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Machairophyllum brevifolium 5.5cm

Name: Machairophyllum brevifolium 5.5cm
Brand: Greenleaf Garden Center
SKU: Machairbrevifol5.5cm
Price: 5.5 EUR
Availability: InStock

€5,50

Quantity

Dispatched within 1–3 business days · Carefully packed

Succulent · Aizoaceae · Winter-growing rosette

Machairophyllumbrevifolium

The succulent that looks drawn with a ruler and patience 📐

Family: Aizoaceae · Nursery pot diameter: 5.5 cm

Aizoaceae
Little Karoo
Winter growth
Summer rest
Triangular leaves

Machairophyllum brevifolium is a small succulent with short, thick triangular leaves forming a low blue-green rosette.

Its geometric surface hides a different calendar: activity is strongest in cool seasons, followed by rest in summer heat.

What makes it distinctive

Sharp form, Aizoaceae physiology and winter rhythm distinguish it from ordinary succulents.

Blade-like leaves

Triangular sections create crisp edges.

Cool-season growth

New leaves appear as temperatures fall.

Yellow Aizoaceae flowers

Mature plants can produce bright many-petalled blooms.

Why you’ll love it: it is a genuine seasonal specialist with unusual geometry.

In your spacePlacement & plant pairingsWhere it looks its best and which plants sit comfortably alongside it

In your space

Where it looks its best

Use a bright cool winter position and protect from harsh summer sun during rest.

Plant pairings

Plants that complement it

Best placed beside, not in the same pot as, other winter-growing Aizoaceae.

Faucaria tigrina — toothed leaves with a similar cool-season rhythm.
Pleiospilos nelii — paired bulky leaves for a change in scale.
Haworthia ‘Vivaldi’ — a low rosette with different light tolerance.

Care at a glance

Light

Very bright light in cool seasons, filtered during summer heat.

Watering

Water during active cool-season growth after dry-down; almost dry in summer rest.

Climate

Cool nights, airflow and protection from frost and humid heat.

Pets

Species-specific evidence is insufficient; not intended for chewing.

Selected for this plant

Substrate & feeding

Suitable substrateSybasoil Cacti & Succulent Premium Mix 5ltView product

Suitable feedCactus&Succulent Focus 100mlView product

Detailed careComplete care guideLight, watering, seasonal rhythm, substrate and feeding in detail

Light and position

Very bright light in cool seasons, filtered during summer heat.

How to water

Water during active cool-season growth after dry-down; almost dry in summer rest.

Air and humidity

Dry moving air is critical during summer rest.

Temperature and seasonal rhythm

Main growth runs autumn to spring; in summer water only with clear activity and shrinkage.

Substrate

Highly mineral fast mix in a small pot.

Feeding, repotting and handling

Minimal feed only in the active cool season.

Botanical identityIdentity & natural originAccepted name, cultivar history and the wild plant’s natural range

Accepted species

The accepted name is Machairophyllum brevifolium L.Bolus in the Aizoaceae.

Published by Louisa Bolus

South African botanist Louisa Bolus published the species; it is not a named cultivar.

Endemic to Western Cape

It is restricted to the Little Karoo near Oudtshoorn and De Rust, in dry stony sites with winter moisture.

From natural habitat to care: Little Karoo winter moisture and hot dry summers explain the reversed cycle. In a pot, water follows cool-season new growth, while summer heat calls for protection from extreme sun, airflow and almost dry mix.

Greenleaf for Plant NerdsScientific facts nobody asked forBotanical detail for anyone who wants to understand the structures behind the plant’s appearance

Leaves have a triangular section

Geometry increases storage volume with limited surface area.

Dormancy is not death

Summer pause is an adapted seasonal rhythm.

Flowers have many petal-like structures

They create the daisy-like Aizoaceae appearance.

Its watering calendar is reversed

Temperature and new growth matter more than month names.

Frequently asked questions

Plant-specific answers for Machairophyllum brevifolium, from light and watering to its seasonal rhythm.

01Which light keeps the correct form?

Very bright light in cool seasons, filtered during summer heat.

02When does it genuinely need water?

Water during active cool-season growth after dry-down; almost dry in summer rest.

03What changes through the year?

Main growth runs autumn to spring; in summer water only with clear activity and shrinkage.

04Why does it shrink in summer?

Mild shrinkage is part of rest; a soft translucent base indicates rot.

05When should watering resume?

When conditions cool and clear new growth appears, begin cautiously and always allow dry-down.

06What about pets and children?

Species-specific evidence is insufficient; not intended for chewing.

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Machairophyllum brevifolium 5.5cm

Machairophyllum brevifolium 5.5cm

Machairophyllumbrevifolium

What makes it distinctive

Blade-like leaves

Cool-season growth

Yellow Aizoaceae flowers

Where it looks its best

Plants that complement it

Care at a glance

Light

Watering

Climate

Pets

Substrate & feeding

Light and position

How to water

Air and humidity

Temperature and seasonal rhythm

Substrate

Feeding, repotting and handling

Accepted species

Published by Louisa Bolus

Endemic to Western Cape

Leaves have a triangular section

Dormancy is not death

Flowers have many petal-like structures

Its watering calendar is reversed

Frequently asked questions

Machairophyllum brevifolium 5.5cm — Care & Tips

We take care of the packaging!

With specially designed boxes, we ensure that the plants will reach you intact, no matter what they encounter on the way!

All plants in 3L pots or larger are placed in individual boxes that secure the plant at the base of the pot, preventing it from tipping over.

The cardboard used for the boxes is specially made to provide resistance to potential impacts during transport.

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