Description of stocks, varieties, care, advice on breeding, selection of soil for replanting, requirements for watering and fertilization, possible diseases and pests. Stapelia (Stapelia) is a succulent that has been grown for more than one season. It belongs to the Asclepiadaceae variety, which includes up to one hundred plant species. The homeland of growth is almost all territories of the African continent, except for the northern ones. A favorite place is mountain slopes, partial shade under the foliage of trees and places near waterways or pools. Since in the 17th century this plant was described by a doctor from Holland, Johann Bode Van Stapel, it began to bear his name.
In appearance, the stapelia resembles an ordinary cactus and has all the properties of succulents, it can accumulate moisture reserves in its stems. But unlike real cacti, this plant does not have thorns. They acquire stocks for their interesting decorative appearance - luxurious and unusual flowers in the form of a star with five rays. And also for the simplicity of care and cultivation. But with all these advantages, there is one important drawback - the smell of flowers. It resembles the smell of decomposition. "The most beautiful and most monstrous flowers", - expressed his opinion about the stocks of Goethe. In fact, the smell is not so terrible, the main thing is not to lean too close to the plant. Under natural conditions, when dry seasons begin in the vastness of Africa and a very large number of living creatures die, hordes of flies rush to such smells. Once in the stream of "aroma", the flies feel a desire to check the source of the smell and, flying from flower to flower, begin to pollinate them.
The height of the slipway at home ranges from 15 cm to 20 cm. Under natural conditions, the slipway can stretch a little more than half a meter in height. Shoots in large numbers begin to grow directly from the base of the root, are distinguished by their unusual cut, have a rich green color with a gray-gray tint. The stems can have from 3 to 6 faces. Each shoot has a non-sharp serration on the edges. Small, fine villi give the shoot a velvety look, but they help the plant to protect itself from the scorching sun rays. Also, protecting themselves from the merciless ultraviolet radiation, the shoots can change their color from green to reddish or burgundy with purple hues. The stems that grow on the sides of the plant begin to creep to the ground.
Stapelia flowers can grow singly or in pairs. Their color is not bright, sometimes there is pubescence with villi. Their usual location is the beginning of the stem, very rarely the top. Pedicels are long enough and bent downwards, which grow from young growth. The flower itself has the shape of either roundness or an open, star-shaped bell. There are usually five petals. The petals are split in the center, which can reach the middle of the petal in length.
Types of stocks
There are enough types of stocks, which are close to a hundred.
- Star-shaped stapelia (Stapelia asterias Masson). The native habitat is southern Africa. The plant reaches a height of 20 cm. The stems are green in color, sometimes with a reddish tint, the edges of the stems are blunt and have small notches along the edges. Up to 3 flowers grow on rather long pedicels, sometimes they are solitary, usually located at the beginning of shoot growth. The corolla reaches up to 8 cm in diameter, is flat and deeply divided. The petals are shaped like elongated triangles with pointed ends. The petals are dominated by shades of brownish-red, and they are dotted with elongated canary-colored stripes, which are covered with thick pinkish hairs. The leaf edge is slightly bent downwards and there are elongated whitish hairs on it. A subspecies of this includes the brilliant staple (Stapelia asterias Masson var. Lucida), which does not have yellowish hairs.
- Giant stapelia (Stapelia gigantea). The homeland is the mountainous South African territories. The plant is a succulent, growing for more than one season. The stems are distinguished by their strength, they grow upright, reaching up to 20 cm in height, in girth they can be up to 3 cm. The edges of the shoots are in the form of wings, small teeth along the edge are rarely placed. Single or paired flowering, flower corollas are held on long pedicels. The very corolla of a giant staple in diameter can reach 35 cm, is located in the same plane, and is very divided. The flower petals are triangular in shape, with a long taper at the ends. The color of the petals is deep yellow and the petals themselves are covered with thickened reddish hairs. The edges are slightly curved and have white pubescence. The smell of this species is not as pronounced as that of others.
