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Gasteria batesiana 'Barberton' (Sand Paper Gasteria) - A low growing mounding succulent that stays under 8 inches tall with young leaves distichous but eventually forming spiraled rosettes of 6 to 8 inch long triangular-lanceolate dark blackish green rough-surfaced leaves that have a blunder tip than other varieties of this species. With age the tight clumps of rosettes can be over a foot wide. In summer short unbranched 1-foot-tall racemes carry the typical gasteriform flowers that hang downwards with pink towards the base and white with green striations towards the flared mouth.
Can grow in cool coastal full sun where foliage is often dark but best in part sun to light shade in a well-drained soil and irrigated only occasionally late spring to fall. Hardy to at least 25° F. This is a very attractive and unusual potted specimen plant.
The name for the genus comes from the Greek word 'gaster' meaning "stomach", in reference to the swollen shape of the base of the flower and the specific epithet was given by Gordon Rowley in 1955 to honor John Bates, a trolley-bus conductor in London who was an avid succulent collector. This species is the most northerly of the genus, growing from northern Natal to the Olifants River valley in north-eastern Transvaal. This variety was originally collected from the Barberton area in Mpumalanga but it has never been re-located so it is fortunate that the plant has become popular in cultivation. Our plants from the collection of Stockton, California Gasteria and Sansevieria collector Alice Waidhofer.
This information about Gasteria batesiana 'Barberton' displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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