Gasteria bicolor var. fallax | Albany silver tongue Gasteria
€15,90
🌱 Morphology
A compact, slow-growing variety distinguished immediately from the typical form by its extraordinarily narrow, long, and linear leaves, which can reach about 14–20 cm in length but are barely 1–1.1 cm wide. The leaves are fleshy, rigid, and slightly concave in section, with an acute apex and a dark green surface traversed by an attractive pattern of whitish mottling, which may be arranged in transverse bands.
The leaves are initially born in two opposite rows (distichous arrangement), although with age they may open up and acquire a more rosetted disposition. It produces abundant offsets from the base and forms dense clumps of numerous heads, a particularly striking feature of this variety. The combination of long, very fine leaves and the mottled pattern has led to it being visually compared to a small succulent grass.
🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
Family Asphodelaceae, tribe Alooideae, section Gasteria, series Gasteria, genus Gasteria. It is a botanical variety, not a hybrid or a horticultural cultivar.
Its known area is in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa, especially in the Albany Thicket near Swartwaterspoort. There it grows protected among scrub and rocks, forming densely cespitose populations. The relationship with Gasteria bicolor is complex: intermediate populations exist between the different forms, and plants morphologically close to Gasteria doreeniae are also found in Swartwaterspoort, which is why the varietal delimitation has been a subject of discussion.
❄️ Temperature — USDA 10a
It tolerates minimum temperatures of down to −1 ºC. Although Gasteria is relatively cold-hardy in dry conditions, it is recommended to avoid the combination of low temperatures and damp substrate.
☀️ Lighting
Shade–partial shade, with abundant filtered light. Intense but soft lighting promotes compact growth and keeps the contrast between the dark green and the light mottling of the leaves well-defined. Indicative DLI PAR: 10–20 mol/m²/day.
💧 Growth cycle and watering
Opportunistic. It can grow and absorb water whenever conditions are favorable. It is recommended to water when the substrate has dried out completely and let it dry again before the next watering. During winter, intervals between waterings are increased, especially in low temperatures. In cultivation, it benefits from a highly draining substrate and deep but spaced-out waterings.
🌸 Flowering
It produces the typical elevated floral racemes of Gasteria, with tubular and hanging flowers in shades of pink, orange, and green. Flowering can occur from winter to spring, although cultivation sources note considerable variation depending on conditions.
🌿 Nutrition
During the active growth period, Desert CHOICE® Aloes, Haworthias & Co. is recommended, with a high content of potassium and bioavailable calcium. It is applied with watering, reducing or suspending fertilization during summer dormancy.
12x12 cm gourmet black pot
This is an inimitable xerophyte grown in Madrid in a technological square pot, with substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi and biofungicides.
* As this is an online purchase, the appearance of the specimen sent may vary slightly from the product image. The measurements of the plant are specified in the photo description, but this may also vary slightly because, after all, it is a living being! Each of the plants at Desert CITY has unique characteristics.
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