Kind of like guernia (Huernia) belongs to the Asclepiadaceae family. According to various sources, it unites 40-60 plant species, which are represented by succulents. In nature, they are found in the rocky arid regions of East and South Africa, as well as on the Arabian Peninsula.
A characteristic feature of all species is not very high, branched at the base of the stem, which forms rather large bushes. So, their diameter can exceed the height of the plant itself by 2 or 3 times. Thick succulent shoots have 4-10 edges, and fleshy sharp teeth of a conical shape are located on them. These teeth have a wide base and can be up to 1 centimeter long. The surface of bare shoots is shiny, smooth, and in different species it can be painted in different color shades from brown to deep green.
The plant blooms during the summer and early autumn period, and the duration of flowering itself varies from 2 to 3 months. The flowers are either collected in low-flowered inflorescences or single, are located in the lower part of the shoot in the axils of the teeth (two-year or annual growth) closer to its base. Short pedicels in length, as a rule, reach 5–20 millimeters. Accreted large sepals have a rich color. They form a wide tube with a large bend having five lobes, while some species have additional pointed projections at the places where the lobes diverge. The petals are not pronounced, and they are deep in the tube, where there are also reproductive organs. In different species, the corolla has a different color and shape. So, for example, in some species it may resemble a deep cup or bell, while in others it may resemble a shaggy jellyfish or starfish. In most species, the unpleasant smell of carrion emanates from the flowers.
Guernia care at home
Guernia can be attributed to unpretentious plants, which even a beginner florist can take care of. The requirements of an indoor flower are the most common and, if they are observed, the full development of an exotic plant will not take much time and effort.
Location and lighting
When growing guernias on a windowsill, it is recommended to choose an east or west side with direct morning and afternoon sunlight. The plant loves bright sunlight, but at noon it can damage the flower, so it needs to be shaded slightly. In case of insufficient lighting, the shoots of the plant will stretch and lose their decorative effect. In this regard, it is necessary to use phytolamps during the period of short daylight hours and to maintain with their help the natural light, which is usual for a flower in terms of duration.
Florists should consider one feature of the Guernia. She doesn't like changing her habitual location. The angle of illumination must be constant. Any rotation or transfer of a flowerpot with a flower can affect its appearance. Changing the level of illumination contributes to the fall of flowers and unopened buds.
Temperature
During warmer months (May to late September), guernia can be placed on a balcony or garden. The favorable temperature during this period is from 23 to 27 degrees Celsius. In winter, the plant is recommended to be kept in cool conditions with a temperature of 5 to 10 degrees Celsius.
Watering the guernia flower in the spring and summer months is necessary in moderation and only after the soil dries out about half the height of the pot. Excessive soil moisture is very dangerous for guernia, which leads to waterlogging and acidification of the soil. The consequences of such watering are root or stem rot, and in the future, the death of the entire plant in a very short time. In the winter period of dormancy, the plant does not need watering.
Air humidity
Dry indoor air is common for indoor plants. It does not require any additional moisture in the form of spraying or other water procedures.
Guernia requirements for the composition and condition of the soil are looseness, moisture permeability, air permeability, slightly alkaline environment with a pH level of about 8.5. You can purchase a special soil mixture designed for succulents, but with the additional addition of a small amount of fine gravel. When preparing the mixture yourself, it is imperative to mix all the recommended components in the same proportions: coarse river sand, leafy earth, fine gravel and clay-sod land.
Given that the root system of the guernia grows strongly, it is important to pour a drainage layer on the bottom of the pot when planting.
Top dressing and fertilizers
It is necessary to apply fertilizers regularly once a month, except for the dormant period of the plant. It is recommended to use special feeding for cacti or succulents.
Experienced flower growers advise replanting the guernia flower every spring in a new container with a pot diameter 1-2 cm larger than the previous one. When transplanting, you can get rid of the old, which has lost its attractiveness, stem and plant new cuttings.
Suitable substrate for guernia and transplanting
Young plants should be transplanted every spring, adults - at intervals of 2-3 years.
The root system is shallow, so take a wide, shallow container. A plastic bowl is suitable.
- When transplanting, remove old dry shoots, because flower buds appear on young ones.
- Pass carefully, keeping the earthen lump.
- The presence of large drainage holes is important, cover the bottom with a 3-cm layer of expanded clay, pebbles, brick chips or their mixture.
For the normal passage of moisture, the substrate needs a light and loose, according to the reaction in the range of pH 7.5–8.5. Take as a basis a universal substrate for growing succulents and cacti, mix there coarse sand or gravel of fraction 3-4. For self-preparation of the mixture, you will need turf soil, leaf humus, sand and gravel of the same size, taken in equal proportions, you can add chopped charcoal.
Reproduction of guernia
Cutting is the most common breeding method for Guernia. Stem cuttings on the mother plant must be carefully removed, left to dry for forty-eight hours, and then planted. A layer of expanded clay or small pebbles is placed at the bottom of the flower pot, then a substrate for succulents and young plants are planted. With proper care and suitable conditions, it will be possible to admire the blooming guernia already in the first year of life.
Seed propagation is more troublesome and time-consuming and is not used as often as the previous one. Sowing seeds is done in early spring (around early March). The planting box must be filled with a soil mixture of peat and sand in equal proportions and sowed. After slightly moistening the soil surface, the container is covered with plastic wrap or glass and left in a warm, bright room until seedlings appear. Greenhouse conditions are needed until the young plants are fully grown, after which they are transplanted from separate pots.
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Guernia - succulent bushes with flowers resembling a starfish
Family Asclepiadaceae - Kutrovye.
Genus Huernia - Guernia.
Bootlace huernia, Starfish Flower, Carrion Plant, Dragon Flower, Kenyan dragon flower, Porcupine huernia, Carrion flower, Guernia, Huernia, Huernia.
Guernia - plant care, planting and transplanting, reproduction, species and varieties.
Guernia, origin and appearance.
Distributed in the Arabian Peninsula, East and South Africa. In its natural habitat, it is found in arid rocky areas. The closest relative is Stapelia. Unlike staples, guernia are thinner-skinned, the stems are usually glabrous, without pubescence.
Succulents, perennial low-growing plants that form stems (shoots) branched from the base, create bushes, the diameter of which is 2-3 times the height of the plant. The stems are juicy, thick, with 4-7 thick edges, with sharp fleshy conical teeth located on them, with wide bases and up to 1 cm long.The surface of the stems is glabrous, smooth, glossy, its color varies from species to species from bright green to brown.
Guernia produces several fleshy long stems along which 3-5 sharp ribs are located. Hard teeth without needles grow on the ribs. The dark green stems sometimes have reddish streaks. There are forms with straight or creeping stems. The height of an adult plant is about 30 cm. On one shoot, lateral buds can form, from which full-fledged stems grow and the guernia takes the form of a branched bush. The plant is nourished by small, filamentous roots that are located in the top layer of the soil.
