Gasteria Pillansii

Gasteria Pillansii Care

Gasteria Pillansii

What is the plant

This species of Gasteria has its strap-shaped leaves in two opposite rows (distichous), and is very variable in its appearance, and especially in its size. Its flowers are 25–45 mm long, with only slightly swollen bases for up to one-third of the length. In its vegetative appearance, it looks very similar to its two closest relatives, Gasteria disticha and Gasteria brachyphylla to the south, which are also distichous. However the flowers are different, with G. disticha having smaller flowers of just 12–20 mm which have flower bases that are inflated or swollen for roughly two-thirds of the flower length. It is proliferous, offsetting from underground stolons, and can form large clumps. It has pink flowers which appear in mid-summer around December. The seeds develop in time to be dispersed during the rains of autumn and winter.

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Humidity

Dry

Lighting

Part Sun

Temperature

-3°C - -4°C

Hardiness zone

9b - 11b

Difficulty

Easy

How to Care for the Plant

Water
Gasteria can take plenty of water during the warm Summer months but its very important to always allow the soil to totally dry before watering again. Like most Succulents these plants like to have a winter rest period where watering should be reduced to a bare minimum. I stop watering my Gasterias almost completely from October until mid March but I do still give a small amount of water to them once every 6 weeks but I grow mine outside in a heated polytunnel that is kept cool at around 7 Celsius / 45 Fahrenheit, but if you grow yours inside a house that is kept at a normal room temperature its best to give a small amount of water once a month to prevent the plants shrivelling, however its best to only water very lightly as watering these plants during Winter can encourage them to grow lanky and stretched out and at the worst case rot at the roots.
Pruning
Gasteria is easily propagated using offsets. When taking offsets, use a sharp knife or scissors. Cut as close to the parent plant's stem as you can, including as many roots attached to the offset as possible.
Fertilizer
Gasteria can be fertilised with any good quality cacti and Succulent fertiliser from spring until late Summer, and I usually fertilise my Gasteria with every 3rd watering that I give them from April until early September.

Disease diagnosis

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Sunlight
Moreover, mature gasteria plants typically produce tubular, curved flowers in the winter to spring.
Soil
Seed should be sown during summer in sandy, well-drained soil and protected from full sun. The seedlings are slow growing and can be planted out in small containers when they are large enough to handle.
Temperature
Ideal: 10 to 35 degrees C