Gasteria: species with photos and names, care

Gasteria is one of the close relatives of the well-known aloe. This unusual ornamental plant native to South Africa is familiar to everyone with a bright color palette of buds and their characteristic shape.

Description and appearance of Gasteria

Gasteria is a plant that contains special tissues for the accumulation of water. It lives in the subtropics in the sultry deserts of South Africa. Thanks to special sheets, it is able to accumulate the necessary reserves of water in the tissues, which makes it possible to tolerate the extreme conditions of an arid climate.

It belongs to the type of perennial plants, it is distinguished by thick tongue-like sheets, which played a role in obtaining the informal name "lawyer's language". The official name "pot-bellied vessel" is associated with the characteristics of the bud, which has the shape of a kind of bottle.

Color varies between different shades of green (from light to dark) and depends on the variety. Also, in some gasteria, small white spots are observed, the pattern of which varies from one plant to another.

The flowers located on the pedicel are painted in various shades: white, orange, green, red, pink-cream.

Gasteria warty and other species, photos and names

Due to the specific living conditions of the plant, the cultivators have allotted about 10 representatives for home cultivation.

Gasteria care at home

Gasteria is great for beginner growers. She is quite unpretentious in leaving. However, there are several criteria for the successful growth of the growing location criteria:

1. It is important to avoid direct sunlight on the plant, since they increase the risk of losing the pattern on the leaves at best and death at worst (however, it should receive some heat and sun, so the flower should be placed in the southeast / west);
2. The temperature favorable for growing is + 22 ... +25 ° C. Cooling to +12 ° C will not have a significant negative effect. In a period of low temperatures, it is not recommended to place a gastery near the batteries, as the amount of heat generated negatively affects growth and development.
3. It is recommended to regularly ventilate the room, but make sure that the plant is not exposed to draft.

Due to the ability of Gasteria to accumulate sufficient water reserves in tissues, 2 watering regimes should be adhered to (it is forbidden to allow the soil to dry out, especially from the beginning of spring to mid-autumn, since the plant actively develops during this period):

• once a month in the winter;
• once a week in other seasons.

It is recommended to wash the leaves, cleaning from dust, but it is necessary to ensure that the plant does not fall under the active influence of sunlight and does not get burns.

Gasteria is also not demanding on soil conditions. Special soil for growing cacti is well suited. The composition that is most optimal for maximum benefit is as follows (5: 3: 2: 4, respectively):

• turf;
• sheet earth;
• peat;
• sand.

To prevent the delay of a significant amount of water in the soil, it is recommended to add expanded clay or brick chips.

The use of fertilizers is justified only in the spring-summer period during the active growth and development of gasteria with a frequency of 1 time in 2-3 weeks.

Optimal for this is top dressing for cacti, but with a slight decrease in concentration. The introduction of nitrogen should be done with caution in very small quantities to prevent the death of the plant.

Transfer

Plant transplantation is carried out on average 1 time per year in the spring season. This periodicity is associated with the slow growth of Gasteria.

To carry out the transplant, you need:

• a large enough flower pot;
• drainage material;
• ready soil.

The transplant process is as follows:

• prepare the pot by pouring drainage on its bottom (for example, brick chips);
• remove the plant along with the ground and move it into a container;
• transfer the remaining soil into a new pot;
• separate young outlets to enhance adaptation to new conditions.

Mr. Dachnik explains: periods of flowering and dormancy

The rest period in most Gasteriae (except spotted) is observed in the autumn-winter season, when characteristic bolls with seeds appear in place of flowers. In spring or summer, flowering begins.

Breeding

Gasteria propagation is possible by sowing seeds, young rosettes or individual leaves.

For sowing seeds, you must:

• buy seeds or collect from a plant;
• pour sand into the container and moisten it, evenly distributing;
• place seeds on the surface;
• cover the entire container with a film, forming a kind of greenhouse;
• observe a temperature not exceeding +20 ° C;
• after the shoots appear, remove the film.

Reproduction by young rosettes consists in the fact that shoots formed next to the plant are planted in another pot.

This method is recommended to maintain the purity of the plant variety.

Leaf propagation:

• Choose healthy, whole and strong leaves, cutting them.
• Dry for 2-3 days.
• Prepare a container of wet sand.
• Root in prepared soil without watering for 20 days.

Growing problems, diseases, pests

Due to improper care at home or the occurrence of diseases in the succulent, decorative properties are reduced. Therefore, it is important to familiarize yourself with the main problems.

• When there is a shortage of light, sockets are pulled out and thinned.
• If specific care is not observed during dormancy and flowering, spots fade, the edges of the leaves bend.
• With increasing temperature, the leaves dry and die in the winter.
• With a lack of space in the container for the plant, it curls and stretches.
• Intensive watering leads to the fall of leaves, and uncontrolled use of fertilizers to a change in their color.

Gasteria attacks a sufficient number of pests:

There are practically no diseases among the gasteria. The most common is gray rot, which leads to rotting and death of the plant during heavy watering at cold temperatures.

Watch the video: Succulents Gasteriawith names (November 2024).