Flowers on short pedicels, single or collected in few-flowered inflorescences, appear in the axils of the teeth of the lower part of the stem (annual or two-year growth), closer to its base, 2-3 cm in diameter, fleshy, wax-like in structure, more or less warty. The colors are very different: brown, purple, cream, striped, variegated. Corolla in the upper part is notched, with five large petals. The shape and color of the corolla varies greatly from species to species, in some plants it resembles a starfish or a shaggy jellyfish, in others - a bell or a deep bowl.
Sepals are bright, large, accrete, form a wide tube with a large five-lobed limb, sometimes with additional sharp projections at the places where the lobes diverge. Some have a fused ring of petals at the base of a flower, others have a long tube of fused stamens. The petals are inconspicuous, hidden deep in the tube along with the reproductive organs. The flowering time occurs in summer and early autumn and lasts from several weeks to 2-3 months. Already young small plants are blooming.
Many species exude a strong unpleasant smell of carrion during flowering. Pollination of Guernia flowers, in natural conditions, is due to flies, which are found in warm countries in huge numbers and are much more common than bees. Flies swarm around plants, because flowers give off a smell that is difficult to call pleasant. By the way, the smell of flowers increases as the temperature rises - be prepared for this when growing guernia on the southern windowsill.
Guernia, care and maintenance in room conditions.
It has an interesting shape, looks good both in pots and in various compositions in flowerpots and boxes. Guernia with long ampel and semi-ampel shoots can be grown in hanging pots. Its dignity is undemanding to the soil, airing, it does not need spraying and can grow well without any additional fertilizing. It blooms for a long time and beautifully, however, it has one not very pleasant quality: its flowers smell bad, but most often you can feel it only at a very close distance, and flies love its smell very much.
The shape of the stem is quite diverse, but much more diversity is observed in the size of the flower, its shape and color.Most of these plants bloom easily for a long time, and a small collection can be interesting all year round. To wait for flowers, there is absolutely no need to grow large specimens - single rooted stems often bloom. Mature specimens can be kept in small pots, where they will give out one flower after another.
Guernia has one not-so-nice feature - the habit of having a fixed angle of illumination. So, if during flowering the plant is turned on its other side to the light source or rearranged to a darker or brighter place, it can throw off both flowers and buds. During warmer months (May to late September), guernia can be placed on a balcony or garden.
The plant needs rejuvenation, as the stems begin to die off after a few years. Dried stems are recommended to be removed. But you shouldn't be zealous either. Indeed, young shoots appear on old shoots. And flowers mainly appear on young stems.
What should be the lighting for Guernia.
This succulent prefers well-lit areas with some direct sunlight in the morning and evening hours. Best of all, windows of the east and west directions are suitable for him. On the south side, the plant should be shaded in the summer midday hours, and on the north - it will stretch out strongly from lack of light, and difficulties may arise with flowering. In the autumn-winter period, the illumination intensity should not decrease and it is possible to maintain it at the required level with the help of fluorescent lamps and with their help the natural illumination, which is usual for a flower in terms of duration, is maintained. In winter, it is better to rearrange it to the south window; during this period, shading is not required.
Optimum temperature.
In summer it grows and develops well at 22-27 ° C. Of course, the plant will not die from extreme heat, but the stems can wrinkle, the flowers wither faster, with prolonged heat in the bright sun, the plant loses its decorative appearance - the lower part of the stems acquires a brownish tint, but the stems are dry, the color fades. From mid-spring to the end of September, in the absence of the threat of night frosts, it can be taken out into the garden or on the balcony, placing it in partial shade and protected from rain. Can be kept outdoors in autumn until temperatures drop below 10 ° C at night. In winter, guernias require a cool content, optimally at 5-10 ° C.
How to water Guernia.
In the spring and summer, watering should be moderate. The plant requires short periods of drought, so the potted soil should be periodically dried by about half. Excessive soil moisture is very dangerous for guernia, the plant will quickly develop stem and root rot, and it will die, moreover, in just a couple of days. Even during flowering, do not fill with water. Guernia tolerates drought better than excess moisture, its leaves store enough moisture to survive a slight drought.
When kept cool in winter, watering is reduced in autumn, very rare in winter (about once a month). When coming out of winter dormancy, when it is time to water the plant, many growers are faced with the following problem: dry land does not absorb water. You can recommend the following effective way to moisten the soil: completely immerse the pot with the plant in a container with water and leave it there for 20 minutes, during which time air bubbles will stop coming out of the soil. After the plant is removed from the water, its residues are carefully drained and then adhere to the usual summer watering regime.
Air humidity.
Guernia is accustomed to dry air and does not need additional humidification methods.
Fertilizing Guernia.
From the beginning of the active growing season until the end of summer, feeding is carried out once a month with special fertilizers for cacti and succulents. During dormancy, feeding is not needed.
Pots for Guernia.
I plant it in low wide pots, since it has an underdeveloped root system, but it itself grows relatively strongly. At the bottom of the pot, before planting, a layer of expanded clay or pebble drainage is poured.
In what substrate is Guernia planted.
These plants are very susceptible to rot in a wet substrate, and a healthy bush can turn into mucus in a couple of days. This is why it is best to grow them in a very porous substrate with a lot of gravel. The soil for cultivation should be loose, air and moisture permeable, slightly alkaline, with a pH of 7.5-8.5. A ready-made specialized substrate for succulents is quite suitable for her, to which a little fine gravel and coarse-grained river sand should be added.
Planting and transplanting Guernia.
It is advisable to repot the guernia every spring in a larger pot. At the same time, you can remove the old stem, which has lost its attractiveness, by updating the plant from cuttings.
Propagation of Guernia by cuttings.
Easily propagated by stem cuttings. The upper, smooth parts of the shoots without flower buds are suitable for grafting. Stem cuttings are carefully broken off from the mother plant, dried for about 2 days and planted in the prepared soil mixture. Place the cutting directly on the surface of the soil, do not bury. You can press the stalk in the pot with a paper clip. We start watering little by little, not under the cutting, but around. With proper care and suitable conditions, it will be possible to admire the blooming guernia already in the first year of life.
Reproduction by seeds.
You can propagate it by seeds, which are sown in early spring in March in a mixture of sand and peat in equal proportions. Seed propagation is more troublesome and time-consuming and is not used as often as the previous one. It is better to sow in wide, low bowls at a distance of about 3 cm from each other. The seeds are covered with soil about 2 mm. Germinated in a light mini-greenhouse and left in a warm, light room until seedlings appear.
Young guernia seedlings are more demanding on light than any other succulents, so they need to be kept in a well-lit place, but the spring sun is quite hot, if you notice reddening of the stems, you should think about shading. Moisten evenly from a spray bottle, avoiding excess moisture. Seedlings appear within 3-4 weeks. Greenhouse conditions are needed until the young plants are fully grown, after which they are transplanted from separate pots.
Rest period.
Guernia also has a dormant period, but not as pronounced as cacti and other succulents. In mid-autumn, the plant begins to prepare for a dormant period, reducing watering and moving it to a cooler room, with a temperature of about 12-14 degrees. But she will put up with the usual home conditions if you add light to her - rearrange it on a more sunny windowsill or turn on a lamp. In winter, water is even less, depending on the temperature, it is sometimes useful to use watering. At the end of winter, guernia needs a longer daylight hours, so artificial supplementary lighting is recommended at this time.
