Graptopetalum PARAGUAYENSE

Graptopetalum PARAGUAYENSE - Ghost plant, Mother-of-pearl plant, Graptopetalum paraguayense, Stone rose.

Graptopetalum is a genus of ornamental, compact, slow-growing succulents in the family Crassulaceae, uniting approximately 20 species whose height varies from 5 cm to 1 m (2 in to 3.3 ft). It grows in the form of a branching shrub with juicy, fleshy stems bearing terminal leaf rosettes resembling fluffy pinecones, or stemless altogether with a dense ground rosette of squat leaves. Branched few-flowered inflorescences in the form of racemes are located on lateral axillary peduncles. Dainty star-shaped flowers with widely opened calyces have 5-7 separate lanceolate petals and 10-15 long stamens. Extended flowering lasts from April to July over several weeks. In the natural habitat, the plant most often grows near coniferous forests on dry rocky slopes of mountains in Mexico and the southwestern part of North America. The species was first brought to Europe by Mexican explorer Alfred Lau quite recently, in the late 20th century.

Ghost plant is a perennial succulent with a short upright juicy glabrous stem in young plants, and an elongated trailing stem in mature ones. Glaucous-blue or pinkish-gray leaflets are gathered into dense basal rosettes up to 3 cm (1.2 in) in diameter. Leaf blades, pointed at the ends, have an obovate shape and are coated with a waxy bloom. The length of leaflets is 5-8 cm (2.0-3.1 in), width - 1-4 cm (0.4-1.6 in), thickness - 1 cm (0.4 in). On peduncles rising slightly above the leaves, small five-petaled white flowers with red specks open, resembling starry clusters. It is distributed in Mexico and Paraguay.

Seeds are sown on the surface of a sandy substrate, moistened with a spray bottle, covered with film, and germinated in light at a temperature of 21-25 °C (70-77 °F). Seedlings require ventilation. It is essential to avoid overwatering and drying out of the sowings.

© Greeniverse. All rights reserved.

Graptopetalum is an unpretentious, undemanding, and well-adapted plant for indoor cultivation. It readily tolerates company with other succulents, but also looks very dramatic on its own. For successful growing under home conditions, bright illumination must be provided; shading from direct sun is necessary only during hot summer midday hours. It grows well on windowsills of south, east, and west windows. Under short daylight conditions, supplementary artificial lighting with grow lights up to 10 hours is recommended. The temperature during the summer period should be 25-28 °C (77-82 °F), and from November to February during the dormant period, 12-16 °C (54-61 °F). If conditions are observed, the plant will demonstrate abundant flowering and initiate reproduction. Watering should be moderate during the period of active growth from March to October (as the soil dries out halfway), and quite restricted during the cold period, typically once a month is sufficient. Air humidity is of no particular significance.

Any loose, well-drained, low-nutrient substrates are suitable for cultivation. One can use a mixture of equal parts turf, leaf mold, and river sand, or a mixture of equal parts turf soil and river sand. The plant has a moderately developed root system, so it is better to use wide, shallow containers with a good drainage layer at the bottom. Repotting is carried out in spring as needed. Feeding should be conducted from April to September once a month with weak-concentration fertilizer for succulents and cacti. Feeding must not be done during the cold period.