Gibbeum

Gibbeum is a very beautiful and unusual plant that can be found in the wild in Africa, especially in hot countries, which are characterized by summer temperatures plus 50 degrees, and where rain is very rare.

Gibbeum: plant description

Gibbeum: flower photo

Gibbeum is not just a succulent, but a super succulent. Its second name is "living stones". This culture belongs to the Aizov family. Such a plant grows in the desert and is one of the genus of this family.

Gibbeum leaves make up one leaf as they grow together. The inside of the leaf has a very juicy texture. The shape of the leaves resembles an elongated oval. Moreover, in one pair, the leaves have a different shape.

Ate to translate the name of the plant from the Latin language, then it will mean the word "hump". This culture has a very large number of nicknames in those places where it grows wild. In addition to its native name, the plant is called "fish mouth", "parrot beak", "ostrich water".

Gibbeum leaves are about 10 cm long, sometimes less. The color of the leaves here has different shades of green, on some of them you can see the pattern. And also some species are distinguished by a small fluff on the surface of the leaves. The composition of the leaves changes every year. Young leaves emerge right from the middle of the old pair, which begins to wither gradually.

It is also from the center of the Gibbeum leaves that a peduncle begins to form. It has a short size, but a rather large diameter. One flower ripens on it, which is quite large in diameter, about five centimeters.

Outwardly, Gibbeum is very similar to an aster or chamomile. The shade of flowers here can be very different. These are red shades, pink, purple tones, as well as snow-white petals. When the weather outside is very bad or if the sun is about to set, then the flowers close into buds.

Gibbeum begins to bloom 5 years after planting. This phenomenon can be observed in early spring. It so happens that the plant blooms at other times of the year. The flowering period is about 2 months.

The described culture is quite low, that is, its stem does not exceed 10 cm above the soil level. However, the plant grows very well, forming whole glades at the same time. Therefore, if you grow a plant at home, then gradually it will occupy the entire space of the container in which it grows.

The Gibbeum root is rod-shaped. The entire root system is very powerful. The stem, as mentioned above, is not very large and can go deep into the ground. It also happens that when a plant enters the dormant stage, then all its parts that are above the surface of the earth die off.

Gibbeum: description of varieties with photos

The described culture has a large number of species that differ from each other in shape, color, and also external dimensions.

• Hit. This plant looks like a stone. This is because the plant has whole leaves that form a ball. The second name of this species is "shark mouth". The length of this plant can reach 6 cm in height, while the diameter of the bush will be about 10 cm. The shade of the leaf plates is gray. The older the plant, the more blue it becomes. If we talk about petals, then their shade here will be red or pink. There are cultures with purple or white petals.

Gibbeum Heath: Photo of the variety

• Velvety... This plant is characterized by leaves that have a gray-green hue. The leaf shape is narrow and lanceolate here.Towards the end, the leaf blades are slightly bent. Each pair of leaves contains a different size of leaf blades. However, their maximum length does not exceed 6 cm. The stems here are short and wide.

Velvety gibbeum: Photo of the variety

Expanding, the velvety Gibbeum forms large glades, and begins to resemble a rug. This plant blooms with flowers large enough in diameter. The shade of the petals here will be delicate pastel colors: pink, white and lilac. The peduncle has a thick stem.

• Schwantes. This plant is very similar in appearance to the previous species that has been described. Here the leaves are so different that one of them is curled and the other is not curved. In addition, the length of the leaves varies. The shade of the leaf plates is gray-gray here, sometimes there is a rich dark green shade. The flowers of this culture are not large in size and have pale lilac tones.

Gibbeum Schwantess: Photo of the variety

• Pubescent. This type of Gibbeum has leaves that are no more than 3 cm long. From above, the leaf plates are covered with villi, which are distinguished by a silvery shade. The shape of the leaves is flat here, and like all gibbeums, they are fused at the beginning. Flowers here have a bright red or deep purple hue. The length of the peduncle will not exceed 2 cm.

Pubescent Gibbeum: Photo of the variety

This species is divided into several more species, one of which is the Shanda species. This species has different leaves in pairs. The shade of flowers is more often pink than purple.

• Pachypodium. The second name of this species is "thick-legged". This plant differs from the previous species precisely in the shape of the leaves. Here the leaves form a cylinder and point in different directions. The edge of the leaves can be blunt or pointed. The height of the leaves reaches 10 cm, while their thickness is not less than one and a half centimeters. This crop begins to form fruits after cross-pollination, so there is a very wide variety of hybrids in the wild. However, it is noted that they do not look as beautiful as the above presented individual species.

Gibbeum care rules

Gibbeum: flower photo

Gibbeum is a rather capricious plant and requires special growing conditions than other indoor plants. For this reason, they are rarely grown at home by flower growers.

