June 2012 Genus of the Month - Gasteria

[Tony R]

Thanks, Brian! Lovely clean plants.

[Phil Hocking]

I thought that, before the month is out, you'd like to see my seedlings of Gasteria brachyphylla v bayeri. They were sown 28 April this year so just 2 months old.

Gasteria brachyphylla v bayeri

Something tells me it is time to take them out of the bag - one of them is rotting. if it weren't for this thread I might not have spotted it and the rot might have spread to some others.

Somerset Phil

[Tony R]

Well spotted, Phil. Whilst I leave my cacti seedlings in the bags for a year or sometimes more, I get the Gasteria seedlings into fresh air a few weeks after germination. Nice plants, look like you got good germination.

[Phil Hocking]

That's good advice Tony. I too leave my cacti seedlings for more than a year in the bags, although usually opened at the top after a certain time. I have another pot full of these Gasteria seedlings and I have just taken that one out of the bag. A couple of seedlings have perished in that one too so a good dose of fresh air is in order.

Somerset Phil

[Bill]

Hi Bill, Talking of large Gasterias, it would be interesting to see pictures of members large Gasterias and if known their age. ...............Roger

Here you go Roger, my big one :

Close up

A broken leaf which left to dry will often produce roots and with a bit of luck........

................... the result is 14 offsets from one leaf. I hope they dont get as big as mama.

[Bill]

Home made hybrids.

"Royal Highness" Showing it's obvious Haworthia parentage.

A few Gasteria

A few more

[nikkijcar]

Great plants Bill, I like the home made hybrids

[Hedge]

wow what a lot you got, Bill

[Hedge]

Gateria pillansii

Pillansii.jpg (142.32 KiB) Viewed 3506 times

By the way, while we are on the subject of Gasteria, what do you think of this one? Is it meant to be like this? It 's small only in a 9cm pot.

[Liz M]

It's interesting and OK whilst it's attached to the other green plants. I don't hold out much hope for it on its own, though, not enough chlorophyll.