Diseases and problems in caring for Guernia.
The main diseases are root and stem rot. It is almost impossible to save a decayed plant, therefore it is best to take preventive measures by regularly drying the soil in a pot and in no case flooding the plant.
Anytime there is a dead or dying stem in the pot, it is important to remove it completely immediately before other healthy stems can become diseased, isolate the healthy parts, dry them out, and rebuild them in new compost.
Dark burn spots may appear if exposed to direct sunlight during summer.
With a lack of lighting or nutrients, the plant stretches and loses its color brightness and decorative appearance.
The lack of regular watering, and the correct feeding regime leads to thinning of the shoots.
In order for the guernia to enjoy blooming every year, it is very important to create a winter period of rest.
Popular types and varieties of Guernia.
Huernia aspera - Rough, thorny Guernia... Medium-sized species, but with rather thin shoots - their thickness does not exceed 15 millimeters. Stems from 10 to 20 cm long, lodging, 5-ribbed, light green, tapering teeth are less pronounced, pointed at the end, therefore, practically from the base, they acquire a needle-like appearance. Flowers are single or collected in inflorescences of 2-5 pieces. The corolla is star-shaped, the outer crown of the flower is purple-burgundy, rough, the inner crown is made of small rounded brownish-yellow petals. The corolla tube is broadly bell-shaped; the bend has the shape of a regular five-pointed star. Its inner red-burgundy surface is densely dotted with long papilla-like growths of the same color. The bred varieties differ in the color of the flowers - from bright red to dark purple.
Huernia boleana - Guernia boleana... Short, about 10 cm, plant with dark green stems. The flowers are light yellow with thick burgundy specks. Half-fused sepals form a wide tube. The bend of the corolla is flat, about 2 cm in diameter, in the shape of a regular five-pointed star.
Huernia clavigera — Guernia fluffy... With dull grayish-green, 4-5 angular stems, 12-25 mm thick, often pink colored, about 5 cm high, with sharp horizontal teeth 2-6 mm long. It forms small dense clusters up to 10 cm in diameter and usually less than 5 cm. Bell-shaped flowers are pale greenish or yellowish white, covered with dark purple-brown warts. The inside is pale ocher yellow or dull greenish yellow, densely covered with very small dark purple-brown papillae and small blood-red spots that merge in the tube into irregular spots that almost cover it or suddenly turn into narrow transverse lines. the bottom of the tube is completely blood red, the limb and throat (but not the lobes) covered with tough, shiny purple hairs
Huernia guttata - Guernia guttata, spotted, drip... Synonym: Stapelia guttata. Plant with succulent erect, 4-5 angular stems, 12-18 mm thick, glabrous, green, usually less than 7 cm in height, branching at the base of the stems. The colors of the tetrahedral shoots are kept in pale green and grayish tones, sometimes with marble patterns. Sharp teeth only look intimidating, in fact, they are elastic spines. Its beautiful flowers appear in groups of 2 to 4 at the base of young shoots and develop sequentially.
Pedicels are rather thin, 12-30 mm long. On the surface of densely accreted, light petals, dark droplet spots are generously scattered. The intermediate denticles are barely visible. The bell-shaped corolla has five petals with appendages between them and a noticeable convex fleshy ring or a ring with a shiny surface in the center, inside it is yellow and dotted with crimson, the spots are much larger, sometimes merging. With short, pointed hairs at the mouth of the tube. The smell is unpleasant, but so weak that it is practically not felt.
Huernia guttata ssp. calitzdorpensis. It is distinguished by larger, darker flowers up to 7 cm in diameter, the tube is maroon, sometimes colored with indistinct yellowish lines, the hairs in its throat are much longer and more rounded.
Huernia guttata ssp. reticulata.
Huernia hislopii... (Carrion flower). It is a succulent plant consisting of several pentagonal stems, occasionally forming large clusters. The stems are green during the rains, but they usually turn reddish brown during the dry winter months. The ridges on the stems form fleshy, thorn-like tubercles. Ribs strongly serrated along margins with tubercles. Corolla bell-shaped, 4-6 cm in diameter, cream-colored, spotted, with red-brown 5 pointed lobes. Flowers can appear from mid-spring and bloom until winter. The smell is unpleasant, but so weak that it is practically not felt.
Huernia hislopii subs. robusta.
Huernia hystrix - Guernia prickly... (Porcupine huernia). This is perhaps one of the most interesting species. A low plant 5-12 cm high, growing up to 30 cm wide or more.Stems are straight, sometimes creeping, light green, drooping, 8-12 mm thick, 5-sided, with thick, upward-pointing teeth. The teeth are hard, conical, sharp. Pedicels are long, up to 6 cm. The shape of the corolla resembles a bird's nest: the sepals are bent back so strongly that their ends join each other at the pedicel, forming a donut worn on a wide tube of almost 1.5 centimeters in diameter. In addition, the entire surface of the corolla is abundantly dotted with thick fleshy outgrowths-papillae, 4-5 mm long, which give the flower a shaggy-prickly appearance. The color of the flower, including the papillae, is striped, burgundy-white.
Huernia hystrix subs. parvula. With much shorter stems, rarely exceeding 3 cm in length, and smaller dull yellow flowers.
Huernia keniensis - Guernia kenyan... (Kenyan dragon flower). Semi-ample type with long, up to 30 cm and 1.5-2 cm in diameter, creeping, branching in the root zone of gray-green stems with red spotted shoots. Five ribs are equipped with pointed teeth bent downwards, pointed at the end. The flowers are red-purple, velvety, collected in 2-5-flowered inflorescences. The sepals are almost completely fused, forming a wide funnel with a diameter of 3 cm, decorated with long triangular teeth (sepal tips), which sometimes curl back. Their inner and outer surfaces are abundantly covered with peculiar outgrowths, papillae. An abundance of star-colored flowers with a distinctive ten-pointed corolla develop in sequence. It blooms from June to October and has almost no unpleasant odor. This species has several varieties, differing mainly in the size and shape of the corolla. So, in the “Grandiflora” variety, the flower diameter reaches 5 cm, and in the “Globosa” variety, the corolla tube has a spherical shape.
Huernia loeseneriana... The plant goes deep into the base, forming low blocks or compact mats. Stems cylindrical or square, 3-8 cm long, 1-1.2 cm thick, straight, thick, green, violet-tinted at the tips, with soft and short conical whitish tubercles located on 4 sharp ribs. Inflorescences are 2-3-flowered at the base of young stems. It has beige-yellow flowers with delicate shades of maroon, reminiscent of leopard spots, on five-pointed petals. Corolla dull yellow with spots of brownish-red lines, covered inside from the middle of the tube almost to the tips of the petals.
Huernia longituba... A highly branched species with straight stems having four or five corners, with short, light green teeth, sometimes tinted with purple. Flowers appear singly or in groups of 2-3 at the base of the stems with a bell-shaped tube about 2 cm long (much longer than any known species) and with triangular, sharply sharp corolla lobes. The color is creamy yellow with red spots and spherical warts. The spots become denser and darker purple in the middle of the tube. The base of the tube is glabrous, smooth and whitish, with diagonal concentric, dark red or burgundy lines.
