Hoodia pilifera
Plant Family
Apocynacae (Formerly Asclepiadaceae), Subfamily Asclepiadoideae
Accepted Binomial Name
Hoodia pilifera (L.f.) Plowes
Synonymous Binomial Names (Kew 2019h)
Ceropegia pilifera (L.f.) Bruyns
Piaranthus pilifer (L.f.) Sweet
Stapelia pilifera L.f.
Trichocaulon piliferum (L.f.) N.E.Br.
Common (Vernacular) Names
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Subspecies (Kew 2019h)
Hoodia pilifera subsp. annulata (N.E.Br.) Bruyns
Synonyms:
Ceropegia pilifera subsp. annulata (N.E.Br.) Bruyns
Hoodia annulata (N.E.Br.) Plowes
Trichocaulon annulatum N.E.Br.
Hoodia pilifera subsp. pillansii (N.E.Br.) Bruyns
Synonyms:
Ceropegia coleorum (Plowes) Bruyns
Hoodia coleorum Plowes
Hoodia grandis (N.E.Br.) Plowes
Trichocaulon grande N.E.Br.
Trichocaulon pillansii N.E.Br.
Hoodia pilifera subsp. pilifera
Plant Characteristics
Endemicity. The subspecies Hoodia pilifera pilifera is found low densities at 13 locations from Montagu to Uniondale, Matjiesfontein to Laingsburg and Gamka Poort, and Klaarstroom in the Eastern and Western Cape provinces of South Africa. It grows on steep shale slopes or near the foot of sandstone mountains, usually on the hotter and northern aspects. Less frequently it is found on flat areas and cooler, southern slopes (Raimondo 2008).
The subspecies Hoodia pilifera annulata is found as scattered individuals at locations in Great Karoo from Aberdeen and Graaff-Reinet southwards to Rietbron and eastwards to Willowmore, Klipplaat and Steytlerville, in the East Cape Province of South Africa . It grows in flat areas between low hills on slightly gravelly ground, rarely on hill slopes (Victor and Nicholas 2009).
For information on Hoodia pilifera subsp. pillansii refer to our web page on Hoodia grandis.
Growth Habit. This species grows as a few to many-stemmed shrublet to a large shrub of up to 0.8 meters tall and 2 meters wide (Bruyns 2006a). The thorns are often short and softer compared with most other common species of Hoodia.
 Hoodia pilifera pilifera Seedling |
 Hoodia pilifera |
Hoodia pilifera Monsterose – A monsterose specimen of this species developed from one of the plants that we acquired early in our research program. Multiple stems grew from the apical stem bud.
 Hoodia pilifera, Monsterose Form |
Flowers. The flowers of this species are small to medium size and may be variable in shape, size and color ranging from dark red-brown to nearly black shades of purple. We are presenting our photos of the species and subspecies based on the identification provided by our original suppliers and grouping them by appearance. It is likely that some of these identifications were inaccurate and some of the plants are various intermediates and hybrids of the subspecies or other species.
Hoodia pilifera subsp. pilifera with Stellate Flowers
 Hoodia pilifera pilifera with Stellate Flowers |
 Hoodia pilifera pilifera Stellate Flower Center |
Hoodia pilifera subsp. annulata with Stellate Flowers
 Hoodia pilifera annulata with Stellate Flowers Example 1 |
 Hoodia pillifera annulata with Stelate Flowers, Example 2 |
 Hoodia pillifera subspecies annulata with Stelate Flowers, Example 3 |
 Hoodia pillifera annulata Stellate Flower Center |
Hoodia pilifera subsp. annulata with Small Dark Purple Flowers
 Hoodia pilifera subsp. annulata |
 Hoodia pilifera annulata Plant with Small Dark Purple Flower |
 Hoodia pilifera annulata Plant Small Dark Purple Flower Close Up |
Hoodia pilifera subsp. annulata with Small Maroon Purple Flowers
 Hoodia pillifera annulata with Small Maroon-Purple Flowers |
 Hoodia pillifera annulata with Small Maroon-Purple Flower Close Up |
Fruit and Seeds. As typical of the genus. The fruiting body consists of two horn-like, slender, erect follicles. On ripening the follicles split apart releasing the seeds. As they are released a tuft of filament-like pappi opens and the seeds are disbursed by air currents.
 Hoodia pilifera pilifera with Follicle Forming |
Conservation Status
CITES Listing: This and all other species of Hoodia, are listed on Appendix II of CITES. Appendix II includes species not necessarily threatened with extinction, but in which trade must be controlled in order to avoid utilization incompatible with their survival (CITES 2019a). This listing includes all parts and derivatives except those bearing a label:
“Produced from Hoodia spp. material obtained through controlled harvesting and production under the terms of an agreement with the relevant CITES Management Authority of [Botswana under agreement No. BW/xxxxxx] [Namibia under agreement No. NA/xxxxxx] [South Africa under agreement No. ZA/xxxxxx].” (CITES 2019b).
Hybrids of Hoodia species with other species are subject to these requirements (Shippmann 2016). Hoodia seeds are also regulated by CITES (Harcum 2019), contrary to the information posted on the FWS website (USFWS 2019).
IUCN Listing: No assessments of the conservation status of Genus species were found on International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threated Species (IUCN 2019).
Red List of South African Plants Listing: Hoodia pilifera subsp. pilifera is considered rare and listed as Near Threatened B1ab(iii,v). The declining popullation and low densities of this subspecies are most likely the result of habitat degradation due to overgrazing throughout its range as well as harvesting for food by local people (Raimondo 2008). The subspecies Hoodia pilifera annulata is considered stable but potentially threatened by harvesting as it may be misidentified as Hoodia gordonii. However, there was no substantive evidence that the population was declining (Victor and Nicholas 2009).
