Karoo Hoodia

Cultivating Hoodia gordonii

Propagation from the seeds

Growing Hoodia gordonii for commercial use should be done under the laws, rules and regulation of your local Nature Conservation Society/Organization.

Propagation are mostly done from seeds as cuttings will not be successful - when the stems are cut, it bruises and will not form a callus, thus the roots will not form from it. Hoodia gordonii seeds can be collected from October when the seed horns just starting splitting open and it must be semi-dry.

When the seed pods splits open, it reveals light brownish, flat seeds with fluff at the end which act as a parachute when the wind blows it around. In it's natural habitat, the young seed will start growing under a large shrub or any plant which will provide shadow and protection from the blazing sun. (The karoo is known for it's hot weather under the scourging sun).

However, when cultivating Hoodia gordonii seeds, plant it no deeper than half a centimeter in sandy loam. Spread the seed evenly when using a large bowl/germination bucket in which you can plant more than one seed. Overwatering will lead to rotting of the seeds, thus the area must have a proper drainage system to rid the excess damp.

Since the natural habitat is the Karoo, keep the planted seeds in a sunny position and water about 3 - 4 times depending on the draining system.

When the seeds have germinated and strong enough, separate the seeds to grow individually in pots. Once the plant are strong enough to grow independently, it will grow very quick. For harvesting purposes, the plant reaches full maturity at the age of five years, but it can also have some potency after about three and a half years of good growth. Read our section about processing of the Hoodia gordonii plants.

Happy Hoodia gordonii growing :)