Huernia macrocarpa - Guernia large-fruited... (Starfish Flower, Carrion Plant, Dragon Flower). Medium-sized species from 5 to 20 cm long with erect gray-green shoots, lodging over time, acquiring a purple color in the bright sun, branching in the root zone. The stems have 7 ribs, cylindrical only at the base, with slightly curved teeth having a well-defined shape of a high pyramid up to 6-7 mm in length, pointed at the end. Forms small clusters of branching stems and quickly fills the entire pot.
Flowers are single or in inflorescences of 2-5 flowers. Corolla broadly bell-shaped, fully accrete, about 2 cm in diameter. The limb has the shape of a regular pentagon with tiny teeth at the place of sepals accretion.It has an uneven, maroon color, while it has a pronounced mottling. The outer crown of the flower is purple-crimson, velvet, with fused petals, forming an almost regular pentagon in shape, up to 2 cm in diameter. There are several varieties that differ in the shade of the flower and the shape of the teeth.
Huernia macrocarpa subs. concinna. It has characteristic pale gray-yellow flowers, with small dark brownish-crimson spots.
Huernia macrocarpa var. cerasina. Possesses pale cherry red flowers.
Huernia macrocarpa var. penzigii. Bell-shaped flowers, entirely of a uniform black-purple-red color on the inside. Corolla shallow, bowl-shaped, about twice the depth.
Huernia oculata... Stems are fleshy, thin, glabrous, straight or somewhat elongated, 5-angled, strongly toothed, 4-10 cm long and about 8 mm in diameter. The teeth are tapered, more or less compressed, sharp, curved bristle, glabrous, green or dull purple if exposed to the sun. Flowers in a multicolored inflorescence, at the base of young stems, with a pointed 5-lobed corolla 2.5 cm in diameter, velvety, greenish outside with purple, intense blackish-purple or brownish-black color, the inner part of the corolla is white, sometimes slightly pink. It blooms in late summer and early autumn.
Huernia pendula - Hanging Guernia... (Bootlace huernia). Ampel type with long drooping shoots from 80 to 150 cm. Stems branch anywhere and at the ends of the shoots too. The stems are juicy, cylindrical, up to 9 cm in diameter, hinged at nodes, often spreading at right angles, the ribs are almost invisible, and the teeth look like small tubercles. Stems greenish to reddish (in dry season), sometimes purple-variegated, turning grayish green. Root on contact with soil.
The flowers are rather small compared to the size of the plant, only 2 cm in diameter, collected, as a rule, in 2-5-flowered inflorescences, opening alternately. Corolla fused at the base into a wide tube about 5 mm deep. The bend of the corolla is a broad-rayed star, almost a pentagon, with rays slightly bent back. Its color is blood red or burgundy red. The mouth of the tube is much darker, almost claret-black. Flowers appear from spring to mid-summer.
Huernia pillansii - Guernia hairy... (Cocklebur, Cockle burrs). An interesting species that attracts attention not only with flowers, but also with its shoots, making this succulent look like a bright green cactus with thick soft needles that turn red in the sun. Shoots grow in length from 5 to 18 cm, with a stem diameter of 12-20 mm. The ribs are usually 9-16, but there may be more, due to which the teeth are located very tightly, pressing against their neighbors from all sides. Conical at the base, they taper sharply almost at the very surface, leaving thin “tails” about 0.5 cm long and giving the succulent a funny fluffy appearance.
Flowers in inflorescences 1-3 at the base of young stems, open sequentially 1-5 cm in diameter with a bowl-shaped tube, mainly directed upwards. The shape of the flowers is very similar to a starfish, turned upside down, and the many long growths-papillae on the surface of the sepals make this similarity even stronger. The color of the flowers is quite varied, in some varieties they are yellow, in others they are reddish-brown, in others, red papilla growths stand out on the yellow surface, or vice versa. There are also differences in the size of the corolla, which averages 2.5-5 cm in diameter. There are several forms of this kind.
Huernia praestans... Succulent appearance with very short 3-5 cm long, about 12 mm thick, rectangular, purple and green spotted acute-angled vertical stems. Teeth 3-4 mm long, sharp, slightly curved at the tips. Flowers spread from under the base of young stems.Pedicels are short, glabrous. Sepals 6-7 mm long, narrow-lanceolate with thin purple veins and spots. Corolla is greenish-yellow, with small purple dots; the slightly raised ring is more spotty. The ring has large creamy papillae with sharp purple hairs.
Huernia primulina - Guernia primrose... One of the most decorative types, it has an attractive neat appearance. Low, 8 cm long with a stem width of 1.5 cm, prone to strong growth. An adult bush can take up a space of more than 30 cm in diameter. Creeping stems, gray-green, 4-5 sided. The teeth are relatively small, sharply tapering towards the tip. Pedicels up to 2.5 cm long.The flowers are most often collected in inflorescences of 3-5 pieces, reach 3 cm in diameter.It has five petals of a pale pink or cream color, slightly bent back at the ends, in the throat the color is brighter - dark pink ... The inner part of the tube is speckled-burgundy, the limb is creamy yellow.
Huernia stapelioides... The stems are more or less straight, short, square (or pentagonal), from 2 to 5 cm in height and up to 1.3 cm in thickness. The flower opens flat, but after two days the blades curl back and end at a sharp point. Inside and outside are pale yellow, inside with irregular transverse lines of maroon or brownish red. A distinctive feature is the rim blades - 1.5 times longer than the latitude.
Huernia verekeri... View with 5-7-sided straight green to purplish green stems, with tight-fitting narrow soft teeth, 7-10 cm in height. Forms an abundance of star colors that develop in succession. Flowers 35-45 mm in diameter, creamy pink on the outside of the tube, inside purple-burgundy around the rim of the wide, shallow mouth of the tube, and white at the base.
Huernia verekeri subs. angolensis.
Huernia verekeri subs. pauciflora.
Huernia zebrina - Striped Guernia... Low compact appearance, not exceeding 10 cm in height with a stem thickness of 2 cm. Shoots are erect or slightly drooping, have 4 well-defined ribs, with sharp teeth. Their surface, light green in the shade, acquires a greenish-burgundy color in the sun. Flowers are single, very large, up to 7 cm in diameter. The corolla has a rather bizarre shape: the dark-burgundy shiny mouth of the tube turns into a strongly convex regular ring of the same color, from under it comes a broad-rayed five-pointed star of intergrown yellow sepals, abundantly covered with transverse burgundy stripes.
Botanical description of indoor plants
This succulent belongs to the Lastovnev family. South Africa and the Arabian Peninsula are considered its homeland. This plant is perennial, usually has 4-5 green stems, sometimes you can see a marbled color or red streaks on them. The stems are ribbed with small pointed teeth that do not have needles. This succulent can grow up to 30 cm. There are both upright and creeping species.
Guernia leaves are very small, but they dry quickly and fall off. The stems can also branch off, which form from the lateral buds. Thus, the succulent becomes like a branchy bush, which is fixed in the soil by small roots located in the upper layer of the soil.