- Stapelia variegated (Stapelia variegata). Natural habitat of rocky soils of southern Africa, sometimes river arteries. Sometimes, it is called Orbea variegata (Orbea variegata). It is a rather squat plant up to 10 cm in height and properties of succulents. Shoots are colored green, sometimes red tones are present. The stems have blunt edges, dotted with upright denticles. At the beginning of the growth of the stems, from one to five flowers grow. Corolla, reaching 8 cm in diameter, has a flat shape. The petals are in the shape of a triangle, which are convex at the sides and slightly curved outward. The outer side of the petal is smooth and pale yellow in color. Inside, the petal is deeply yellow, as if in wrinkles, along which stripes of a saturated brown tone are visible, or in spots running along the petal and crossing the plane of the petal in thin stripes. Based on this, the species has flowers of different colors and types. Flowering time is in the summer months. Fruits formed by fertilization of flowers are saturated with seeds and have volutes.
- Stapelia large-flowered (Stapelia grandiflora). It grows mainly on stony African soils. The shoots of this type of staple differ in length and narrowness. The stems grow quickly enough. Shoots have 4 edges and are covered with spines in the form of mild teeth. Flowers bloom large enough up to 15 cm in diameter. The shape of the flower is flat, the petals are covered with a large number of hairs, bent outward, the ends are elongated knives, pubescent with long hairs-cilia. The color of the bottom of the flower is predominantly blue-green, the inside casts a rich purple color. The hairs on the petals are arranged in small bunches and cast gray, and between them the hairs are much shorter and more pressed against the plane of the petal. Flowering takes place in the warm season, and is accompanied by an intoxicating smell of decaying meat. Flowering lasts up to 5 days, after which the flower is replaced by a leafy fruit.
- Stapelia ferruginous (Stapelia glanduliflora Masson). Perennial succulent type. The stems are stretched to a height of 15 cm, they can reach 3 cm in thickness. The edges of the stems are formed by wings covered with small notches, which are located at a short distance from each other. The number of flowers can reach three, located on long pedicels. The flowers are flat, reaching 5 cm in diameter. The ends of the petals are elongated and pointed at the very edge. The shade of the petals is yellow, diluted with green. Against this background, there are light pink stripes with mottling. The petals are covered with almost transparent hairs, which resemble pins in their appearance. The edge of the petal is slightly curved and covered with whitish hairs.
- Stapelia golden purple (Stapelia flavo-purpurea Marloth). The homeland of this specimen is the rocky lands of southern Africa and the territory of Namibia. The stems reach a height of up to 10 cm, are green in color and sometimes take on a dark lilac tint. On not sharp edges there are teeth, lined up straight. The tops of the shoots are decorated with flowers that can bloom up to 3 pieces. The corolla is very strongly divided in diameter, it can reach 4 cm and has a flat shape. The appearance of the petals is pointed at the ends, convex from the sides, the edges are strongly curved. From the outer edge, the petals are painted in golden and yellow shades, completely smooth and have no villi. The inside of the petals can be colored golden with yellow or purple, in folds. The folds can be of the same color or dark lilac tint. But the color of flowers can take on different shades. The flower shape is a whitish disc, with pin-shaped hairs of pink or dark lilac shades. The smell that flowers emit can be called pleasant.
Caring for slipways in an apartment
- Lighting. Stapelia, as a true representative of the African continent, loves the sun's rays and bright lighting. If such conditions are not provided for it, then the shoots become very thin and long, flowering may not occur. But the midday sun is better so that it does not fall on the stocks. If this is not taken into account, then the stockpile can get burned shoots. Therefore, windows facing east and west are suitable for her; shading with curtains is necessary on the southern windows. The slipway can not be hidden from direct solar streams in the months of late autumn and winter, since the sun is no longer so active. If lighting is still not enough, then artificial lighting is arranged on the stocks.
- Content temperature. The required temperature indicators for the comfortable maintenance of the slipway are 22-26 degrees in the warm months of the year. For the winter months, it is better when the thermometer shows at least 10-15, at this time the plant has a rest period.
- Air humidity. There are no special conditions required for the slip. She can perfectly tolerate the dry air of the apartment. However, if the humidity is low, the staples can be affected by spider mites. Therefore, in order to avoid problems with pests, it is advisable to spray the air and the plant itself. It is only important that moisture does not get on the opened flowers, otherwise it will lead to damage to their decorative appearance and decay.