The soil

The soil here should be, most importantly, loose so that moisture can freely penetrate to the roots. This point must be observed when growing all gibbeums. If we consider natural conditions, then this plant feels comfortable on stones. Therefore, it is necessary to buy ready-made soil for growing gibbeums, which is prepared especially for succulents. In addition, coarse sand or even finely crushed brick must be added to the soil.

If you want to prepare the soil yourself, then you need to make a composition that will consist of turf and leafy soil, as well as with the addition of sand.

The container should be made of ceramic and with not very wide sides, about 10 cm in height. At the bottom, holes must be prepared, and a good drainage layer must be organized, at least 3 cm.

Lighting and temperature

In addition to soil, Gibbeum needs a lot of light. In the cold season, as well as with the northern arrangement of the windows, it is necessary to create artificial lighting.

On warm, hot summer days, it is best to take this crop outside so that the sun directly falls on the plant.

Gibbeum grows in Africa. Therefore, the heat will not do any harm to the growth and development of culture. However, the plant will react extremely negatively to the cold, therefore, the temperature should not be allowed to drop below + 15 degrees.

The presence of drafts and wind also negatively affects. In winter, the permissible ambient temperature should be maintained.The state of dormancy, unlike other indoor plants, does not occur here in winter, but in summer.

Therefore, in the summer, a large amount of light should be kept, however, it is unacceptable to apply any fertilizers, and watering is also prohibited at this time. It is allowed only very rarely to spray plants from a spray bottle.

How to water a Gibbeum

Gibbeum: flower photo

If you notice that the Gibbium plant has begun to grow, then you can already resume watering. The same must be done if the plant has been dormant for too long. There are times when experienced flower growers were able to remake the plant regime for the vegetative period we are accustomed to. However, this is only permissible for species with large leaves.

However, being not in a dormant stage, the plant does not need abundant watering. Here it is necessary to observe moderation and look at the condition of the plant itself. If the watering is excessive and there is a lot of excess moisture, then the plant may rot. Also, the leaves will be cracked. It often happens that instead of watering, a given crop only needs spraying.

Also, if you focus on the growing conditions of Gibbeum in the wild, then the air must be necessarily dry, while excessive air humidity will have an extremely negative effect on the plant.

Top dressing

When Gibbeum is in the stage of growth and development, feeding with the help of special fertilizer complexes for cacti is allowed. However, the concentration must be halved.

When the plant has already filled the entire pot and develops further, then transplantation is necessary here in a large container. It is important to note that after transplanting, do not water the plants for 14 days.

Reproduction

Gibbeum can be propagated vegetatively and by seed.

For breeding Gibbeum vegetative the way it is necessary to take side shoots. They are cut with a sharp tool, thus obtaining cuttings. Ready cuttings must be rooted by placing them in the same soil composition in which an adult bush grows.

It is not worth covering the planting material here, and it is not worth watering the cutting. You can limit yourself to just spraying. Places of cuts should be processed. Charcoal powder is a good material for processing. The cutting itself can be treated with phytohormones.

Gibbeum: growing from seed

With the help of seeds, Gibbeum is rarely propagated, because it is a very long process. The seeds of this plant are very small, so they should only be sprinkled with soil on top.

The soil should consist of river sand, as well as a small amount of leafy earth or peat. The box where the seeds will be sown must be prepared in advance. A small container is best. It will be optimal to put it in another box, which will be well ventilated from all sides. Cover the seed with glass or foil. This shelter should be cleaned daily to allow the seeds to be aired.

The optimal conditions for germinating seeds are an abundance of light and a fairly hot air temperature, at least 28 degrees. If you follow all the conditions, then the first shoots can be seen in a week.

The best time for sowing is mid to late summer. This culture has a very low growth force, so it will be possible to dive the seedlings only after two or three years.

All this time, some rules for caring for sprouts should be observed, namely, to organize an abundance of light, but so that it is not direct sunlight, but light partial shade. In the summer months, plants are poorly but consistently watered.

Diseases and pests

Gibbeum: flower photo

Gibbeum, like all indoor plants, can be susceptible to various diseases. The flower is often affected by pests such as spider mites and mealybugs.The latter represent the greatest harm to plants, since they negatively affect its roots.

Before planting a plant or if you transplant it into another container, you should carefully examine the roots for the presence of pests. If you notice such, then you should rinse the root system under water, and then they are placed in a solution of insecticides. Once the root system is dry, you can plant the flower further. It is better to pre-steam the soil.

Also, in Gibbeum, you can see signs such as wrinkling and drying of the leaves. It is normal for a given plant to shed. These signs do not mean at all that the flower is dying. This only means that all his forces are directed to the formation of new parts and leaves. Thus, once these traits are found, rapid growth of good, strong, new leaves can be expected. It is even possible already with flower buds.

Conclusion

Gibbeum is a very beautiful exotic plant that needs certain growing rules to be followed.

But if you take into account all the main points and create conditions close to natural, you can surprise your family and friends with such an unusual indoor flower like Gibbeum.