Stapelia

The plant Stapelia (Stapelia) is a succulent from the Kutrov family. This genus includes about a hundred different species. They live on the African continent, choosing dry and rocky slopes, coastal areas of water bodies or corners near large trees for growth.

The name of the stocks comes from the surname of the doctor and botanist Van Stapel, a native of the Netherlands. Stapels are not yet very common in home floriculture. This is due not only to the exotic nature of the plant, but also to its main feature. The flowers of this succulent do not exude the most pleasant aroma, but it is this property that often arouses interest among lovers of unusual plants. In addition, the slipways are unpretentious, and the appearance of their bright, large and pubescent flowers makes you forget about the smell that they spread.

Description of the slipway

Stapelia are low (from 10 to 60 cm) perennials. On the bushes, from the base, many juicy stems develop, having a 4-sided shape. The usual leaves of the stocks are absent. Instead of them, rather large, but thornless teeth are located on the edges, giving the plant a slight resemblance to a cactus. The stems are colored grayish or green, but sometimes they acquire a reddish-purple tint. It is especially pronounced in bright light.

Stapelia flowers appear singly or in pairs. Their surface is slightly pubescent. Each flower rests on a curved peduncle, usually growing from the base of the shoot. The sizes of flowers vary from 5 to 30 cm. They are similar in shape to starfish. The color of the flowers is both monochromatic and variegated, brindle. On the outside, the flower usually has a smooth surface, and on the inside, pubescence or wrinkles. Depending on the species, flowers can vary significantly in shape, size and color, but most stocks have a common property - a specific smell of rot. In nature, this feature helps the stocks to attract pollinating flies. But the intensity of the "scent" depends on the type of flower. So some varieties almost do not smell at all.

Staple juice can be irritating, so you should work with the bush with gloves and keep it away from children and pets. If the juice gets on the skin, it should be thoroughly washed off.

Brief rules for growing stocks

The table shows brief rules for caring for stocks at home.

Caring for stocks at home

Lighting

Lack of lighting is bad for the appearance of the staple bushes. In a shady place, the shoots will begin to stretch and become thinner, and the flowers will not appear. To avoid this, the slipway is placed on light windowsills on the west and east sides. In the southerly direction, in the sultry midday hours, the plant should be slightly shaded to prevent the formation of burns on the shoots. To do this, you can use thin paper, gauze or tulle.

If the stapelia has stood in a shady corner for a long time, it is gradually transferred back to the light, allowing the flower to get used to the new conditions. In winter, you can keep the pot with the slipway on the lightest window without shading.

Temperature

It is important to observe the correct temperature regime for the stocks growing in the pot. Otherwise, flowers will not appear on it. These plants have a pronounced dormant period. In summer, the flower will arrange a ventilated room or balcony, where it keeps about 22-26 degrees. In winter, the flower pot is transferred to a cool corner, where there will be no more than 15 degrees. The lower threshold is 12 degrees. A decrease in temperature begins already in the fall. Bushes need to be protected from drafts.

Watering

Like all succulents, the flower does not need frequent watering, nor does it need spraying. Stagnation of moisture in the soil can lead to the appearance of fungal diseases, and then to the decay of the staple. A good drainage layer will help prevent overflow. In this capacity, brick fragments or expanded clay are used.

From March to the beginning of autumn, watering is carried out once every 1-2 weeks as the soil dries up, and from December to the end of January, the bushes are not watered at all. It is during this period that the time of complete rest falls. You should also return to the usual schedule for keeping the flower gradually. Starting in February, the bush is watered a couple of times a month, then transferred to the warmth, and with the arrival of spring, fed.

It is quite simple to determine whether the stocks need watering in the off-season - watering is carried out when the shoots begin to wrinkle. The flower will not survive for too long without water, long periods of drought can significantly affect its decorative effect. The warmer it is in the room, the more moisture the plant will need. During the budding period, the bush is watered a little more often than usual.

Humidity level

Humidity in the air is not important for the slipway, it can grow in a room where it is rather dry.

The soil

As a substrate for planting stocks, mixtures for succulents or self-prepared soil, including turf and half of the sand, are used. Charcoal can be added to the substrate. Before planting, it must be disinfected. The resulting soil should be slightly acidic or neutral. The transplanted stock is not watered for at least several days.A drainage layer is laid at the bottom of the container (up to 1/3 of the volume).

Top dressing

It is possible to fertilize the slipway only in the summer, maintaining a two-week interval between dressings. To do this, use ready-made mixtures for cacti or succulents in a reduced dosage. Potassium supplements will make the stocks more resistant to the development of many diseases. In winter, feeding is not carried out.

Transfer

In the first years of life, the staple grows especially actively, so it should be transplanted every spring. Bushes spread quickly in breadth, but have weak roots, so a low pot of relatively small volume is best suited for growing them. A slightly tight container will facilitate the formation of buds; in a spacious pot, the plant will begin to grow green mass and form a larger number of shoots.

Adult stocks are transplanted every 2-3 years. At the same time, if necessary, you can remove old shoots from the center of the bush. Flowers will no longer appear on them, so they are carefully cut, sprinkling the cut with charcoal powder. Particularly adult specimens can not be transplanted, but simply change the top layer of soil in the container and periodically thin out the old stems.

Bloom

Staple flowers are hard to miss, not only because of their unusual appearance, but also because of their characteristic smell. Under natural conditions, scavenger flies flock to it, contributing to the pollination of the plant. But not all staples smell like rot: for example, the flavo-purpurea species, which lives in Namibia, has flowers, whose aroma resembles the smell of wax.

Lovers of stocks are not afraid of their inherent unpleasant smell. But if it is too strong, you can take the bush to the balcony until it finally fades away. Each flower lasts about 3 days, and the entire flowering period lasts from 2 weeks to several months. It can fall on different times.

When the plant has faded, the peduncles can be removed. This stimulates the development of flower buds for the next season. An exception is made for flowers from which seeds will be collected.

Pests and diseases

In nature, stocks are highly resistant to the development of diseases, and pests almost never infect them, but sometimes problems can happen with houseplants. Most of the stocks' diseases are associated with waterlogging of the soil. To avoid this, it is important to follow the watering schedule. If a plant starts to rot, its stems will wither. If you do not take action, the bush will die. When the root system is damaged, healthy shoots are cut and rooted.

Sometimes pests settle on the bushes. These include aphids, mealybugs, and spider mites. Treatment with appropriate drugs will help to cope with them. Regular examinations, as well as observing the rules for caring for a flower, will help prevent the appearance of a large number of insects.

Stapelia does not bloom

One common difficulty in growing stocks is the lack of flowering. There may be several reasons for this. Some of the most common are the wrong watering schedule, lack of lighting, improperly selected top dressing or too poor soil, as well as wintering in a warm place.

In order for the stocks to bloom regularly and grow well, you need to remember the basic rules for keeping the bush:

• The staple should spend the rest period in a cool place (about 14-15 degrees). It is these conditions that accompany the laying of flower buds.
• The watering regime should correspond to the periods of plant development. In spring and summer, the bush is watered once every couple of weeks, allowing the soil coma to dry completely. In October-November, watering is reduced to monthly, and from December to February, the bush is not watered at all. If the stems begin to soften and wrinkle in dry soil, the plant should be watered a little.
• The soil for planting should be sandy loam and moderately fertile. An excess of nutrients (especially nitrogen) has a negative effect on the formation of buds. If the soil is too poor, the staple stems may begin to thin out.
• The bush needs a sufficient amount of light.Otherwise, it will not only not bloom, but may begin to turn yellow, and the shoots will become thinner and sluggish. Such a slipway can be updated by cuttings. If the bush is abruptly rearranged to bright light, burns in the form of brownish spots may appear on the stems.
• After bud formation, the bush should not be disturbed until the end of the flowering period.

Methods for breeding stocks

Cuttings

To grow a slipway from cuttings, use parts of shoots from an adult bush that has already formed flowers. They are cut with a sharp and clean instrument. All cuts are sprinkled with crushed coal. Before planting, the cutting must be dried for about a day, allowing the cut to tighten. Then the segment is placed in sandy soil with the addition of peat.

After rooting, the established stalk can be transplanted into a pot with a diameter of about 7 cm. It is filled with a substrate that includes light turf, sand and leafy soil, as well as some charcoal.

Sometimes adult overgrown staple bushes are subjected to division. When transplanting, the bush is carefully divided in half and seated in separate pots.

Growing from seeds

Staple seeds are formed in a pod tied on a pollinated flower. They ripen for a long time: about a year after the flower wilts. When they are fully ripe, the pod will crack. The seeds are collected and the fuzzy umbrellas attached to them are removed. The fresher the seed is, the greater the percentage of its germination will be, so you can start sowing immediately after harvesting.

Before sowing, you can keep the seeds in a solution of potassium permanganate for about half an hour. Then they are sown in containers filled with sandy soil. Seedlings appear within a month. Grown stocks dive into separate pots about 6 cm in diameter. They are filled with the same substrate as for transplanting rooted cuttings. After a year, the plants are transferred into larger pots up to 10 cm in diameter. In the first years of cultivation, the seedlings are monitored especially carefully, trying to create optimal conditions for them and not allowing the soil to dry out.

With this reproduction, the varietal characteristics of the mother bush may not be preserved. Flowering in this case will come in 3-4 years.

Types of stocks with photos and names

Star-shaped stapelia (Stapelia asterias)

Compact (up to 20 cm) view. Stapelia asterias has green stems (sometimes with a red tint) with blunt edges. The denticles located on them are small. The flowers are brownish red and decorated with thin yellow stripes. Pinkish hairs are located on the surface of the petals. Pedicels are formed at the base of fresh shoots. This slipway has a subspecies - shiny, there are no yellow stripes on its flowers.

Giant stapelia (Stapelia gigantea)

The species forms strong stems up to 20 cm high and about 3 cm thick. The blunt edges of the stems are covered with rare small teeth. The name Stapelia gigantea is associated with the size of its flowers - their diameter can be up to 35 cm. The flowers are kept on long pedicels. Their triangular petals are pale yellow and covered with large red stripes. The edges of the flower are covered with light villi. This species has a mild odor.

Stapelia variegated or varying (Stapelia variegata)

The height of the shoots of this species reaches only 10 cm. Stapelia variegata has green or reddish stems. There are teeth on their edges. Near the base of the young growth, from 1 to 5 flowers appear. They are yellow in color. Each petal has a pointed tip. On the outside, the petals are smooth, and on the inside, wrinkled, covered with specks and stripes of brown. Flowering occurs in the summer months.

Stapelia glanduliflora

The height of the bushes reaches 15 cm. Stapelia glanduliflora has straight stems up to 3 cm thick with sparse denticles on the pterygoid edges. On the bush, from 1 to 3 flowers are formed with triangular petals and a pointed, slightly bent edge. The petals are greenish-yellow in color and covered with pink specks and strokes.They also have many closely spaced translucent club-like hairs that give the flowers a resemblance to anemones.

Stapelia golden purple (Stapelia flavopurpurea)

The bushes reach a height of 10 cm. Stapelia flavopurpurea has green (sometimes purple) stems with blunt edges. On the tops of the shoots, there are from 1 to 3 flowers with narrow petals resembling an elongated triangle. They are pointed at the edges and significantly curved. The outer side of the petals is yellow and smooth. The inner one is golden or burgundy, as well as wrinkled. The center of the flower resembles a fluffy disc covered with white-pink hairs. This species is notable for the fact that the flowers exude a smell of wax, uncharacteristic for most stocks.

Stapelia grandiflora

The tetrahedral stems of the species have sparse, slightly curved teeth. Stapelia grandiflora produces large flowers with lanceolate petals. On the outside, they are blue-green in color, and on the inside they are painted in burgundy. On the petals there are grayish hairs, collected in bunches, as well as pubescence-cilia. The petals are strongly curved at the edges. Flowering begins in summer, but this species is considered one of the most foul-smelling.

Stapelia mutabilis

Hybrid form with bare shoots up to 15 cm tall. The denticles located on their edges are bent upward. Stapelia mutabilis forms yellowish-brown petals with cilia at the edges. The edges of the petals are pointed and have a brighter brown color, and the flower itself is covered with dots or transverse stripes.