Succulent of extraordinary beauty - graptopetalum

Graptopetalum is a flower that is directly related to the Crassulaceae family. It includes 20 species of plants that are represented by succulents.

Griptopetalum is well adapted for growing at home. Spotted petals are another name for this marvelous plant.

Succulents of this species are very compact in size and it is well suited for creating living compositions. The flower forms flattened rosettes, and its leaves are bare, triangular in shape.

Plant description

Botanical characteristics, homeland and prevalence

The plant, forming a dense, dense rosette of leaves with a diameter of 2-20 cm. Over time, flat sods are discarded. The homeland of the flower is considered to be the arid regions of the American continent from Arizona to Mexico. The plant is common in arid climates.

Other names of the plant: spotted petals or Graptopetalum are called because of its characteristic appearance. This name indicates the features of appearance. It can also be called the plant "Mexican Star" or Tacitus (tacitus).

What does it look like?

By the nature of growth, representatives can be stemless and lush shrubs with branched stems, leaf rosettes can be both ground and apical.

Peduncles axillary, lateral, bear little flower, resembling hands, inflorescences in shape. The flowers are in the form of a wide-open calyx with several lanceolate petals, as well as long stamens on them. Inflorescences have a lilac, pink, green or blue color, a mild odor.

Is it easy to grow and how long does it live?

Graftopetalum is well suited for growing at home, it is not whimsical and does not require much attention when leaving. With proper maintenance, it has a rather long life, the plant can live and grow for more than 10 years, flowering occurs from May to July.

In conditions, he is not whimsical and does not require much attention when leaving. With proper maintenance, it has a rather long life, the plant can live and grow for more than 10 years, flowering occurs from May to July.

The secret to long exposure without water is the leaves of griptopetalum, it is they who accumulate and hold water for a long time.

Views and their photos

In nature, there are a large number of species of graptopetalum, and many of them are suitable for growing in an apartment.

Amethyst (Graptopetalum amethystinum)

The most common species is a loose shrub with fleshy, mine-gray leaves.

Paraguayan (paraguayense)

It has short stems with juicy, silver-gray leaves, which are collected in a dense basal rosette with a diameter of 2 to 2.6 cm. The colors of the flowers are white, with pink stripes at the ends.

Mac Dougall (macdougallii)

A small shrub without branches and with a rosette of a greenish-bluish hue.

Beautiful (bellum)

The graptopetalum bellum is a compact succulent plant with shortened stems and thick leaves, which forms flat rounded rosettes. The outlet is closer to the ground.

Inflorescences are pink in color, with petals sharp at the ends.

Five-stamen (pentandrum)

It has the shape of a bush with leaves characteristic of the graptopetalum and an upright stalk that condenses closer to the base. The flowers are large and elongated, have a light pink color..

Filamentum (filiferum)

It includes thick leaves of gray-green color with pointed ends, a rosette in diameter is 6-10 cm, and consists of a large number of small leaves.

In one outlet, there are approximately 70 to 200 leaves. The flowers are large, about 4 cm in diameter, inflorescences can include about 5 pieces.

Plateau (pachyphyllum)

The plant in its shape resembles a small tree, has a more branched stem. Leaves are short and fleshy.. Outlets in diameter of about 2-3 cm.

Rushby (rusbyi)

A small rosette plant with a diameter of up to 5 cm. The leaves are thick and juicy with cream color, at the end of the leaves there are thorns.

Home Care

Despite the good survival of graptopetalum at home, it still has its own characteristics, with regard to care:

• Lighting: because of its origin, the plant needs bright light, and can even withstand direct sunlight. However, some types of graptopetalums adapt well in the shade. For better growth and flowering of a flower, it is recommended to use fluorescent lamps, which in turn will extend the length of daylight hours in winter.
• Temperature: In summer, the plant feels good at fairly high temperatures, about 25 - 28 degrees Celsius. In early autumn, when the succulent begins to prepare for dormancy, the temperature needs to be slightly reduced, and in winter it is recommended to put it on the loggia to maintain a lower temperature.
• Location: when placed in an apartment, window sills with windows facing south are best for him.
• Watering: During a period of intensive growth, watering should be moderate to prevent stagnation of water in the soil. Watering should be done only when the soil dries. Water for irrigation use room temperature, which before this settles.
• Air humidity: For the plant, low humidity is suitable, which is mainly inherent in apartments.
• Top dressing: Fertilize should be in the summer, during the intensive growth of the flower, with a frequency of once every four weeks. For this, it is worth buying special fertilizers for succulents and cacti.
• The soil: for graptopetalum, all loose mixtures are suitable that are capable of passing water and do not retain moisture. Soil in a proportion of one part of sand to one part of turfy soil is well suited.
• Cropping: the plant does not need pruning, just remove the fallen leaves.

Breeding

Breeding a flower as a whole is not difficult, and is carried out by cuttings or seeds.

Seeds

The disadvantages that can be attributed to breeding by seeds include a lot of time spent, To achieve the results, follow the step by step instructions:

1. To choose and disinfect the germination tank, in shape it should be wide and not deep.
2. Prepare the soil in the right proportion to ensure friability.
3. Suppress the microflora in the soil, for this it is enough to loosen it and mix with coal dust.
4. Seeds are not recommended for planting, just sprinkle them on the surface of the substrate.
5. Moisten the mixture with a spray gun.
6. The pot is covered with a transparent film to preserve heat.
7. Place the sowing container in a bright place, or use a fluorescent lamp.

Cuttings

The advantages of propagation by cuttings include ease of propagation.

For dividing by cuttings, it is nevertheless required to observe some features and a sequence of actions:

1. For propagation by cuttings, it is enough to simply tear off a leaf, or an entire outlet from a plant.
2. Put the sprouts on the window for a couple of days, it is forbidden to establish an escape for the roots to sprout into the water, as decay will begin.
3. Prepare the appropriate soil and pot.
4. The shoot sits in the ground, or simply put it with the stem down.
5. The root system begins to germinate after about two weeks, care during germination is necessary the same as for an adult plant.

Transfer

Succulent perceives transplant painfully, therefore, this procedure should only be done if absolutely necessary if the plant ceases to fit in the pot.

A sign that the root system becomes crowded is a quick drying of the soil. Transplantation must be carried out in soil, similar in composition to the latter.

The pot is selected a size larger than the previous. Before diving, the roots should be washed under running water. After the procedure is completed, it is necessary to fill with water to shrink the root inside, and do not water it over the next two weeks.

Diseases and Pests

The plant in its structure is not peculiar to hurt, since its leaves are covered with wax.

If problems arise, then only parasites that affect the root system, or root decay can begin due to excess moisture.

Content difficulties

Content problems may occur in some plant species.which are characterized by long stems. The stems can begin to grow rapidly, and at their ends dense, heavy rosettes of leaves develop that lay these stems from the pot itself. To solve this problem, you can tie them up.

It is worth noting that in some species it is difficult to water, as the flower can occupy the entire cavity of the pot, and when watering, the flower itself will be filled, which can lead to decay of the leaves, and insufficient soil moisture.

Graptopetalum - an unusual indoor plant, which is unlike any other, and is perfect for gardeners who love something unusual. By its nature, the plant will not make you spend a lot of time on it, just for the slightest attention to it, the plant will thank you with its beauty and flowering.

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