Piccola pianta succulenta accestente di crescita relativamente lenta. le piante più vecchie formano un imponente caudice in prossimità del suolo.

Family: Crassulaceae (Stonecrop Family)

Scientific name:  Adromischus rupicola C. A. Smith,
In: Bothalia, 3. 642., 1939

Section: Incisilobati

Origin:  South Africa mountains south of Little Karoo (Mpumalanga, Worcester east to Uniondale)

Habitat: Widespread on rocky ridges from the dry, nominally summer-rainfall interior areas.

Conservation status: Listed in CITES appendix 2.

Common Names include: Calico hearts plant, bontplakkie

Synonyms:  

• Adromischus maculatus (Salm-Dyck) Lem.
• Cotyledon maculatus Lemaire,
  In: Jard. Fleur. 2. Misc. 60, 1852
• Adromiscus trigynus (Burch.) Poelln.

Adromischus rupicola is a small clumping succulent and relatively slow growing .
Older plants develop a massive caudex or large swollen area near the ground.

Description: Succulent herbaceous perennial rosette of few flat leaves, up to 10 cm. It is a compact and relatively slow growing plant.
Stems: Stout very short, prostrate, with sparse branching. Older plants develop a massive caudex or large swollen area near the ground.
Root: It has a large tuberous rootstock.
Leaves: Broad, almost round, orbicular or obovate 6 cm long by 4 cm wide, which mimic fat kidney shaped pillows, they are gray green richly blotched dark chocolate to brown and along the horny margins, the edge there is a silvery line.
Flowers: Flowers sessile, pale yellow green with pinkish or red tips.
Fruit: Fruit a dry many seeded follicle.

Cultivation: They prefer well-drained soil in a partially shaded position and require a minimum temperature 5°C (But hardy down to -7°C for short periods), with good drainage and dryness in winter to resist the cold. Let the soil dry between soaking, in the wild, it receives rain mostly in spring and fall. Must have very dry atmosphere. They are vulnerable to mealybugs and rarely scale. It is prone to rotting from the tuberous base or from dried inflorescences. As the plant matures, the centre becomes bare. When it does, restart it from side cuttings and throw away the central part.