, and display color, shape, and growth variation based on current environment, time of year, and other contributing factors. Please note that we ship our plants as dry as possible in the fall and winter months to prevent root rot or freezing. They will plump back up after planting!