Rhombophytum pilosum is an interesting little succulent that I discovered blooms in the evening. For years I missed its pretty little flowers, looking instead for blooms on plants out in the sun during the day.
Elkhorn plant, as it is commonly called, is also listed as Rhombophyllum dolabriforme, and I think is considered a mesembryanthemum, a group of succulents native to South Africa. Mesembs, as they are usually referred to, have similar flowers; daisy-like is the way they are described, like an ice plant, which is a mesemb, and this plant has that type of flower. It is called an elkhorn plant due to the shape of the leaves. This plant is documented to bloom spring to summer, but mine has just now started blooming, so it likes the summer. The blooms start to open as it nears sundown, and begin to close a couple of hours after it gets fully dark. I know this because I went out one night after dark just to see how long they stayed open, and sure enough, they were closed. But the same little flowers did open again the next day. After that they are pretty much done. I moved the plant out into the sun for this picture, and you can see the buds that close during the day. But they did open for me that evening.
Rhombophytum is a slow grower, and I have found it difficult to root cuttings, but I suspect it can be done. Mine has been in this pot most of its life and seems happy, so I don’t plan to repot it any time soon even though it is getting a little one-sided. The branches do become bare and leafless with age, so at some point I may repot or try more cuttings. I bought this one back before I realized the importance of identifying the plant and recording when I got it, so I am not sure how old it is. But I have had it a long time, anywhere from five to ten years. It is not cold-hardy, so I bring it in every winter.
So now I will just make it a point to sit under the pergola in the evenings and enjoy the flowers.
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