Stapelia flower: examples of propagation by cuttings and home care

Stapelia is an unusual flower, a perennial succulent from the Lastovnevye family. Its homeland and natural habitat is South Africa. You can grow a plant at home in the middle lane. In order for a flower to show its beauty, it is required to provide it with proper care.

Varieties of stapelia flower

Botanists and enthusiastic gardeners alike know that the stapelia flower is subdivided into several beautiful plant variations. The most popular varieties are:

• The stapelia is variegated;
• Large-flowered stapelia;
• Grandiflora;
• The stapelia is gigantic.

Unusual species of flowering plant

For each of these subspecies, it is recommended to provide a suitable microclimate, to carry out correct and timely care.

Stapelia variegated

The succulent stapelia variegated is a plant of a separate genus. Experts attributed him to the representatives of Orbei. This variety has:

• erect shoots;
• low growth (up to 10 cm);
• the presence of reddish streaks on the shoots (the main color is saturated green);
• flowers located directly at the base.

One plant can have up to 5 flowers. Diameter - 5-8 cm. Petals are oval at the base and pointed closer to the edge. Their surface is smooth. The flowers have an unusual color. They are yellow with stripes and specks of brown (hence the name - motley). Feature - towards the center, the saturation of the yellow hue increases. The smell during flowering is intense, but unpleasant.

Beauty of South Africa

Stapelia large-flowered

The large-flowered stapelia plant is popular with those who like to grow exotic flowers. Under natural conditions, it forms abundant thickets. Features of the external appearance:

• the shoots are pubescent;
• refer to tetrahedral;
• curved teeth form at the edges;
• large flowers - 15-16 cm in diameter;
• elongated and curved petals;
• there is pubescence, gray along the edges;
• the main color of the petals is greenish with a blue tint (lower part);
• the upper side is deep purple with pubescence.

The smell is strong and unpleasant. The active flowering period is up to 5 days.

Stapelia Grandiflora

The perennial plant Stapelia of the Grandiflora variety is also among the fashionable and sought-after indoor plants for those who strive for a non-standard solution in floriculture. Its stem is tetrahedral with bent denticles (they are rarely located).

Feature - the shape of the petals is lanceolate. They are folded along the edge. The outer side has a greenish blue tint. The underside is painted in burgundy. There is also a gray pubescence. The flowering period is summer. The smell is strong and unpleasant.

Giant stapelia

Another representative of the species is the giant stocks. This succulent is also a perennial. Its stems are erect. Visually they look powerful: height - up to 20 cm, width - up to 3 cm. Shoots along the edges have large edges and a few small teeth. The flowers are large. Their diameter reaches 35 cm. The Gigantea Stapelia cactus differs from other varieties in that its flowers are located on long pedicels.

The petals are triangular (elongated-pointed).Thick red hairs are located on their surface. Along the edge of the villi is white.

Flower care at home

A succulent plant of the genus Stapelia needs special care. The house should provide as close to natural conditions as possible. The main requirement is the presence of a large amount of sunlight. It is recommended to install containers with a plant on windows that face the east or west side in summer. In winter, you need to transfer to the south side. In the warm season, it is required to create a slight darkening so that direct sunlight does not affect the flower for a long time. In winter, additional light sources are an integral part of the care.

Stapelia home care and maintenance suggest that the rules for temperature and watering will be observed. Attention must be paid to the transplanting process and the quality of the soil.

Proper care provides the plant with health and strength

Soil and transplant

If a staple flower is chosen for cultivation, special care at home is required. Particular attention is paid to the soil in the container with the plant. The optimal composition will be (in parts):

• sod land - 2;
• coarse sand (river) - 1.

Additionally, a handful of charcoal is added. It also needs to be added to ready-made succulent mix. The pots should be wide, but not deep.

Young plants are transplanted every year. After the slipway reaches the age of 3 years, the transplantation dates are shifted. The process is carried out once every 2-3 years. Feature - you need to move the plant by transshipment. This is required so as not to damage fragile roots and young shoots.

Lighting

The stapelia hirsuta and other succulent varieties need a lot of light. Direct sunlight is prohibited, containers are recommended to be closed with a light curtain. In open areas (gardens or balconies), cover should be provided.

Room temperature and humidity

Stapelia, all of its types, require compliance with a certain temperature regime. Optimum performance is 22-26 degrees. In winter, to ensure rest, the indicators should be reduced to 14-16 degrees. Air humidity indicators are in the range of 50-70%.

Watering

Water is added to the soil as the top layer dries up. Watering is done more frequently during the summer than during the winter months. If the soil remains dry for a long time, the succulent may die. The reason is the drying out of the roots.

Flowering stocks

Florists grow the plant to produce beautiful flowers. An interesting fact - diseases and pests practically do not affect the flowering process. Difficulties with the fact that flowers are not formed arise due to sunburn and waterlogging of the soil.

Flowering stocks

Also, experts who are associated with exotic plants can answer the question of why the staples do not bloom or wither.

Reasons why it does not bloom

The absence of the flowering process may be due to non-observance of the temperature regime. If the indicators decrease in the summer, then the vegetation slows down. Also, insufficient sunlight leads to a negative process. In the shade, the plant does not form flowers.

Reproduction

The breeding process is carried out by seeds or cuttings. The second option is more convenient for flower growers, since the plant takes root faster and begins to bloom.

Cuttings

The process of propagation by cuttings requires a certain amount of knowledge. In order to cut the cuttings, you need to use a sharp knife.The slices are then sprinkled with charcoal. The planting process in a new container is carried out 2-3 hours after cutting. The substrate should be composed of coarse sand and a small amount of peat. After complete rooting, a transplant is carried out into a new pot. The mixture should be standard for the species. If a slipway is chosen for breeding, how to propagate it needs to be studied in advance, charcoal can be used to strengthen it.