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1. Soil: These plants require a well-drained soil that will dry out quickly enough to prevent root rot,
which is a common problem. A commercial Succulent and Cactus mix from your local nursery or
Home Depot works very well. If you wish to make your own use 40% parts perlite, 50% peat moss,
10% manure or 50% perlite, 50% supersoil that's available from your local nursery or Home Depot.
2. Pots: Use black plastic pots and the bigger the better. The hoodia grows a large root system so
give it plenty of room. 3 to 6 inch plants need 6 inch pots and the next year you'll need to
transplant into a 10 inch pot or larger. Black pots will heat up faster from the morning sun and
stimulate the plant to grow faster. In very warm conditions the plastic pots dry out fine, but if
you're in a colder climate you may want to use clay pots as they will allow the soil to dry faster,
thus helping to reduce the chance of root rot.
3. Potting your Hoodia: Fill the pot your going to use with soil that is lightly damp and do not pat
down yet. Now carefully remove the plant to be potted from it's container trying not to disturb soil
or root ball. Take the smaller pot and press it into the soil until the top is below the edge of the
larger pot top. Now you can start tapping the soil on the sides and fill in with more soil as needed
until the sides are equal to the small pots top. Now gently remove the small pot and insert the
Hoodia plant into the perfect molded hole.
4. Watering: When to water is the big question!! Where you live will make a difference with your
watering needs. In semi desert areas the hoodia is quite at home.
A. Spring: Depending on your winter and whether your plant / plants have become dormant you
should wait till the nights are at least in the 50s. In semi desert areas start to water for the first time
in mid february with an early morning watering so that at least the upper layer of the soil would
be able to dry a bit by the days end. Then wait two weeks till the next watering and continue
until April then start weekly watering as needed.
B. Summer: The rule of thumb is water when dry with a thorough soaking. The seedlings in small 3
inch pots will dry out faster than the larger pots so water them more often. Water about every
other day and try not to let them dry out too much. The larger mature plants can be watered just
once weekly
C. Fall: Water much like spring in reverse. As the days get shorter and the nights get cooler you'll
need to adjust your watering.
D. Winter: This is the time of year when in most locations the Hoodia will most likely go dormant
and you can set it in a sunny widow and wait for spring to wake it up.
5. Food: Feed Hoodia twice a month during the growing season. Add a weak solution of any
plant food at every second or third watering. Carefully read fertilizer labels as ratios may be used
to promote either foliage or flower production. I suggest keeping all numbers below 20. Use no
fertilizer winter, spring or fall.
6. Light: Full sun as in their natural habitat works best. They seem to love the heat, the hotter the
better. Some websites say to grow them in the shade but in the wild they do not grow in the
shade. Try to give them what they are used to, hot desert conditions with regular waterings and
feedings to promote growth.
7. Pests and Root rot: Root rot is surely the worst problem when it comes to Hoodia problems and
every grower has lost some of them to it. Always check the base of your plants for any change in
color or if your plant seems to be drooping over all of a sudden. If you find it soon enough pull the
plant out of the soil and remove any soft mushy tissue using sterilized tools. Seal the healthy parts
of the Hoodia stems with a sealer or some ash. Treat with a fungicide and allow to completely
callus before attempting to reroot the plant. Mealybugs are a soft bodied insects covered with
white wooly substance. You will notice it attacking the tips of new growth by it white color. Also
watch for deformed tips which is another clue. One good treatment is Safer Brand Insect Killing
Soap available at local nurseries or Home Depot. Spray it lightly and directly on the infected
sections.
8. Flowering, Pollinating and Seed collecting: Hoodia plants should bloom twice a year May
through June and again in Sept and Oct. At these times remove them from the green house (if in
a greenhouse) to the outside area so they can be pollinated by flies. The flowers have a carrion
smell (rotten meat) and they attract the flies that in turn pollinate them. It is interesting to see the
many different types of flies coming together and defending a flower from another fly. Once the
flowers are pollinated they dry up and usually two elongated seed pods will appear. Once
matured, the seed pod will start to split open along its longitudinal seam. When this happens you
need to pick it as soon as possible before it dries and the seeds, which are similar to a dandelion,
puff up and blow away. As the weather gets hotter this step will take daily if not hourly
inspections if you want to save your seeds.
9. Germinating Seed: Seeds should be as fresh as possible for the best success and temperatures
warm, say from mid March on. Use the same soil as for potting plants but first crush it a bit to get
the perlite to a smaller size. Sterilize the soil and place moist in 3 inch plastic pots and tamp down
lightly. Now place the seeds on the soil, approx ten per pot and cover with a light layer of soil so
the seeds are not exposed. Now set the pot in a tray of water about 2 inches deep and the soil
will absorb the amount of water needed plus this way you don’t disturb the topsoil. Now place in
a well lighted window and in two to three days you should see them sprouting. Now you can
remove the water from the bottom. It's important to know that you'll need to keep them lightly
damp for about 3 weeks and then slowly introduce them to brighter light and then into the
sunlight, all the time keeping them lightly damp. Unlike older plants that need to dry between
waterings, the young roots need the moisture to thrive. Beware of mice they will nibble on the
tops of the baby Hoodia plants.
which is a common problem. A commercial Succulent and Cactus mix from your local nursery or
Home Depot works very well. If you wish to make your own use 40% parts perlite, 50% peat moss,
10% manure or 50% perlite, 50% supersoil that's available from your local nursery or Home Depot.