Flowers ranging in size from 5 to 10 cm have different colors depending on the variety. They appear at the site of flower buds. Each flower is located on a thin stem. The shape of the inflorescences can be like a star or a crown. The skin on them is smooth, and in the middle there is a pharynx with small papillae. Flowers can be either monochromatic or interspersed.
The pollination of the flower is due to the flies, and in order to attract them, the guernia gives off an unpleasant odor, which only intensifies with the onset of heat. One flower can live no more than 2 days, but inflorescences bloom in large quantities, which is why the flowering process itself lasts several months.The period of active flowering is from June to September. A feature of the flowers is also the fact that they bloom from the base. In place of the flower, after successful pollination, a fruit appears with small seeds inside.
Differences from the Stapelia
Among flower growers, in addition to guernias, stocks are especially famous. These flowers are also part of the Lastovnevy family and grow in the same areas.
The main differences between guernia and stocks:
- lashes of guernia grow no more than 30 cm, and at the stocks they are 2 times longer;
- the size of flowers in guernia is 3-5 cm, and in the stapelia the flowers are larger (up to 30 cm in diameter);
- on the stems of the guernia there are 4-10 faces, and the stock has always 4 of them.
These differences can be easily seen on an adult plant, especially if it has already bloomed.
Guernia plant species
The genus Guernia has more than 60 species of this plant. Most have a similar appearance, but many are radically different in shape and color:
- Kenyan. The stems are directed downward, and their length is about 30 cm. On the shoots there are ribs with teeth. In June, flowering begins, which is characterized by the appearance of inflorescences of several buds. The flowers look like bowls of purple. One flower reaches 3 cm in diameter.
- Zebrina. It grows no more than 10 cm. The stems have 4 ribs, and their width is about 2 cm. From the sun, reddish stains may appear on the skin of the plant. The flower looks like a star with an intergrown core, its diameter is about 7 cm. In the middle it is painted in a burgundy color, and to the ends it is densely covered with yellow stripes.
- Large-fruited. The stems grow upward and have a bluish tint. The height of the plant is about 20 cm. There are 7 ribs on the stem, and the inflorescences have 5 buds. Burgundy flowers with dark blotches, their diameter is 2 cm.
- Rough. Shoots are thin enough, about 1.5 cm wide, have 5 ribs. The flowers are shaped like a bell with 5 petals. Pink colour. The base is covered with long, dark papillae.
- Hairy. It has thick short stems, densely covered with teeth. It looks like a cactus we are used to. The shoots themselves are bright green, the tips are colored red on the teeth. The flowers have a fleshy structure and are similar to a starfish, their diameter ranges from 2.5 to 5 cm.The color of the inflorescences can be red, yellow or terracotta.
- Graceful. Shoots are round, with 5 edges, light green in color. The flowers are shaped like sandy crowns. Inside, the flower is covered with burgundy dots.
Types and varieties of guernia with photos and names
Guernia Kenyan Huernia keniensis
Succulent plant with long (about 30 cm) fleshy pentahedral stems. There are soft teeth on the ribs. The flowers seem to be carved from purple-red velvet. Almost completely fused sepals form a funnel with a diameter of 3 cm, the flower is 3 cm across. The surface of the flower is covered with papillary growths, petals with sharp tops.
Subspecies:
- Grandiflora - flower 5 cm in diameter;
- Globosa is a spherical corolla tube.
Description: Huernia keniensis is a tropical, succulent species with 5-sided gray-green stems with a small amount of red spotting. The plant produces a variety of star-shaped flowers with a characteristic ten-pointed corolla. The flowers are reddish-purple in color, covered with short tubercles and develop sequentially. In H. keniensis, 5 species have been identified mainly based on differences in corolla size and shape.
Form: This is a loose perennial plant that easily regenerates, forming low-growing mounds with a diameter of up to 50 cm and a height of 10 (or more) cm.
Stems: succulent, 5-sided, glabrous, without thorns, up to 12 cm long and 1 cm in diameter, recumbent or spreading, irregularly branched, gray-green, with small brownish spots or reddish apex. The tubercles are small to large and convex, acute. Leaves: vestigial or absent.
Flowers: 1-2 together, growing from the base or middle of the stems, bisexual, 5-membered, drooping. Sepals are triangular, c. 6mm long. Corolla 2-2.5 cm in diameter, deeply bell-shaped or cup-shaped to spherical, red to purple on the outside, rarely cream in color, with pale veins, dark purple inside, densely papilous or sometimes glabrous. Corolla lobes broadly triangular, with pointed tips, 5-veined, sometimes with 5 smaller petals in the corner between the main petals, papillous-rough outside, densely papillous inside. Papillae are conical or cylindrical at the mouth of the tube and on the obtuse lobes, thinner in the tube. The outer apex is blackish purple. The inner petals are fused into a serrated disc. The outer tips of the petals are slightly upward, narrow, with blunt tips. Flowering season (in habitat): Flowers appear from June to October and do not have a carrion-like odor.
Fruit: a pair of horns. When the horns are fully ripe, they open up, releasing seeds, each with a tuft of hairy umbrellas. The flower is self-sterile, and flowers from different plants are needed to obtain viable seeds.
Guernia striped Huernia zebrina
Shoots reach a length of 10 cm with a diameter of 2 cm, tetrahedral, serrated on the ribs. If grown in relative shade, the stems are light green, and under bright light they take on a burgundy undertone. Flowers up to 7 cm in diameter. They are very beautiful: the glossy throat of a burgundy tube turns into a convex ring of the same color, from under which a wide-rayed wine-colored star with yellowish transverse stripes protrudes.
Guernia large Huernia macrocarpa
Succulent plant 20 cm high. Fleshy shoots are divided into 7 ribs, the edge of which is decorated with serrated teeth. Bell-shaped flowers with a diameter of about 2 cm. The shade of ripe cherry lies unevenly, there are bleached dots, the surface is pimply.
Description: Huernia macrocarpa is a richly flowering succulent species. In autumn, it produces bell-shaped, gray-haired, mostly dark purple flowers with curved petal tips, but it is highly variable in color and size.
Shape: Clump-forming perennial succulent, it forms small clumps of stems branching from the base, spreading to the side or stretching, the plant will quickly fill the entire pot.
Stem: 4 to 25 cm long, mostly as long as a human's finger (rarely grows above 20 cm), fleshy, green or grayish, cylindrical only at the base, then quadrangular or pentagonal, roughly toothed corners.
Teeth: Fleshy, conical, sharp, curved, prickly at the apex, 7-8 mm long, 3-4 mm at the base, separated by sinuses 6-8 mm wide at the corners of the stem. Leaves: inconspicuous, short-lived. Flower: 1 to several from the base of young stems, facing outward or drooping, typically 5 lobed. Pedicel: 5 mm long, pale green, glabrous. Sepals: 10 mm long, 1 mm long at base, gradually tapering to a very fine hair-like point, glabrous.
