Gasteria glomerata

Gasteria glomerata is a dwarf species of Gasteria which rarely exceeds a couple of inches in height (4-5 cm). The plant is a stemless cluster of fat gray-green leaves that are slightly rough to the touch. In springtime, the plants reliably produce racemes of cheery yellow-orange flowers.

In it’s native habitat of South Africa, it grows in shady nooks or ledges of vertical, south-facing cliffs in relatively mild conditions with no frost.

The plants are ideally suited for indoor culture where winters are harsh, or it will grow well outdoors where there is little or no frost. G. glomerata will flourish in small pots or planters with other succulents. They are slow-growing and don’t require a great deal of attention. The plants benefit from some shade.
G. glomerata will appreciate regular irrigation during warm weather, but prefers much more dryness during winter months. Well draining soil is essential. You can easily propagate these plants by separating the offsets. Much slower are leaf cuttings, or by seeds.





We ship nice clusters of bare-root plants that will bring you years of enjoyment. Check out these plants and other Gasterias at http://www.smgsucculents.com/.


Reference: Van Jaarsveld, E.J. 1994. Gasteria of South Africa. Fernwood Press, Cape Town.

Jovibarba heuffelii

Jovibarbara heuffelii is commonly known as ‘Jupiter’s beard’, and also ‘Hen and Chicks’. This is somewhat confusing since Sempervivum (and Echeveria) is also known by this common name. Botanically, they are very close to Sempervivum and in truth, there are times when it is difficult to distinguish between them. Suffice it to say that our good friends, the botanists, have yet another conundrum to decipher, and that is good. We need them. For the rest of us folks who are not so worried about the details, they are the ‘Jovi heuff’s.


In general, these rosettes are hardy evergreen, clump-forming succulent plants which originate in the alpine regions of the Balkan Mountains to the eastern Carpathians. The foliage can vary from orange-yellow, to crimson, violet, and green. The leaves may look smooth and shiny or they may be plush and velvety. The flowers are ordinary, mostly yellowish and bell-shaped and attract large numbers of pollinating insects. The plants are grown for the showy foliage rather than the flowers. As in Sempervivum, the Jovi heuffs are also monocarpic, meaning the rosette dies after flowering. Its progeny quickly fills in the void created by the dead rosette.

Jovibarba heuffelii may easily be propagated by seeds or divisions (see earlier blog post). The plants cross readily and are prolific seed producers. Unless you are controlling the pollination, expect that seedlings from hybrid plants will look different from the mother plant. As one would expect, any plant which crosses easily results in a huge number of hybrids. Jovi heuff is no exception. Jovi heuffs in general, will not produce offsets at the terminus of stolons like most Sempervivum, but will form new rosettes in a sessile fashion (ok, it’s between the leaves).

Culture of Jovibarba heuffelii is quite easy. They require soil with exceptional drainage and good light exposure. They will appreciate a slow-release fertilizer in the spring. They can be grown in containers, but if left too long in the same container, they will liberate themselves by breaking the container. The main pests of Jovi heuffs are aphids, mealy bugs and rabbits (they will gnaw at the fleshy roots).

Please check out our availability at www.smgsucculents.com.

Summer Time Blues

‘Sometimes I wonder what I’m a gonna do, there ain’t no cure for the summertime blues." Eddie Cochran

It’s an old song and I think Eddie had something else in mind, but I am thinking about Sempervivum. Just as many of the fabulous Spring and early Summer Semps start to fade a little bit in the heat- the blues begin to develop their best color.

Take a look at S. ‘Blue Boy’ (Where is ‘Pinkie’?)



How about S. ‘Pacific Blue Ice’?

A favorite of many, S. ‘Twilight Blues’

And finally, a perennial favorite, S. ‘Lilac Time’

If you’re looking for the cure to summertime blues, please check us out at www.smgsucculents.com.

