Senecio

Senecio vulgaris

Old-man-in-the-spring

Senecio vulgaris is a fast-growing annual weed of temperate disturbed ground across Eurasia and North Africa, so it lives quickly, sets seed, and dies within a season. It wants bright light and a moderately moist but well-drained mix; water when the top inch of soil is dry, easing off rather than keeping it soggy. As an annual it is short-lived by nature and will not persist past flowering.

Senecio angulatus

Cape Ivy

Senecio angulatus is a scrambling, semi-succulent climbing shrub from the Cape Provinces, where it endures dry spells by storing water in its fleshy leaves and stems. Give it bright light and gritty, fast-draining mix, and let it run quite dry between waterings — water only when the top two inches of mix are dry, and never leave it sitting wet, as it rots far more readily than it wilts.

Senecio niveoaureus

Senecio niveoaureus is a member of Asteraceae native to Colombia, where many high-elevation Senecio grow in cool, bright, well-drained sites. Many plants in this genus store water in fleshy tissue and resent sitting wet, so let the mix dry out well between waterings. Water only when the top inch or two of soil is dry to the touch, and give it bright indirect light with free-draining soil.

Senecio tamoides

Canary Creeper

Senecio tamoides is a scrambling shrub from southern Africa, where it climbs through other vegetation in bright, well-drained settings. Its succulent-leaved Senecio habit means it stores moisture and resents staying wet, so give it bright indirect light, a gritty, fast-draining mix, and water only when the top inch or two of soil has dried out. Let it approach dry between waterings and provide support for its scrambling stems.