🌱 Morphology
  A small, slow-growing Gasteria with an extraordinarily unique habit, adapted to live literally suspended on the vertical walls of ravines. It initially forms a solitary rosette, but with age, it develops decumbent stems up to 17 cm long and 7–10 mm in diameter, which produce offsets from the base and eventually form groups of 5–12 heads, reaching up to about 30 cm in diameter. The leaves are fleshy, lanceolate, and triangular, with a completely smooth surface, a marked keel, and a pale grayish-green color. They are arranged densely in the rosette, not in two rows as in some Gasterias. During drought, they can acquire reddish hues due to the accumulation of anthocyanins. The stems elongate progressively and, as they grow over the void, can eventually form true hanging plants. The leaves are fragile and capable of rooting when detached, an effective vegetative reproduction strategy typical of many rupicolous Gasterias.

🌍 Distribution, habitat, and family
It is endemic to South Africa and, so far, only two locations are known in the eastern Baviaanskloof, Eastern Cape province. It lives in deep rocky gorges, on ledges and crevices with humus accumulation, on almost vertical cliffs of quartzitic sandstone of the Peninsula Formation, belonging to the Table Mountain Group. It grows at approximately 300 to 400 m altitude, always in semi-shade, although it can occupy different orientations. Its habitat belongs to the Albany Thicket biome, with elements of afromontane forest and Fynbos. Rainfall in the protected ravines is estimated at about 400–600 mm per year. It is a very rare species, but the inaccessibility of its rocky walls provides considerable natural protection.

It belongs to the Asphodelaceae family, Alooideae tribe, Gasteria series.

❄️ Temperature — USDA 9a
It tolerates minimum temperatures down to -5 ºC. In its natural habitat, winters are mild and practically frost-free, so this figure should be interpreted as a cultivation tolerance and not as a typical condition of its natural environment. In pots, it is recommended to keep the substrate dry during episodes of intense cold.

☀️ Lighting
It is a shade–semi-shade plant. During growth, an approximate DLI PAR of 10–20 mol·m⁻²·day⁻¹ is recommended, clearly lower than that required by full-sun Aloes. Filtered light, bright shade, or very gentle early morning sun are suitable. In Madrid, it must be protected from intense direct sun, especially during the summer.

💧 Growth cycle and watering
Summer dormancy. It is recommended to water when temperatures are moderate and the substrate has dried completely. During the peak heat of summer, watering is significantly reduced, mimicking the protection provided in nature by the crevices and shady walls of its ravines. In winter, waterings are also spaced out, especially in low temperatures. Excellent drainage is essential.

🌸 Flowering
Flowering occurs in late spring and early summer. The inflorescence is a simple, arched or pendulous raceme, approximately 20–47 cm long, with 5–11 flowers arranged in a single plane. The flowers are about 3 cm long, with the characteristic bell shape of Gasterias of the Gasteria series: the basal part is very swollen, up to about 7 mm in diameter, and then it narrows and curves towards the end. They are orange to pinkish-orange, with green striations. Its flowers are mainly visited by nectarivorous birds, especially sunbirds, which act as pollinators.

🌿 Nutrition
During the period of active growth, Desert CHOICE® Aloes, Haworthias & Co. is recommended, with a high content of potassium and bio-assimilable calcium. It is applied with irrigation, reducing or suspending fertilization during summer dormancy.

9x9 cm pot

This is an inimitable xerophytic plant grown in Madrid in a technological square pot and with the substrate activated with mycorrhizal fungi.

* 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 can also vary slightly, because, it is a living being! Each of the plants at Desert CITY has unique characteristics.