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 in 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 on having these in low temperatures, make sure the soil is dry to avoid damaging the plant (as it will go to a dormant state, and will rot if left wet).

Gasteria batesiana prefer indirect bright spots, so make a good north facing window plant.

Gasteria batesiana should be watered when the top 2cm of soil is dry in spring- autumn. Reduced watering in winter is required as the plant will reduce growth, so the soil will remain damp for longer (risking root rot). Only water if the plant looks like its shrivelling.

Gasteria batesiana can be fertilised in once in early summer (with ½ strength fertiliser), but this is not essential.

I keep my Gasteria batesiana in a big pot, in cacti potting mixture and a thick layer of grit at the base for extra drainage.

If Gasteria batesiana flowers, they will be pink and green in colour, however this is only happens to mature plants. It is most likely to happen in spring.

Gasteria batesiana can be propagated by re-potting offshoot or leaf cuttings.

Gasteria batesiana

Any questions/corrections- please comment below

*comments are especially appreciated at the moment 😊*

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