2. Pots: Use black plastic pots and the bigger the better. The hoodia grows a large root system so
give it plenty of room. 3 to 6 inch plants need 6 inch pots and the next year you'll need to
transplant into a 10 inch pot or larger. Black pots will heat up faster from the morning sun and
stimulate the plant to grow faster. In very warm conditions the plastic pots dry out fine, but if
you're in a colder climate you may want to use clay pots as they will allow the soil to dry faster,
thus helping to reduce the chance of root rot.
3. Potting your Hoodia: Fill the pot your going to use with soil that is lightly damp and do not pat
down yet. Now carefully remove the plant to be potted from it's container trying not to disturb soil
or root ball. Take the smaller pot and press it into the soil until the top is below the edge of the
larger pot top. Now you can start tapping the soil on the sides and fill in with more soil as needed
until the sides are equal to the small pots top. Now gently remove the small pot and insert the
Hoodia plant into the perfect molded hole.
4. Watering: When to water is the big question!! Where you live will make a difference with your
watering needs. In semi desert areas the hoodia is quite at home.
A. Spring: Depending on your winter and whether your plant / plants have become dormant you
should wait till the nights are at least in the 50s. In semi desert areas start to water for the first time
in mid february with an early morning watering so that at least the upper layer of the soil would
be able to dry a bit by the days end. Then wait two weeks till the next watering and continue
until April then start weekly watering as needed.
B. Summer: The rule of thumb is water when dry with a thorough soaking. The seedlings in small 3
inch pots will dry out faster than the larger pots so water them more often. Water about every
other day and try not to let them dry out too much. The larger mature plants can be watered just
once weekly
C. Fall: Water much like spring in reverse. As the days get shorter and the nights get cooler you'll
need to adjust your watering.
D. Winter: This is the time of year when in most locations the Hoodia will most likely go dormant
and you can set it in a sunny widow and wait for spring to wake it up.
5. Food: Feed Hoodia twice a month during the growing season. Add a weak solution of any
plant food at every second or third watering. Carefully read fertilizer labels as ratios may be used
to promote either foliage or flower production. I suggest keeping all numbers below 20. Use no
fertilizer winter, spring or fall.
6. Light: Full sun as in their natural habitat works best. They seem to love the heat, the hotter the
better. Some websites say to grow them in the shade but in the wild they do not grow in the
shade. Try to give them what they are used to, hot desert conditions with regular waterings and
feedings to promote growth.
7. Pests and Root rot: Root rot is surely the worst problem when it comes to Hoodia problems and
every grower has lost some of them to it. Always check the base of your plants for any change in
color or if your plant seems to be drooping over all of a sudden. If you find it soon enough pull the
plant out of the soil and remove any soft mushy tissue using sterilized tools. Seal the healthy parts
of the Hoodia stems with a sealer or some ash. Treat with a fungicide and allow to completely
callus before attempting to reroot the plant. Mealybugs are a soft bodied insects covered with
white wooly substance. You will notice it attacking the tips of new growth by it white color. Also
watch for deformed tips which is another clue. One good treatment is Safer Brand Insect Killing
Soap available at local nurseries or Home Depot. Spray it lightly and directly on the infected
sections.
8. Flowering, Pollinating and Seed collecting: Hoodia plants should bloom twice a year May
through June and again in Sept and Oct. At these times remove them from the green house (if in
a greenhouse) to the outside area so they can be pollinated by flies. The flowers have a carrion
smell (rotten meat) and they attract the flies that in turn pollinate them. It is interesting to see the
many different types of flies coming together and defending a flower from another fly. Once the
flowers are pollinated they dry up and usually two elongated seed pods will appear. Once
matured, the seed pod will start to split open along its longitudinal seam. When this happens you
need to pick it as soon as possible before it dries and the seeds, which are similar to a dandelion,
puff up and blow away. As the weather gets hotter this step will take daily if not hourly
inspections if you want to save your seeds.
9. Germinating Seed: Seeds should be as fresh as possible for the best success and temperatures
warm, say from mid March on. Use the same soil as for potting plants but first crush it a bit to get
the perlite to a smaller size. Sterilize the soil and place moist in 3 inch plastic pots and tamp down
lightly. Now place the seeds on the soil, approx ten per pot and cover with a light layer of soil so
the seeds are not exposed. Now set the pot in a tray of water about 2 inches deep and the soil
will absorb the amount of water needed plus this way you don’t disturb the topsoil. Now place in
a well lighted window and in two to three days you should see them sprouting. Now you can
remove the water from the bottom. It's important to know that you'll need to keep them lightly
damp for about 3 weeks and then slowly introduce them to brighter light and then into the
sunlight, all the time keeping them lightly damp. Unlike older plants that need to dry between
waterings, the young roots need the moisture to thrive. Beware of mice they will nibble on the
tops of the baby Hoodia plants.
Tips for Growing Hoodia Gordonii Plants
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Ohiotraders Botanicals
Tips for Growing Hoodia
Tips for Growing Hoodia
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receive your order quickly. If you have questions about our policies or products,
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Ohiotraders Botanicals ships most orders within 48 hours you can expect to
receive your order quickly. If you have questions about our policies or products,
please email us at the contact us link below.