Corolla: campanulate, slightly more than 1 cm in length and 2 cm at the largest diameter. The lobes are broadly triangular, acute, with an intermediate point barely 1 mm long in the flat sinuses between them; outside greenish-yellow, distinctly 5-segmented, with small papillae, glabrous; inside everywhere, except for the lower part of the tube, covered with small bristle-like processes that become smaller towards the apex of the lobes, brownish red or black-purple, with a purple transverse background on a creamy yellow surface, marked by dark purple-crimson. Tube: broadly bell-shaped, about 7 mm deep.
Lobes: 6 mm long, 7 mm wide, slightly spreading, deltoid, pointed, not ciliate.Outer crown: very short, 5-lobed, velvety-purple-crimson; the lobes are transversely oblong, notched.
Inner corolla: wide lobes at the base, tapering to the subnodal point, very finely pubescent, rising slightly above the anthers, purple-white with yellow dots at the base. Bloom season: July-October. Fruits: Typical cream-colored double seed horns with a spotted dark purple color, 4-17 cm long, 4-10 mm in diameter, narrow fusiform, sharp, straight with woody peduncles up to 5.5 cm long and often appear only after a year.
Guernia rough or thorny Huernia aspera
Thick stems are divided into 5 weakly expressed edges, they are evenly covered with thorns, the color is light green. A flower in the form of a five-pointed star of pink-lilac hue.
Description: Huernia aspera is a small succulent species with creeping stems and tiny deep purple bell-shaped flowers prominently protruding and with a fetid odor that attracts flies for pollination.
Stems: Superficial or recumbent and ascending 3-9 (-20) cm long, 1-1.5 cm across, succulent, rarely branched, glabrous, glossy, light green with tips of gold and pink (4-) 5- to Hexagon with small, obtuse, spreading, somewhat stiff teeth (rudimentary leaves) taking root where long hanging branches touch the soil Leaves: primordia, sharp, often curved. Inflorescences: 1-3 (-5) flowering, almost sessile, near the base of young stems, bracts, 2-3.5 mm long, sharp. Pedicel is 5-12 mm long.
Flowers: solitary, slightly hanging. Sepals are lanceolate, pointed, 7 x 1.5 mm. Corolla inside and outside from opaque red-brown to black-purple, 20-25 mm in diameter, broadly bell-shaped or cup-shaped. Parts of the corolla are deltoid, pointed, spreading, densely papillary on both sides, papillae are hard, conical. The inner lobes are rectangular in diameter, yellow. The outer lobes are pale yellow, linearly subulated, acute or obtuse, slightly above the anthers.
Guernia primrose Huernia thuretii var. primulina
Due to the large number of cloves, the shoots look like a herringbone. They are 1.5 cm across and about 8 cm long, creeping, the bush takes up to 30 cm in diameter. The inflorescence has 3-8 individual flowers. Corollas in the form of a star of yellow cheesy shade with a pinkish throat.
Guernia dangling Huernia pendula
Grown as an ampelous plant. Shoots are cylindrical in diameter up to 9 cm, and the length reaches 1.5 m.The edges are barely distinguishable, the teeth are similar to small tubercles. Corollas about 2 cm in diameter in the form of a five-pointed star, but the petals are not incised deeply. They are collected in inflorescences of 2-5 pieces. The surface of the flower is bumpy, the color is burgundy, the throat is darker, almost black.
Guernia prickly Huernia hystrix
The bush reaches a height of 5-12 cm, and its diameter can take up to 30 cm. The shoots are drooping, pale green in color, dissected into 5 sides, covered with thick fleshy teeth. The pedicel length is about 6 cm, it bears a flower that looks like a bird's nest. The sepals are strongly bent, and the tips close at the pedicel, resulting in a bagel with a diameter of 1.5 cm.The surface is covered with many thick growths-papillae 3.5-5.5 mm long, which creates a prickly-shaggy effect. The colors are striped, combining burgundy and beige.
Guernia hairy Huernia pillansii
The length of the shoots is about 20 cm, and the diameter is no more than 2 cm. They are divided into 9-16 sides and are covered with conical teeth, located close, the color is rich green. The bush looks bright and fluffy. The flowers are comparable to starfish of a yellow, reddish-brown hue, the surface is dotted with growths-papillae of the same color, the diameter varies within 2.5-5 cm.
Conditions for growing at home
This plant can be grown even by inexperienced growers, since it is quite unpretentious to care for. Growing rules do not have any peculiarities, so the conditions for it must be the same as for other indoor plants.
Location and lighting
It is better to place the plant on the east or west side of the apartment. The sun's rays should illuminate the guernia all day.This succulent grows well in a well-lit place, but at lunchtime the scorching rays can harm the plant, so it needs to be shaded for a couple of hours a day. If there is little light, then the shoots will become elongated and thin.
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Temperature regime
When the weather is warm outside, and the air temperature is from +23 to + 27 ° C, the guernia can be safely taken out onto the balcony, where it will live until the first cold snaps. Typically this period is 4 months - from May to early October. In winter, the succulent must be placed in cooler conditions. The room temperature should be between +5 and + 10 ° C.
Air humidity
If the air in the room is dry, this is not a hindrance to the guernia. It does not require moistening or spraying, nor is it worth rinsing the plant in the shower. This succulent is very susceptible to stem rot, so the humidity level should be around 30%. To remove dust and other dirt from the stems, it is best to simply wipe their skin with a damp natural cloth, cotton wool or napkin.
Difficulties of content
- Dark spots may appear on the stems of your pet. This is the result of "burning" in direct sunlight. But, if the plant lacks light, it will turn pale. Therefore, you need to be careful about the lighting regime.
- During the flowering and vegetation periods, it is necessary to feed the plant and water it a little more than usual. But in this, too, you need to know when to stop, because Huernia does not tolerate waterlogging or overfeeding. Waterlogging will lead to immediate decay of the root system.
- If the temperature is not lowered in winter, the plant will grow slightly more shoots than usual, but it will not bloom.
Home care
When growing this succulent at home, it is necessary to observe some subtleties, which also depend on the season.
Watering rules
In summer and spring, it is recommended to water the guernia only after the soil is 50% dry. Overflowing soil is dangerous for the plant, since swampy and sour soil can lead to the death of the succulent. Watering errors can cause the guernia to develop fungi that will cause rot on the stem or rhizome.
It is very difficult to save a plant, and it can die in just a week. In winter, it is worth significantly reducing watering or stopping them altogether. For the procedure to be carried out correctly, the water temperature must match the room temperature. It is better to water the succulent at the root - so that drops do not remain on the stem and flowers.
Fertilizing for guernia should be applied to the ground at intervals of 1-2 times a month, but you should not do this during the dormant period. For the procedure, you can purchase ready-made fertilizer for cacti or succulents in the store.
Such preparations contain the necessary amount of minerals and nutrients for the plant, which allows it to grow well and bloom profusely. In addition, it is worth paying attention to the fact that the fertilizer does not contain nitrogen, or at least it is contained in small quantities. In winter, there is no need to feed the plant.
Guernia itself does not reach large sizes in growth, therefore, its shoots should not be cut off. If desired, this can be done during transplantation - in this case, it is necessary to process the sections with wood ash. Only dried shoots are cut without fail.
