Aptenia 'Red Apple' (Aizoaceae / Mesembryanthemaceae), a common cultivar derived from a hybrid between two Aptenia species endemic to southern Africa

Hybrid material of Aptenia N.E.Br. (Aizoaceae / Mesembryanthemaceae) that is in cultivation in many mild-climate parts of the world was previously described as a cultivar, A. 'Red Apple'. The parents of the hybrid from which the cultivar was derived are Aptenia cordi- folia (L.f.) Schwantes and A. haeckeliana (A.Berger) Bittrich ex Gerbaulet, both being endemic to southern Africa. The cultivar grows quickly, does extremely well in virtually any soil type, is reasonably cold-hardy, and its foliage and flowers are superior to those of both parents. Plants are multi-branched, with the branches remaining creeping, so making a useful ground- cover. The bright green leaves, borne densely along the brittle stems and branches, are somewhat heart-shaped, but with bases that are more cuneate than those of A. cordifolia. The flowers are uniformly bright strawberry red. The combination of these characters easily establishes the identity of this cultivar. Aptenia 'Red Apple' is much more widely cultivated and distributed in gardens than its parent species.