What are the Difficulties Faced in Propagating Hoodia Gordonii?

Hoodia Gordonii is a rare and protected plant species. Anyone wanting to grow Hoodia Gordonii, in South Africa, must get the required permits from the concerned department of the South Africa government to proceed with such activities.

Looking into the plant, growth of this succulent for commercial purposes poses many challenges. The first challenge faced in growing Hoodia Gordonii, is that it requires extreme desert-like temperatures for growth. This make it feasible to grow it only in South Africa and nor elsewhere in the world.

Another problem is the time factor needed for its growth. If a Hoodia Gordonii plat has to grow to its fullest level of maturity, wherein it can be used for the purpose of suppressing the appetite, it requires five to seven years to do this. So, it is not a plant which can be grown in a short while and the fruits partaken thereof quickly.
 
The existing quantities of Hoodia Gordonii available are also very limited and so it is protected by the South African government from harvesting. This makes it more difficult to get permission to grow and harvest it, not to mention expensive.

However, despite these challenges, there are many companies putting forth genuine Hoodia Gordonii diet supplements, which use Hoodia Gordonii procured from South Africa. They have certificates which verify their claims.