It is necessary to transplant this succulent only in the spring. At the same time, a new pot must be chosen a couple of centimeters larger than the previous one.
Young plants require an increase in the pot every year, so they are transplanted most often. This is due to the intensive growth and ejection of guernia shoots during this period of life.But the roots of this plant do not take up much space, so the transplant of already adult specimens is done no more often than once every 2-3 years.
If the soil is not contaminated and does not contain fungi, then the plant is recommended to be transplanted using the transshipment method: this way you will not damage the delicate roots. Otherwise, it is better to completely replace the soil. Also, when transplanting, experienced florists are advised to remove the old stem, and plant only young shoots.
Diseases and pests
The main problem for growers when growing guernia is damage by various types of rot. This happens for a reason high soil moisture and low temperature... To prevent this, you should not often and abundantly water the bush, especially if the air temperature is lower than required.
To avoid contaminating the entire plant, it is required to periodically inspect it for gray or brown rot spots. When signs of illness appear, you need to remove all damaged areas and reduce watering.
The pests that guernia can suffer from is the mealybug. He prefers to settle in well-permeable soil and only insecticides, for example, intavir and aktara, will help to cope with it.
Reproduction
This succulent is capable of propagation by cuttings and seeds, which most often occurs in nature. In an apartment, you yourself choose which method is more acceptable for you. And in order for the process to be effective, certain nuances must be taken into account.
To implement this method, you first need to separate the young shoots from the old ones. After that, the sprouts are set aside for 24 hours so that they can wither.
After a day, young guernias can be planted in a mixture of coarse sand and peat. The air temperature in the room should be + 20 ° С. After a week and a half, roots will appear on the cuttings. This is a sign that mature specimens can be planted in permanent pots with a diameter of about 7 cm.
The soil must be prepared in advance. To do this, you need to mix:
- 1 part sand;
- 2 pieces of leafy land;
- 1 part turf;
- 1 part of a mixture of coal and lime in a ratio of 1 to 8.
Cuttings are best taken from a plant that has bloomed at least once. In this case, young plants will form buds faster.
You can buy the seeds of this succulent, but it is better to collect your own. They are usually found in fruits that are found on inflorescences. After collecting the grains, you must remove the fluff on them. Then the material is placed in a solution of potassium permanganate and sown. First, you need to plant the seeds in separate containers, in which sandy soil or store substrate for succulents has been prepared in advance.
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It will take about a month for the seeds to germinate. All this time, the soil is moderately moistened. In this case, it is not recommended to cover the pots with foil or glass. When the seeds germinate, they can be planted in separate pots with a diameter of 6 cm. The composition of the soil should be the same as when propagated by cuttings.
It is worth remembering that guernia grows rather quickly and is easily pollinated, in this regard, young plants may differ in a certain way from the parent specimen. In addition, you should not allow the land to dry out in the first year of the succulent's life. Sprouted from guernia seeds begin their flowering 3-4 years after germination.
Reproduction methods
Guernia propagates by seeds and rooting of shoots. The seeds are planted in a flat bowl with light, sandy soil. Deepen each seed by 1 cm and maintain a distance between seedlings of 2-4 cm. The first shoots appear in 15-25 days. A month later, they are dived into separate containers and grown as an adult plant.
The upper, smooth parts of the shoots without flower buds are suitable for grafting. Cuttings are cut from an adult plant and left for a day in the open air to dry the cut.They are planted in a sandy substrate with the addition of a small amount of peat. The roots appear within 2 weeks, after which the shoot can be transplanted to a permanent place.
Growing difficulties
Sometimes on the stems of the succulent, dark spots can be observed - these are burns from the scorching sun rays. In this case, it is necessary to shade the plant with a cloth or paper. But do not be zealous with this, as the plant will become very pale and unattractive. Overflowing soil and high air humidity are detrimental to guernia.
Due to the fact that this succulent is genetically accustomed to adapting to the harsh desert, there are usually no problems with growing it at home. Observing all the recommendations for growing guernia, even an inexperienced florist can get this exotic plant on his windowsill.
About the difficulties of growing guernia, pests and diseases
With good care and maintaining a suitable microclimate, these green pets rarely get sick. But, weakened succulents are often targeted by pests such as mealybugs. If a bloom resembling flour has appeared on a flower, and its appearance has deteriorated, then most likely it has been attacked by this parasite. You can remove the worm with the help of an insecticide - Aktara or Intavir.
As for diseases, it is mainly stem or root rot that affects guernia. Usually, such ailments are the result of soil overflow and lead to the death of the flower. It is important to adhere to the established regime and regularly arrange short droughts for the succulent.
Guernia - photo, flower care, reproduction, description
Botanical name: Huernia.
Indoor plant Guernia - family. Gully.
Origin. South Africa.
Description. Low-growing perennial succulents, with erect or creeping stems multiply branched at the base, up to 15 cm high, 12 mm in diameter. with sharp spines 4.5 mm long. Stems are green, sometimes with a bluish waxy coating or even pink. Flowers with a diameter of 2 - 3 cm, single or collected in small inflorescences of 2 - 3 at the base of the stems. The flowers have a prominent, glossy, wine-red ring around the corolla tube. Petals fused with sharp tips are red, purple-brown, beige or even black, with stripes or specks or solid. Flowers often give off an unpleasant smell of carrion, which attracts flies.
Guernia flower - height. Up to 30 cm.
Bloom
Guernia flower looks like a five-pointed star, but each species of this plant has its own differences. Some have a fused ring of petals at the base of a flower, while others have a long tube of fused stamens. The colors are very different: brown, purple, cream, striped, variegated. The flowers are usually fleshy to the touch, resembling wax in structure.
All flowers are different unpleasant odor.
Already young small plants are blooming. Bloom most often from mid-July to September.
DIY succulent breeding rules
To obtain a new exotic, you must either sow seeds or propagate by cuttings.
When propagating with seed, with the arrival of March, it is placed in a wide and shallow container filled with peat-sandy soil, after covering it with a plastic bag or glass pieces. The seeds are located at a distance of 3 cm from each other, then they are powdered with the same substrate (2 mm). The container is placed in a warm place with diffused lighting. Regularly, you need to ventilate the crops and moisten the soil if necessary. After 3-4 weeks, shoots will appear and the shelter is removed. If the stems become a little reddened, then there is too much light and you should take care of more shading. Once the seedlings are sufficiently developed, they can be dived into individual pots with a suitable substrate.
When propagated by cuttings.The selected stems are simply broken off or cut off from the mother guernia and dried on paper for 2 days. The length of the cutting does not matter. Then they are planted in the ground, or rather, they simply put the cutting on the surface of the substrate, you can fix it with a paper clip. The soil should only be slightly damp. As soon as the cuttings take root, you can carry out planting in separate flowerpots.
Care features
Watering the guernia should be done very carefully. If the soil is constantly wet, there is a risk of root rot. As a consequence, the likelihood of the death of the culture is high. Therefore, it is worth moistening the soil only after the substrate in the pot dries out. In the summer, this should be done at intervals of 14 days. In the fall, the amount of watering is reduced to 1 time per month.
