By Brian Wrather – Gasterias originate from South Africa and include at least 34 varieties and numerous cultivars. Many variegated forms are fairly common in the trade. They range in size from an inch across up to a foot or more. Gasterias get their name from their flower shape, which looks like …
By Eric Driskill – Gasterias belong to the Asphodelaceae along with aloes and haworthias, although they are easily distinguished by the shape of their flowers. Gasteria flowers hang down and have a swollen portion at the base. The word gasteria comes from the Greek “gaster,” which means …
By Pam Schnebelen – -Gasteria is a genus of plants from South Africa that is closely related to Haworthia and Aloe. The genus name comes from the Latin for “stomach,” referring to the shape of the flower. Many gasterias bloom in early spring, so we will be seeing some of these stomach-shaped flowers at the …
By Eric Driskill – Gonolobus is a New World genus in the Asclepiadaceae family that comprises 129 to 150 species, with some sources listing over 300 species. It is nice to run across a genus that caters to both lumpers and splitters. For that matter, you can also find this plant sold as Matelea cyclophylla. …
By Ann Grace – Haemanthus albiflos is a winter-flowering bulb found in cool, shady dells along the coast of South Africa’s Eastern Province and northward into Kwazulu-natal. It grows in both winter and summer rainfall regions and has the very desirable trait …
By Chris Deem – For a brief moment, the stripes on her rump and her stiff tail could have been seen. She walked on, without grace, as her eyes reflected in the soft moonlight. Her movements were cautious as she walked across a desolate wilderness in Western …
By Chris Deem – It is a carefree season where beauty rules supreme. It is a time of feasting and dancing, a time of no regrets. In the streets and behind closed doors, everywhere there is felt an undercurrent, the earthy music of drums. The forceful rhythm is like the heartbeat …
By Bob Williams – I am continuing our Plant of the Month series on plants that take up little space and are somewhat easy to grow, readily available and somewhat inexpensive. The genus Haworthia falls into this category. In 2012, the botanical community started to reclassify the plants in this genus. Many species of Haworthia have been moved to other genera. …
By Chris Deem – It is someone’s favorite room. It is a room of pastel colors, of old-fashioned painted glass wind chimes, hand-painted furniture and hard-bound books with worn bindings. It is a room with a hardwood floor and a lingering fragrance of scented …
By Pam Schnebelen – I started growing haworthias almost 25 years ago. At that time, I lived in a city apartment with no yard, few windows and no space for large plants. I was beginning to learn how to grow succulents and making many watering mistakes. Despite …