- Watering. As soon as the sun begins to warm up and until the very cold weather, the slipway is watered moderately, tracking when the top layer of soil in the pot begins to dry out. As soon as autumn comes, the stocks need to be watered less often, and in cold weather they practically stop moistening. But it is important to ensure that the shoots do not begin to wrinkle at the slipway. Like any succulent, it can hold out for some time on its moisture reserves, but you should not abuse it. Watering at this time depends directly on the temperature in the room, if it is above the norm of 15 degrees, then watering is more frequent. It is also necessary to ensure that excess moisture does not remain in the pan of the flowerpot, as the root system will rot.
- Top dressing of stocks. In order for the stocks to feel normal, it is necessary to choose specialized cactus or succulent fertilizers. This procedure is carried out during the growth and flowering phase, the doses are taken several times lower than those indicated by the manufacturer. Stapelia grows on rocky soils, and they are poor in minerals, and the plant can experience toxic burns. During dormancy (autumn-winter), the stocks are not fertilized. Potassium is very necessary for this plant, therefore it is important that this preparation is included in the fertilizers. Such feeding will help the stocks to prevent possible diseases. The stapel must be slightly turned towards the light source, otherwise its stems will stretch only to one side, and the plant will lose its decorative shape. During the formation of buds, it is not recommended to move and move the flower pot.
- The choice of soil for the slipway. In order to transplant a plant, it is necessary to take a soil mixture based on the natural area - sand, rockiness. The soil should have a high acidity Ph 5, 5–7. In proportions of two to one, sod land is taken and mixed with coarse sand. But purchased substrates for cactus and succulents are also suitable, it is recommended to add crushed charcoal, agroperlite (or perlite), brick chips (or small expanded clay) to them. It must be remembered that water should not stagnate in the ground, it should be light and breathable. The main thing is that the stocks are not at all capricious to the choice of soil. She will be able to feel great in the land specially prepared for her or in any rich in organic compounds.
- Staple transplant. Stapelia at a young age requires an annual transplant, as soon as its age approaches two years, then this procedure can already be performed no more than once for 2-3 years. When changing the pot of a large plant, it is necessary to cut off the old central stems, since their buds will no longer grow. At the stocks, the root system is not developed and rather superficial, then it is worth stopping at shallow pots. Drainage in a flowerpot must be provided by pouring a third of fine brick chips or expanded clay. When the plant is transplanted, it is better not to add it for a week, otherwise the roots may rot.
Reproduction of stocks
Stapels can be propagated both by seeds and cuttings. Also, when transplanting, it is possible to divide the mother plant.
The seed material in the stocks appears quite quickly, but it takes a long time to ripen. For the seeds to germinate, they must be placed in light sandy soil. If the seeds are fresh, steams may appear at the end of the month. After that, they are transplanted into separate pots with a diameter of up to 6 cm. After a year, the young plants are transferred to a slightly larger pot (up to 10 cm in diameter) by transferring them. But it should be borne in mind that the stocks have a great opportunity to produce hybrid varieties by crossing, and young plants grown from seeds may differ from the mother.
Old shoots of the parent plant are used for cuttings. Before planting them in a prepared container, there is a need to dry the cut for several hours. The prepared soil for planting cuttings is very light, consists of peat soil or crumbs and not fine sand. Cut shoots take root very quickly and after the appearance of a sufficient number of roots, the cuttings are planted in pots up to 7 cm in diameter.
Pests, diseases and difficulties in caring for stocks
The stock has a very high resistance to all kinds of pests and diseases. A spider mite can be affected if the air humidity is too low. If the stapelia is affected by a mealybug, then the plant can only be saved by cutting cuttings. The affected flower will have to be destroyed, including the pot and the soil in it, the place where the slipway stood is thoroughly disinfected.
If the plant was flooded with water during periods of low temperatures, then the shoots become not elastic to the touch, change their color, become pale and begin to rot. If the stocks were for a long time under the scorching rays, then brown spots appear on the stems as a result of the burn.
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