Fertilizing guernia is recommended with those products that are sold in specialized stores. It is important to choose preparations that are intended for succulents. They contain a sufficient amount of substances that ensure long-term flowering and normal plant development.
It is worth using top dressing 1-2 times during the growing season. When buying a product, it is worth making sure that there is a small amount of nitrogen in it. In the winter season, it is not required to feed the succulent.
Botanical characteristic
Guernia is a thermophilic plant native to the arid regions of the Arabian Peninsula and South Africa. The culture belongs to the varieties of the Grimaceae family. In floriculture, it is also known as huernia and has a rather similar appearance to the slipway known to many lovers of exotic flowers. The plant has more than forty species, including varieties grown at home.
Guernia graceful
The botanical characteristics of a perennial plant have their own characteristics:
- Stem... Plant height can reach 30 centimeters. From the base of the stem, fleshy shoots with a length of 22 to 30 centimeters diverge to the sides. Each stem has a conical shape with rather sharp teeth. The color of the stem with shoots depends on the type of guernia. Bushes of dark green, brown or gray-red color are often found.
- Bloom... Guernia has single or few-flowered inflorescences located almost at the base of the shoots. The shape of the rosettes can be bell-shaped or funnel-shaped. Flowers are solid or with contrasting stripes, you can also find a plant with a spotted pattern on the petals. The buds can form in both summer and autumn. The flowering period of an exotic culture is more than two months.
The main feature of guernia is considered to be an unpleasant aroma emanating from the inflorescences, which resembles the smell of rotten meat and serves as a bait for pollinating insects. It usually spreads at high air temperatures.
A little about guerinia
This flower is a representative of the Lastovnev family. It got its name in honor of the Dutch missionary. At home, the succulent has many not very euphonious names, for example, Cadaveric flower, Devil's tongue (not to be confused with the devil's paw), etc.
It is a perennial with stems up to 30 centimeters in size. They are multi-faceted with teeth. There are no leaves on them. Flowers are matte or glossy, striped. The shape also differs, they can look like a bell or a funnel. But they all have an unpleasant aroma, similar to the smell of spoiled meat. It is not felt from afar, but felt when approached. The warmer the room, the stronger the smell of guernia.
The flowering period of the plant is from spring to autumn. The homeland of Guernia is the desert or semi-desert of Africa. Guernia flowers can often be seen growing on a windowsill. The succulent has thick stems with fleshy flesh, sometimes there may be thorns on their surface.
The flower is not capricious, it is rather unpretentious when grown in an apartment. Guernia is compact, it does not require a lot of space and huge storage capacity. To grow a plant, you need to purchase a low container of greater width. Additional holes are made in the pot. For planting, you need soil designed for cacti or succulents. Guernia does not require frequent watering, but does not like shade.
Growing guernias from seeds
This breeding process is painstaking and rarely used. Still, collect the Guernia seeds after flowering in case you want to share with friends or have to renew the plant due to the death of the previous one.
- Sow in the spring in bowls with a sandy-peat mixture.
- The seeds are small, for convenience they are mixed with sand and distributed over the surface of the substrate.
- Spray with warm water from a fine spray, cover the crops tightly with glass or transparent film, put under diffused lighting and maintain a warm temperature within 22-25 ° C.
Guernia from seed photos of seedlings
- It is necessary to ventilate daily so that our seeds do not run out, spray the soil as needed.
- We grow seedlings without shelter under the same lighting and temperature, protect them from drafts, water them through the pallet.
When they grow up a little and get stronger, they can be planted in separate pots with a diameter of about 7 cm.
Varieties of flowers
There are about 60 species in this genus. Here are the varieties of plants that can be grown at home by the window.
Bearded
This guernia is distinguished by short, ribbed stems with denticles. Blossoms Guernia Bearded with bright yellow-brown flowers. Stripes are drawn on each flower.
Large-fruited
The length of the plant stems is more than seven centimeters. They have sharp teeth. It blooms with bright yellow flowers with brown blotches. It grows naturally in Africa and has many varieties.
Hairy
In hairy guernia, flowers are red with white spots, medium-sized and similar in shape to bells. It has short "plump" stems with drooping outgrowths.
Rough guernia
This variety of the guernia plant is characterized by long, light stems, reaching a length of 20 centimeters. Sometimes their color can be pinkish. The stems are multifaceted. Flowers are medium-sized, like bells. They are burgundy inside and light outside.
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Graceful guernia
This plant has light green stems. Sometimes they can have a red tint. This variety is characterized by flowering yellow flowers with red blotches.
Striped
The stems of the plant are green with streaks. The variety is so named because of its striped color.
Guernia bloom
The culture blooms throughout the summer season. The inflorescences of the succulent are star-shaped with spliced petals and a convex round center. They can vary in shades from milky to deep purple with light or dark specks.
The core of the flower may differ from the petals of the inflorescence in both color and tonality. Guernia flowers do not smell, but attract attention with their extraordinary decorativeness.
Guernia care
Guernia at home - temperature ... Plants can tolerate temperatures of about 4 - 5 degrees Celsius during dormancy if the soil is practically dry, and heat of about 38 degrees Celsius if not exposed to direct sunlight. The optimum temperature during the resting period should be at least 10 ° C.
Lighting ... In their natural environment, they grow in the shade of other plants and are not exposed to direct sunlight. Place the guernia in a well-lit area with light shade on hot summer days. In too strong light, the stems may take on a reddish or purple tint.Lack of light results in weak, thin stems and no flowering.
Guernia care ... An undemanding plant that just needs good drainage.
Guernia succulent - soil ... Substrate with a high content of coarse sand, perlite or pumice. It is advisable to place the plant in a shallow clay pot, as it also helps to quickly drain the soil. A mixture of 50 percent pumice or perlite, 25 percent peat or organic mulch, and 25 percent sand will work.
Top dressing ... In the spring, gradually increase the number of waterings and start feeding the succulent once a month with liquid fertilizers diluted in half. Stop feeding at the end of August to stop new growth. Use fertilizers that are high in phosphorus and low in nitrogen.
Appointment ... These small plants are so compact that even a decent collection takes up very little space. Many species have quite adorable flowers, although some species also have a fetid odor during flowering.
Flowering time ... Summer and autumn.
Air humidity ... Do not need spraying, in winter the air must be dry.
Soil moisture. Need very careful watering on warm days. Like most succulents, guernias are prone to rotting. In winter, the plant hardly needs watering. In the spring and during the summer, water the plant when the topsoil is dry. Make sure there is no stagnant water in the pan.
Guernia transplant ... Plants rarely need replanting and prefer to be in slightly cramped conditions. Transplant succulents in the spring every two years to change the soil to fresh, usually in a pot of the same size.
Reproduction ... The easiest way to reproduce is by rooting cuttings. Cuttings are cut with a sharp sterile instrument and the cut site is allowed to dry for 1 - 2 days. By seed or dividing adult plants.
Pests and diseases ... Root rot with stagnant water. From pests, the appearance of mealybugs is possible.
Note.
Hydroponics .
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Photo
Guernia the Bearded:
Large-fruited guernia:
Hairy guernia:
Guernia Rough:
Guernia Graceful:
Guernia Striped:
