Synonyms:

No synonyms are recorded for this species name.

Habitat:

Gasteraloe beguinii doesn’t exist in nature, as it is a nursery hybrid. Gasterias are native to South Africa, while aloes have a wide distribution range, being native in general to Africa.

Description:

Gasteraloe beguinii is an elegant succulent that consists in rosettes of lanceolated, triangular leaves. Gasteraloes are hybrids between Aloe and Gasteria plants, and conserve the features of both genera. G. beguinii, in particular, is made of one or more rosettes of triangular, elongated, dark green leaves with a leathery surface, up to 25 centimeters in height. The rosettes usually remain solitary. The surface of the leaves is sprinkled with white, prominent little bumps that are typical of the plants belonging to this genus.  The back side of the leaves is often tinged in brownish-red, a shade enhanced by direct intense sunlight. The inflorescences come across as racemes (which is the botanical term to say “cluster-shaped inflorescence”) that can reach 50 centimeters in height. The blooming season occurs in Spring and Summer, and flowers are orange or coral pink, depending on the specimen.

Cultivation:

Gasteraloe beguinii is a slow-growing but easy to grow plant, like all Gasteraloes. Here below are our tips:

Gasteraloes usually require a bright spot, exposed to direct sunlight in early morning and late afternoon, but shaded during the hottest hours, especially in Summer. G. beguinii, though, is a shade lover: put it in a place which stays shaded for most of the day. Gasteraloe beguinii is particularly frost-sensitive: it should never stay at temperatures below 0ºC. We recommend to put it indoors in Winter, also to protect its root from rotting due to the humidity of temperate Winter climates.
Water regularly in summer, like once every 4-5 days, and gradually decrease the irrigation frequency as the Autumn approaches, to stop completely any watering during the Winter.
Choose a well-draining soil: a standard mix for cacti and succulents will do good.
Fertilization can be carried out once a year with a specific product for succulent, rich in Potassium and Phosphorus and poor in Nitrogen, to ensure a healthy growth of the plant.
Gasteraloes in general have a slow growth rate: repot, anyway, whenever the plant outgrows its pot and, in general, at least once every two years to ensure the input of fresh soil.

Propagation:

Being hybrids, we advise to use cuttings as a propagation method. In particular, leaf cuttings work well for these plant: peel off a leaf as close to the base of the plant as possible and root it after leaving it to dry for a few days. These few days are necessary for the plant to form a callous on the wound and to ensure a healthy rooting process. The propagation of by seed is possible if you obtain an artificial pollination between the two specific species of Aloe and Gasteria that are the “parents” of Gasteraloe beguinii: Aloe aristata and Gasteria verrucosa.

Curiosity:

Gasteraloe beguinii is actually a hybrid between Gasteria verrucosa and Aloe aristata. Some put an “X” in labels before the species names, to iindicate that it is a hybrid.

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