×Gasteraloe 'Green Ice'

Scientific Name

×Gasteraloe 'Green Ice'

Synonym(s)

×Gastrolea 'Green Ice'

Scientific Classification

Family: Asphodelaceae
Subfamily: Asphodeloideae
Nothogenus: ×Gasteraloe

Description

×Gasteraloe 'Green Ice' is a rosette-forming succulent plant with green-gray leaves marked with gray dots and elongated stripes. It grows relatively slowly and can get quite large with time. Rosettes are up to 12 inches (30 cm) in diameter. The first offsets from the crown arise with leaf arrangement in a flat plane, but as the offset grows, it begins to fill in with leaves that approach a whorl but never quite achieve it.

Hardiness

USDA hardiness zones 10a to 11b: from 30 °F (−1.1 °C) to 50 °F (+10 °C).

How to Grow and Care

These plants are often grouped with Haworthias because the plants have similar cultural requirements. Both are attractive, small succulents that can tolerate somewhat more shade than many succulents, making them more suitable as houseplants.

Gasterias are susceptible to fungal infections, which usually appear as black spots on the leaves. These result from too much humidity or water on the leaves, but they should not spread too quickly. They have a natural defense mechanism against such fungal attacks, attack the invading organism, and seal off the wounded spot. In general, any place where Haworthia and Aloe thrive will be hospitable to a Gasteria.

These succulents are small, shallow-rooted, and relatively slow-growing. Therefore, they are often grown in small clusters in wide, shallow dishes. Over time, clusters will naturally enlarge as the mother plant sends off small plantlets. When the cluster has outgrown its dish, repot into a new wide and shallow dish with fresh potting soil in the spring or early summer. This is also the time to take offsets for propagation.

Learn more at How to Grow and Care for Gasteria.

Origin

This succulent is a hybrid resulting from the cross between Gasteria 'Little Warty' and Gonialoe variegata (formerly known as Aloe variegata).