Don

Remarkable Rollers

Autumn is the time when so many ornamental plants begin to fade and require some cutting back and cleaning up to look good. This is when Jovibarba rollers look their best. These miniature succulent plants just need a little frost, some shorter days, and diminished levels of nutrition to bring out their fine fall color.

Jovibarba hirta f/Belansky Tatra

The rollers are hardy to Zone 4 and will tolerate very severe weather.

Jovibarba sobolifera f/St. Martin

When these plants are actively growing, they tend to be mostly bright green or yellowish green with red highlights. In Autumn the colors will vary from yellow, bright red, to shades of blue and purple.

Jovibarba hirta yellow-green form

If the plants are in planters or containers which are exposed to very cold temperatures, it is best to give them some protection.

Jovibarba hirta f/Bulgaria

Most of the rollers are prolific producers of offsets and with a little care, they will provide you with years of enjoyment.

Jovibarba allionii

To view more photos of hardy succulents please visit us at www.smgsucculents.com.

Hardy Succulents- Earth's Little Gems

JOVIBARBA HEUFFELII PROPAGATION

Late Summer or early Autumn is a good time to divide Jovibarba heuffelii, although they may be successfully propagated at other times of the year under certain conditions. Division is accomplished by carefully cutting the rosettes apart with a sharp knife.

My preference is to use a sharp serrated boning knife. The knife is long and slender enough to easily fit between the rosettes and make a clean cut.

The first step is to clean the existing soil from the plant and any dead leaves or debris from around the stem. Gloves are preferable since older dried leaf tips can be very sharp and can easily puncture the skin.

Next, you want to decide where to make the cut. You may wish to cut all of the rosettes apart, or just divide the plant in half. Place the plant on a surface such as piece of plywood that will not be damaged by the knife. Guide the knife between the rosettes, and cut down through the root structure.

Leaving some roots on each piece is preferable, but not necessary.

When you have separated the pieces, place them somewhere in a bright and ventilated area to dry. If they are not placed in a dry and ventilated area, there is a good possibility that they will begin to rot. I prefer leaving them for several days until the cut area is quite dry. If you are not sure whether they are dry enough, it is probably best to wait a few more days. At this point you can repot into containers, however, water should be withheld until you can see that the plants have begun to produce new roots.

Jovibarba heuffelii is an extremely hardy plant and it can be stunning in containers. They require minimal care and have few problems.
To view more photos of Jovibarba heuffelii, visit us at www.smgsucculents.com.

Sempervivum- The Plants That Grandma Grew

Most people know Sempervivum as the little green rosettes that grandma grew in her garden. Now, of course, garden writers have exposed these little plants as extremely colorful, hardy additions to the landscape.



Sempervivum arachnoideum 'Clairchin'














The genus Sempervivum is comprised of hardy alpine succulents that are members of the Crassulaceae family. They are rosette-forming plants indigenous to the alpine regions of central and southern Europe and the Mediterranean from altitudes of approximately 3000-8000 feet. There are roughly 50 known species and 3000 named cultivars.


Sempervivum 'Crimsonette'












The name Sempervivum means ‘Everlasting’ in Latin, although in fact it is a monocarpic plant, which just means that it dies after flowering. This name comes from the fact that the plant will produce several generations (usually 3-4 years) of offsets (‘chicks’) prior to its demise, giving the illusion that the plant ‘lives forever.’

Sempervivum 'Faramir'

The allure of Sempervivum as an ornamental plant is the wide variety in coloration and texture of the foliage, rather than the flowers. Sempervivum is widely known by its common names of ‘Hen & Chicks’ or ‘Houseleeks.




Sempervivum 'Clipper'

Sempervivum is in general hardy to zone 4. Fast draining soil medium is an absolute must for this plant to survive. It is extremely drought tolerant, but will succumb rapidly when allowed to languish in very damp soil. They do require some protection against very intense mid-day sun and heat.
To view these and many more Sempervivum plants, visit http://www.smgsucculents.com/.