Life would succ without succulents

Gasteria batesiana Today’s post is about the beautiful (but weird looking) Gasteria batesiana . Gasteria batesiana also goes by the name Gasteria ‘little warty’ AGM , and Ox-tongue . This thick and sturdy succulent has stiff leaves with raised bumps giving it an animal tongue like texture. Interestingly, Gasteria means stomach in latin, which is reference to the stomach like flowers this genus of plants produce. The batesiana part is named after George Latimer Bates, a botanist and entomologist who collected African specimens and sent them to the Natural History museum i n London. My Gasteria batesiana is pretty big (~10cm tall and ~15 cm wide) and when I bought it was quite flat, but the leaves have spread out as it’s grown which is nice. I picked up the Gasteria batesiana at my local garden centre for ~£6. Care instructions: Gasteria batesiana are very tolerant plants. They prefer temperatures of 5°C to 30°C, however, can tolerate as low as -1! If you plan o

Sansevieria trifasciata **This is my first post since the COVID-19 outbreak. I hope you are all okay. It is a scary time, most people are in lock down, essential workers (such as myself (I am a nurse)) are trying our best and each day the news gets bleaker. We are unable to see family members and friends; normal life has been turned upside down. However, I am endlessly amazed at the kindness and resilience people are showing. People seem to be enjoying little things more, gardening, talking to loved ones and a whole host of creative means of escapism. I cannot wait until this passes, and I will never take for granted a coffee with a friend or a hug with a family member ever again. Stay safe. ** Next I would like to update you on a few of my plants. Firstly, my Mammillaria elongata has bloomed, which is exciting. Lots of these flowers have budded up, with a few blossoming, which was a real treat after a hard week at work. Mammillaria elongata flower Secondly, my l

Haworthia fasciata “Big Band” Today’s post is about the succulent Haworthia fasciata “Big Band”. This plant has dark green leaves with lovely raised white stripey patterns, which look like frosting. Like lots of succulents, the Haworthia fasciata goes by a few names, such as Haworthiopsis attenuate ‘Big Band’ and Zebra plant ‘Big Band’. The Haworthia genus was named after the British botanist Adrain Haworth. Adrain was pretty cool, and as well as being a botanist, he was also an entomologist (the study of insects) and carcinologist (the study of crustaceans)! There are lots of ‘Zebra’ succulents that look similar, but what makes Haworthia fasciata “Big Band” stand out is how raised the white marks are. My Haworthia fasciata “Big Band” was a gift, so I am unsure of the price/where it was bought.   Care instructions: Haworthia fasciata “Big Band” are pretty tolerant of a range of temperatures, preferring 10°C to 30°C. They can however tolerate much lower f