Guernia is a flowering succulent plant that is part of the Lastovevy family. Distribution area - arid regions of the Arabian Peninsula and Africa.
Guernia Description
This plant was first described back in 1810 by the famous botanist Robert Brown. The specific appearance of the flower awarded him several names: the devilish tongue, the voodoo lily, the snake palm.
The trunk is 22 to 30 cm long, branched shoots. The flowers are five-lobed, bright, rosettes have the shape of a bell or funnel.
There is a specific smell similar to that of rotten meat.
Types of Guernia
Indoor can grow several varieties of guernia:
| View | Description | Flowers |
| Bearded | Short ribbed trunks, up to 6 cm high. | Tan, sometimes striped. |
| Large-fruited | The stems reach 7-10 cm and are covered with sharp denticles. | Small, brown and yellow stripes. |
| Hairy | Shortened thick trunk with several faces. The growths are densely located, having long light hairs. | Small, outwardly resemble bells. Color red with white spots. |
| Grungy | The shoot grows to 20 cm. | Medium, have 5 fused bent petals each, in shape resemble bells. The outer side is light, the inside is maroon. |
| Graceful | The trunks are light green, pentahedral. | Pale yellow, blooming at the same time. |
| Kenyan | A long creeping stalk with sharp teeth. | Velvet, purple. |
| Striped (Zebrina) | The shoots are green, with five faces. In length reach 8 cm. | Yellow with reddish-brown stripes. The figure is similar in appearance to the color of zebras. |
Guernia Care at Home
Guernia care at home depends on the season of the year:
| Factor | Spring Summer | Autumn winter |
| Location / Lighting | Eastern or western windows, when placed on the south side, in the afternoon, the plant needs to be shaded. The light should be bright and diffused. | Needs illumination with phytolamps. |
| Temperature | + 22 ... +27 ° С. | + 5 ... +10 ° С. |
| Humidity | It tolerates humidity of 40-50% | |
| Watering | Moderate, carried out only after drying of the topsoil. | Lean once a month. |
| Top dressing | Once every 4 weeks. | Ceases. |
Transplant, soil
A transplant is performed every spring if the plant has already outgrown its pot. The substrate should be as nutritious as possible and consist of the following components in equal proportions:
- leaf and turf soil;
- humus;
- coarse river sand;
- lime and charcoal.
Breeding
The plant is propagated by cuttings and seeds. Most often the first method is used. For this, a young shoot is cut from guernia and placed in moist peat. After rooting, the stalk is moved to the soil for adult succulents.
Guernia Care Mistakes, Diseases and Pests
During the cultivation of a houseplant, problems may arise associated with poor-quality care or an attack of diseases and pests:
| Manifestation | Cause | Remedial measures |
| Dark spots. | Burn. | The plant is moved to partial shade. |
| Decay of the root system. | Waterlogging. | Remove all affected areas, and transplant the flower into new soil. Correct the watering mode. |
| Lack of flowering. | High temperatures in winter. | The plant provides a comfortable wintering. |
| Fine white spotting, leaf wilting | Mealybug. | The flower is treated with Intavir and Actara solutions. |
If you provide high-quality guernia care, then such problems will not arise.
