Gasteria (Gasteria): what kind of flower, species and photos of this houseplant, as well as how to care for it?

Gasteria (Gasteria) is very unpretentious to the conditions of detention, rarely sick and grows well in any home.

Few people know that this unique plant in the dark enriches the room where it is located with a large amount of oxygen. Therefore, Gasteria is often set in the bedroom or living room.

This article describes in detail what types of Gasteria occur in nature and what are the features of proper care for it.

Homeland and Botanical Description

Gasteria belongs to the succulents from the Asphodel family. Its natural habitat is the arid lands of South Africa.

Reference! "Gasltron" - translated from Latin means pot-bellied vessel. The flower got its name because of a peculiar swelling in the lower part of its perianth.

Gasteria has a strongly shortened thick stem, which is covered with hard, fleshy leaves of dark green color, arranged in several rows. This plant has several varieties that differ in the shape and color of the leaves. In some representatives of this flower, the leaves are smooth and uniform, in others, a rough structure and the presence of spots and stripes on the surface. The dimensions of the sheet plates also vary from 4 to 25 cm in length.

The peduncle of an adult plant reaches a length of 40 to 70 cm. The inflorescences of the flower are quite compact and form neat, racemose peduncles of yellow, orange or greenish color. The flowers themselves are very beautiful and original in shape. They are compared with small amphoras, alluringly hanging on their short legs.

Types of flower: description and photo

Next, we will consider the main types of gasteria, which are most often grown at home.

Spotted

The plant has a thick short trunk. The leaves are dense, smooth, very thick, slightly convex, dark green in color. On the surface of the sheet plates there are light elongated spots. The width of the leaves of an adult plant is 4-5 cm, the length is about 20 cm. This species blooms with bright red flowers.

Warty

Thick stalk with narrow and rough, covered with white tubercles (warts), leaves. Leaves grow up to 20 cm in length, their tips are pointed. Peduncle reaches 80 cm in height. Small pink and reddish flowers with greenish touches densely cover the peduncles.

Beilis

A low plant (about 10 cm in height) is considered the most beautiful representative of Gasteria. The leaves are short and curved, with a leathery rough surface, rounded at the ends. In the autumn-winter period, the color of the leaves is light gray or dark gray-green; in warm sunny time, a pinkish tint can be observed. Flowering begins in March-April, flowers with a diameter of up to 2 cm are painted in pink-red.

Houseplant Care Rules

Lighting

Gasteria loves adequate lighting, but not direct, but diffuse. With frequent exposure to bright sunlight, the leaves turn pale and lose their pattern. It is best to place the plant on the south, southeast and southwest windows.

It tolerates artificial lighting, which is very convenient for growing at home in our latitudes.

Temperature

It tolerates room temperature perfectly. But The flower is not recommended to be placed near very hot batteries and radiators. It is also worth protecting from strong drafts and sudden changes in temperature during ventilation.

Important! In summer, the flower can be taken out to the balcony so that it receives enough fresh air and light.

Watering

In the summer, Gasteria is watered only after the soil has completely dried. Its leaves are very fleshy and by themselves well accumulate and retain moisture. The bay is very harmful, from this the root system of the plant will begin to rot.

In winter, watering can be reduced to 1 time per month. But if the room is very hot - make sure that the soil is not too dry and does not crack.

Air humidity

Gasteria hails from the desert and arid regions of Africa, so it does not require high humidity. It is not necessary to spray it. But it will be useful to occasionally redeem a sultry beauty in the shower so that a layer of dust does not accumulate on the leaves.

Fertilizer

It is necessary to feed only during the period of active growth: from May to September, not more than 1 time in 7-10 days. For this plant, a complex fertilizer for succulents, but in a less than half concentration, is suitable.

From October to April, the flower does not need additional nutrition. There comes a period of rest.

Transfer

Gasteria should be transplanted annually by transshipment with the preservation of an earthen coma. During the procedure, you can separate and transplant the "kids", which she overgrows very actively. But it is worth remembering that it develops rather slowly and does not like too spacious pots.

A layer of drainage must be laid at the bottom of the pot to ventilate the roots. Transplant substrate can be purchased at any flower shop. For example, any soil composition for succulents is suitable.

But you can prepare the composition yourself:

sheet land - 2 parts;
grain land - 2 parts;
sand - 1 part.

You will find all the subtleties and nuances of caring for Gasteria at home in a separate material.

Diseases and Pests

This flower is rarely sick and there should be practically no problems when growing. But if you do not follow the rules of care, you may encounter the following:

Soil acidification due to excessive watering. This leads to root rot and the appearance of fungal and other infections.
Soft, pale and sluggish leaves can also appear in plants with an excess of moisture.
Dry, brown spots on the leaves and trunk of the flower appear as a result of excessively dry and hot air.

Among the pests, aphids and spider mites can be noted. These parasites feed on the sap of the plant, which leads to drying out of the leaves. You can get rid of harmful insects with the help of a soap solution, which need to carefully wipe all the leaf plates.

Attention! For a severely affected plant, treatment with an insecticide such as Actellik or Fitoverm may be required.

From folk remedies, an infusion of tobacco, garlic and a decoction of onion husks are suitable.

Breeding

Gasteria propagates in several ways:

Division - separation and transplantation of daughter outlets.
Rooting cuttings. The cuttings must be dried before planting.
Seeds - the most difficult way. For propagation, you can take the purchased material or try to extract seeds from a flowering plant.
1. Seeds are sown in well-moistened soil and covered with plastic wrap to create a greenhouse effect.
2. Every 2-3 days, airing and moistening of the soil from the sprayer is carried out.
3. The grown seedlings dive into their "permanent habitat" so that after a year young plants can be transplanted again.

Watch a video on how to multiply gastria by dividing:

Bloom

Gasteria, under the right conditions and proper care, can begin to bloom at home. But not all gardeners manage to admire its beautiful flowers. The location of the plant plays an important role in flowering. It was noted that Gasteria does not bloom on the northern windows.

The flowering period begins in late spring or early summer. Peduncle usually reaches 1 m in height. Pink or reddish flowers resembling small drooping bells in shape, gather in dense inflorescences of 40-50 pieces.

Conclusion

Even with minimal care, Gasteria will delight its owner with a fan of thick and unusual leaves. And if you try a little and create comfortable conditions for her, she will bloom with beautiful flowers that will create a cozy and joyful atmosphere in the house.