"I am an experienced gardener and I am interested in trying to grow hoodia. I have not been able to find very much information on the internet about how to grow hoodia. Can you grow hoodia in the United States? What type of soil and sunlight does hoodia prefer to grow in? Has anyone ever been able to grow hoodia in the US? As you can see I am very interested in any information you can offer me about how to grow hoodia. Thank you for all your help."
It is possible though difficult to grow hoodia in the United States. Growing hoodia on a commercial scale is not feasible in the US and is only possible in Africa with great difficulty.
Here is all the information we've been able to gather on growing hoodia:
USDA Zone: 11 (to 10 degrees C)
Frost tolerance: to 28 degrees F
Seeds germinate best between 60-80 degrees F.
Hoodia prefers full sun to light shade. Light requirements during the growing season are medium (morning or afternoon) to full (direct sun all day). Minimum winter temperatures are 15 degrees F day, 10 degrees F night.
Keep completely dry in winter. In spring and autumn, water a little and let the soil dry between waterings. In summer, water normally but let the soil dry between waterings.
One recommended soil combination: 3 parts volcanic tufa, 1 part leaf mold or peat, 2 parts coarse river sand.
Hoodia reaches maturity after 5-7 years.
All in all, we think there are a lot of choices of plants for your garden. Growing hoodia may be more of a challenge than most gardeners are willing to tackle.
