Curio talinoides var. mandraliscae (Blue Chalksticks) after I brought it home on 10-11-12, #121-18.
Blue Chalksticks, Blue Finger, Blue Stick, ETC.
Curio talinoides var. mandraliscae
Synonyms of Curio talinoides var. mandraliscae (3) (Updated on 2-23-21): Kleinia mandraliscae Tineo, Senecio mandraliscae (Tineo) H.Jacobsen, Senecio talinoides subsp. mandraliscae (Tineo) G.D.Rowley
Curio talinoides var. mandraliscae (Tineo) P.V.Heath is the correct and accepted scientific name for this variety of Curio talinoides. The species was named and described as such by Paul V. Heath in Calyx in 1999 along with several infraspecific names. It was first named and described as Kleinia mandraliscae by by Vincenzo Tineo in Annali di Agricoltura Siciliana in 1855.
The genus, Curio P.V.Heath, was named and described Mr. Heath in Calyx in 1997.
Plants of the World Online by Kew lists 18 species in the Curio genus (as of 2-23-21 when I last updated this page). It is a member of the plant family Asteraceae with 1,679 genera. Those numbers could change as updates are made (and likely will).
The last time I updated this page, the name had changed to Senecio talinoides subsp. mandraliscae (Tineo) G.D.Rowley. It was named and described as such by Gordon Douglas Rowley in Cactus and Succulent Journal in 1990.
THERE ARE A FEW LINKS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE FOR FURTHER READING.
Curio talinoides var. mandraliscae (Blue Chalksticks) on 2-17-13, #139-62.
I brought this plant home from Lowe’s October 11, 2012. in Greenville, Mississippi while living at the mansion in Leland. The label said Senecio mandraliscae and said the common name was Blue Chalksticks. It was on the discount rack so I thought I would give it a try.
USEFUL INFORMATION:
Family: Asteraceae (Compositae).
Origin: South Africa.
Zones: USDA Zones 10a-11 (30 to 40° F).
Size: 12-18” tall.
Light: Sun to part shade.
Soil: Well-draining. Quality potting soil amended with pumice (50/50) or additional pumice and chicken grit (2-1-1).
Water: Average during spring through autumn but fairly dry during the winter.
Leaves of the Curio talinoides var. mandraliscae (Blue Chalksticks) on 2-17-13, #139-63.
According to the Wikipedia, the Senecio is a genus of ragworts and groundsels. It says Kleinia is closely related to Senecio but is distinguished primarily by having succulent stems and/or leaves. Ummm… This plant definitely has succulent leaves and stems.
I only had this plant from October 11, 2012 through the end of February in 2013. I sold the mansion and moved back to the family farm in mid-Missouri and had to give up most of my plants. I gave this Blue Chalksticks to a good friend and fellow plant collector when I left. I have had a few issues growing a fe speciesf Senecio, or whatever you choose to call them, so I will wait until I have more adequate conditions before trying any again.
I hope you enjoyed this page and maybe found it useful. If you have any comments, questions or suggestions, I would like to hear from you. Please click on “like” if you visited this page. It helps us bloggers stay motivated. 🙂 You can check out the links below for further reading. The links take you directly to the genus and species of this plant.
