Gasteria Introduction

Gasterias are popular succulents that are endemic to South Africa and are distributed in dry karroid and savannah regions of the south-eastern Cape Provinces. Gasteria batesiana is found in the Mpumalang province and in Swaziland. The genus Gasteria belongs to the Asphodelacea family, subfamily Alooideae that includes succulent plants with leaves that are arranged in a rosette or that remain distichous (arranged in two ranks).

The genus name, Gasteria, is derived from the shape of the perianths which are gasteriform(belly-shaped).

The Gasteria genus is made up of 20 different species and 8 forms, view the specie list for all the currently recognized Gasteria species.

Gasteria Description

Gasterias can be easily distinguished from related genera by their tubular flowers. The pendulous, recurved pedicals are belly-shaped (gasteriform) curved perianths which are laxly and secundly arranged on spreading racemes.

Gasterias are slow growing plants that range in height from 15-750mm in height. Plants may be solitary or proliferating from the base or subterraneon stolons. Stems short or acaulescent (without stem or stem underground). Stems may be decumbent or erect, up to 1 meter in length and it may be branched at the base. Gasterias are generally shallow rooted.

Growing Gasterias

Growing Gasterias are relatively easy to cultivate and thrive in greenhouse conditions. Gasteria species are drought resistant and require a porous soil that does not stay wet too long.

Gasterias do well in shade but will tolerate quite a bit of sun. I grow my gasteria species in bright light (not direct sunlight) and they like it.

Read More on Growing Gasterias.

Gasteria History

The genus Gasteria was initially described in 1809 by Duval. The last revision of the genus was done in 1908 by Berger. Berger described 43 species. Between 1929 and 1940 von Poellnitz described a further 25 species.

About 100 Gasteria names have been published, which was due to the genetic variation in the plants and the fact that early explorers preferred to collect seed and live specimens rather than preparing Gasteria specimens. Prior to von Poellnitz the actual habitat where the plant ocurred was largely ignored.