U.S. Endangered Species Act Listing Status: This taxon not listed (FWS 2018).
Uses
Traditional Uses. Hoodia pilifera pilifera is harvested extensively for food and its medicinal value (Raimondo 2008).
Cultivation
Some plants of this species have been grown for use as ornamental plants but no plantings for production of a crop have been reported.
Propagation Methods
Seeds. This species is easily propagated from seeds.
Cuttings: Hoodia can be propagated from cuttings but we do not recommend the practice as it is much more difficult than production of true cactus (plants in the family cactaceae) from cuttings. Hoodia cuttings are highly subject to rot and we have been unable to get some species and varieties to root. Sometimes a callus forms over the cutting wound and this must be excised to allow root growth. Typically, the majority of cuttings fail to survive and root. Plants grown from cuttings have fewer roots, less vigor, and unstable form, often with few stems from the base and top heavy branching from the main stem.
Improved Cultivars
We have not developed improved cultivars of this species.
Pests and Diseases
Refer to the sections of this website on diseases and pests of Hoodia species (currently under development). This species is highly susceptible to bacterial soft rot, anthracnose and other fungal diseases.
Invasiveness Potential
There are no references indicating that this species is invasive:
Global Invasive Species Database. This species was not found on the database (ISSG 2019).
Hawai‘i-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment (HPWRA). We requested the HPWRA program to assess the invasiveness potential of Hoodia pilifera since there were no records of prior introductions in Hawaii. HPWRA completed the assessment on May 6, 2015 and assigned it an assessment score of -2, indicating low risk (HPWRA 2019b). It has been designated as a Pono Plant, a good choice for planting in Hawai‘i.
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Plants and Seeds for Sale
Improved Cultivars
We have not developed cultivars of this species.
Availability and Ordering Information
Nursery Stock. Live plants of this species are out of stock.
Seeds. We do not offer seeds of this species.
Shipping Information
Domestic Shipments. Hoodia plants and cuttings from our certified nursery, and seeds can be shipped to all states and territories of the U.S. Non-certified plants cannot be shipped to the states of Arizona, California, Louisiana or Texas. All plants shipped to California must be in pots, which may increase packaging and shipping costs. Shipments to all other states will be bare root.
International Shipments. All shipments of Hoodia plants, cuttings, seeds and materials derived from Hoodia plants to destinations outside the U.S. must comply with the requirements of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). These shipments will be made under the provisions of our CITES Master File number 44411D, Original Permit/Certificate number 19US52992D/9 and single use permits issued to us by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. We must obtain a single use permit for each shipment, regardless of its size. There are no exceptions to this requirement.
Inspections, import permits and issuance of Phytosanitary Certificates may also be necessary, and documentation requirements vary by country. Advance payment of fees may be required for permits, certificates, inspections and related services. Please refer to our Terms of Use and Sale for additional information. International customers are advised to contact us for before placing orders for any of our Hoodia products as the requirements and logistics for shipments from Hawaii are currently unsettled.
References
Bruyns PV. 2006a. Chapter 4. Hoodia. In: Stapeliads of Southern Africa and Madagascar, Vol. I Hatfield, South Africa: Umdaus Press., 92-129.
CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). 2019a. Appendices I, II, and III valid from 4 October 2017. https://www.cites.org/eng/app/appendices.php [accessed 28 October 2019].
CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora). 2019b. Appendices I, II, and III valid from 4 October 2017. Annotation #9. https://www.cites.org/eng/app/appendices.php [accessed 28 October 2019].
FWS (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service). 2019. Endangered Species Home. Search Endangered Species Database. https://www.fws.gov/endangered/ [accessed 27 October 2019].
GISD.(Global Invasive Species Database) 2018. http://www.iucngisd.org/gisd/search.php [accessed ## Month 2018].
Hawaii-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment (HPWRA). #### Year Accessed. Genus species. https://sites.google.com/site/weedriskassessment/home [accessed 29 October 2019].
Harcum H. 2019. E-mail communication, July 3, 2019 from Heather Harcum, Permits Biologist, International Affairs, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Falls Church, Virginia.
HPWRA (Hawaii-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment). 2019. Hawai‘i Pacific Weed Risk Assessment Site. https://sites.google.com/site/weedriskassessment/home [accessed 29 October 2019].
IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). 2019. Version 2019-2. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. http://www.iucnredlist.org/search [accessed 27 October 2019].
ISSG (Invasive Species Specialist Group of the IUCN Species Survival Commission) 2019. Global Invasive Species Database. http://www.iucngisd.org/gisd/ [accessed 25 October 2019].
Kew (Kew Royal Botanic Gardens). 2019h. Hoodia pilifera (L.f.) Plowes. http://www.plantsoftheworldonline.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:964737-1 [Accessed 17 November 2019].
Raimondo, D. 2008. Hoodia pilifera (L.f.) Plowes subsp. pilifera. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2017.1. http://redlist.sanbi.org/species.php?species=2705-25 [Assessed 21 November 2019].
Schippmann U. 2016. Plant Annotations in the CITES Appendices – Implementation Manual – Version 1.0. Bundesamt für Naturschutz (BfN) Federal Agency for Nature Conservation Konstantinstrasse 110, 53179 Bonn, Germany. https://cites.org/sites/default/files/ndf_material/Schippmann_Manual_of_Annotations_V1_2016.pdf [accessed 21 July 2019].
Victor JE, Nicholas A. 2009. Hoodia pilifera (L.f.) Plowes subsp. annulata (N.E.Br.) Bruyns. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2017.1. http://redlist.sanbi.org/species.php?species=2705-24 [Accessed on 21 November 2019]
This page was last updated on January 30, 2022.