Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Tree
Origin
Southern Africa
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
Types
Gasteria brachyphylla, Gasteria rawlinsonii
-
Number of Varieties
163
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Deciduous forests, River side, rocky banks of streams
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
-99994-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
9-1
Sunset Zone
13, 16, 21, 22, 23, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Rosette/Stemless
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
12.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
10.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Coral
Yellow, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Tongue shaped
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Bright direct sunlight, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
-
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Dry soil
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Leaf Cutting, Stem Planting
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do Not over Water
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
In Summer
Less Watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove dead leaves
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Shape and thin as needed
Fertilizers
Doesn't require fertilization when grown in rich soil
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
Pests and Diseases
Fusarium root rot, Red blotch
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Heat And Humidity
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Bold
Medium
Foliage Sheen
-
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Ants, Flies
-
Allergy
Irritation to intestines, Skin rash
Asthma
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
For treating wrinkles, Good for the Scalp
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed
Erosion control, Wildlife
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Aging, Blood disorders, Laxative
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Sap
Whole plant
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Making Shampoo, Oil is used in mosquito repellents
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
GASTERIA
BETULA nigra
Common Name
Gasteria
River Birch
In Hindi
Gasteria
River Birch
In German
Gasteria
Fluss Birch
In French
Gasteria
Birch river
In Spanish
Gasteria
river Birch
In Greek
Gasteria
ποταμός Birch
In Portuguese
Gasteria
river Birch
In Polish
Gasteria
Rzeka Birch
In Latin
Gasteria
Betula
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
Monocots
Magnoliopsida
Order
Asparagales
Fagales
Family
Aloaceae
Betulaceae
Genus
Gasteria
Betula
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Asphodeloideae
-
Number of Species
163
1
27800
👆🏻