2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Stapelia (lat. Stapelia) - perennial succulent plant of the Lastovnevye family. Under natural conditions, staples are found on mountain slopes and near water bodies in South and South-West Africa.
Characteristics of culture
Stapelia is a low-growing plant with numerous, succulent, tetrahedral stems branching at the base. Stems are green, less often with a reddish-purple tint, with protruding and non-piercing teeth along the edges, side shoots are creeping. Leaves are absent, in some way the staples are close to cacti.
The flowers are paired or single, reach 0.5-30 cm in diameter, located on bent pedicels that extend from the base of young shoots. Corolla five-pointed or broadly bell-shaped, convex crown, towering above the petals.
Despite the aesthetic appearance of the flowers, they have a rather unpleasant smell of rot, and this does not bother modern flower growers at all, since the plant has been very popular for many years.
Growing conditions
Stapelia is a light-loving plant, prefers bright diffused lighting, it tolerates direct sunlight only in cold autumn and winter, therefore, the culture should be placed on windowsills facing east or west.
In spring and summer, the optimum growing temperature is 22-26C, in autumn and winter - 14-15C. The culture is neutral to air humidity, calmly tolerates both dry and waterlogged air.
The soil for the slipways needs sandy with a pH of 5, 5-7. A mixture of turf and washed coarse sand (2: 1) is ideal for crops. You can add charcoal to the substrate.
Reproduction, planting, transplanting
The stocks are propagated by seeds and cuttings. Seeds in plants set quickly, but ripen within a year. Sowing is carried out in low containers filled with light sandy soil. As a rule, seeds will sprout in 3-4 weeks. Fortified seedlings dive into pots 5-6 cm high. After about 9-12 months, the plants are transplanted into pots 9-10 cm high. Important: the stocks are prone to crossing, so the emerging plants may differ from the parent ones.
Vegetative propagation is carried out by cutting old shoots. Before planting, the cuttings are planted in a soil substrate consisting of earth, peat chips and sand. Cuttings take root quickly enough, after which they are transplanted into pots 7-8 cm high.
Plants are transplanted in spring, young stocks - once a year, adults - once every 2-3 years. In adult specimens, old shoots are removed, which are located in the center, since they will no longer bloom. The root system of the stocks is poorly developed, so planting is carried out in shallow pots.
Care
In spring and summer, stocks need moderate watering, only as the top layer of the soil substrate dries up. In autumn, watering is reduced, and in winter, it is limited as much as possible, preventing shrinkage of the shoots.
The stocks are fertilized only in spring and summer every two weeks. The culture is especially acutely in need of fertilizing with potash fertilizers, due to which the plants' resistance to diseases is greatly enhanced.
Common types
* Star-shaped stapelia (Latin Stapelia asterias Masson) - the species is represented by undersized succulent plants up to 20 cm high. Shoots are green, less often reddish, with small teeth and blunt edges. The flowers are brown-red, located on long pedicels. The corolla is flat, reaches 5-8 cm in diameter, the petals are pointed, pubescent with white hairs, triangular in shape, bent at the edges.
* Stapelia varying, or variegated (lat. Stapelia variegata) - the species is represented by low-growing plants 5-10 cm high. Shoots are green, with a reddish tint, the edges are obtuse with erect teeth. The flowers are light yellow, the corolla is flat, up to 5-8 cm in diameter. Petals are ovoid or triangular in shape, pointed, smooth on the outside, slightly wrinkled on the inside. Flowering takes place in summer, immediately after flowering, fruits with seeds are formed.
* Giant stapelia (Latin Stapelia gigantea) - the species is represented by perennial plants with strong, erect shoots up to 20 cm tall. The flowers are light yellow with numerous red hairs, located on long pedicels, 1-2 pieces each. The corolla is large, flat, dissected, reaches 25-35 cm in diameter. The petals are triangular in shape, pointed at the ends, bent down at the edges.
