Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
Southern Africa
Types
-
Gasteria brachyphylla, Gasteria rawlinsonii
Number of Varieties
316
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
Deciduous forests, River side, rocky banks of streams
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-9-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
-
Sunset Zone
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
13, 16, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Rosette/Stemless
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm12.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,220.00 cm10.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Brown
Coral
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Black
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
Tongue shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Bright direct sunlight, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Drought, Dry soil
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Leaf Cutting, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Low
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
Do Not over Water
In Summer
Lots of watering
Less Watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Shape and thin as needed
Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
Doesn't require fertilization when grown in rich soil
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Fusarium root rot, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Drought, Heat And Humidity
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
Medium
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Ants, Flies
Allergy
Asthma
Irritation to intestines, Skin rash
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
For treating wrinkles, Good for the Scalp
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Erosion control, Wildlife
Air purification, No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Aging, Blood disorders, Laxative
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Leaves, Sap
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Can be made into a herbal tea, Making Shampoo, Oil is used in mosquito repellents
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
BETULA nigra
GASTERIA
Common Name
River Birch
Gasteria
In Hindi
River Birch
Gasteria
In German
Fluss Birch
Gasteria
In French
Birch river
Gasteria
In Spanish
river Birch
Gasteria
In Greek
ποταμός Birch
Gasteria
In Portuguese
river Birch
Gasteria
In Polish
Rzeka Birch
Gasteria
In Latin
Betula
Gasteria
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
Monocots
Order
Fagales
Asparagales
Family
Betulaceae
Aloaceae
Genus
Betula
Gasteria
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Asphodeloideae
Number of Species
316
1
27800
👆🏻