Graptoveria opalina of the Crassulaceae family is a beautiful succulent that looks as if it was made specially in heaven. Besides the fact that graptoveria opalina is very pleasing to the eyes, it is also very easy to grow.
Continue reading to learn how to grow, care for and propagate the stunning succulent.
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What Is Graptoveria Opalina?
Graptoveria opalina is a perennial succulent in the genus “Graptoveria”. The opalina succulent was created by a succulent breeder and enthusiast in California, Robert Grim.
He created graptoveria opalina, which is a hybrid, by crossing echeveria colorata and graptopetalum amethystinum also known as the jewel-leaf plant.
Because of its striking but simple beauty, graptoveria opalina has become very popular in the world as an ornamental plant. Graptoveria opalina is very often used in rock and pebble gardens as well as succulent gardens.
It is very easy to grow graptoveria opalina in hanging baskets too, so you can hang this beauty anywhere you like in your home.
Graptoveria Opalina Care
Growing graptoveria opalina is very easy especially if you already have some experience with succulent plants in your garden. With a little care and attention, your graptoveria opalina should grow strong and healthy.
– Getting Your Graptoveria Opalina
Graptoveria opalina plants are popular in garden shops and succulent gardens. You can easily propagate graptoveria opalina plants from a succulent garden near you.
If you cannot find graptoveria opalina in a garden close to you, you can buy some seedlings, cuttings, or offset in garden shops. You can also buy graptoveria opalina seeds, but it is not recommended for first-timers.
Planting or Hanging
You can plant your graptoveria succulent in a rock or succulent garden or even in hanging pots. Plant the seedlings in poor gritty soil outdoors. For potted plants, you can use a cactus or succulent mix for the plant. The point is that your graptoveria opalina substrate should have very good water drainage.
Make sure that your pots have holes through which water can be discharged. Also, use a well-drained medium for your graptoveria opalina as the roots of your plant can get root rot if the plant sits in water for long.
Light
Graptoveria opalina needs full time in the sunlight, so that means that it needs more than six hours of daily sunlight. The vibrant colors of the plant leaves depend on the amount of light that they receive.
When you grow graptoveria opalina in partial light, the leaves will appear green and not so pleasant-looking. To get the bright colors of graptoveria opalina, you’d need to place the plant in a location where it can get enough sun.
If you intend to have it as an indoor plant, you should place the pot of your succulent plant on the south-facing windowsill.
Temperature
Graptoveria opalina is hardy in zones 10a-11b. This means that the minimum temperature to grow the succulent is 30-50 F. If the temperature in your region gets lower than that for more than three hours, you should consider transferring your plants indoors during the winter.
Water
Like other succulents, you should only water your graptoveria opalina once weekly in the growing season. Before watering the plant, put your hand into the soil or potting mix. If the substrate feels moist, wait a day or two before you water the plant.
In winter and fall, you should not water the plant. Also, pay attention to the leaves of the graptoveria opalina to make sure that water does not stay on them for long. You should water the plants early in the day so that the water can be completely dry before night comes.
Nutrient
One very cool feature of graptoveria opalina plants is that even though they are very beautiful, they can grow in nutrient-depleted soil. The only thing to consider when planting your graptoveria opalina is the moisture content of the substrate and not the nutrients inside it.
You can grow graptoveria opalina without fertilizer, but if you wish to give your plants nutrients, give them quarter-strength succulent fertilizer at the beginning of the growing season. You can feed your graptoveria opalina with slow-release fertilizer as well.
Propagation
Succulent plants may be challenging to grow, but they are very easy to propagate. The best way to propagate graptoveria opalina plants is to nurture them until they are matured enough to produce seeds and offset. Here are three major ways to propagate graptoveria opalina:
– Seeds
You can propagate your graptoveria opalina plant by seeds. After flowering in late spring, your graptoveria opalina will produce seeds, if it has been successfully pollinated. Collect the seeds and dry them for three to four days.
Place the seeds on a suitable substrate and cover them with a very thin layer of sand. Water the seeds by misting them and in a few days, you should see that they have germinated.
You should plant more seeds than you need so that when they germinate and start growing, you can select the fastest-growing seedlings while you remove the others.
– Leaf Cuttings
If you cannot wait for your graptoveria opalina to produce seeds, you can propagate it by leaf cuttings. Simply use scissors to cut a segment of the stem in which there are healthy leaves. When you have the cutting, keep it in direct sunlight for some days before planting.
You can plant the cutting directly into the substrate or you can increase its chance of survival by dipping it into a rooting hormone. Remember to water the cutting and in less than a month, you should see a new set of leaves growing.
– Offsets
Graptoveria opalina produces offsets that you can collect and transfer to a new pot. Simply remove the substrate to reveal the root of the offset and then twist it away from the mother plant. If you plant the offset immediately in a new substrate, do not water it for a week.
Grooming
Graptoveria opalina does not need grooming or regular pruning. You should only prune off dead and dying leaves as a decaying leaf can introduce harmful microbes into the substrate.
Problems
Graptoveria opalina is fairly easy to cultivate, but you can face some challenges. Some examples are:
– Leggy Succulent
If your graptoveria opalina plants are growing uncontrollably tall and weak, you should check the lighting condition. In the absence of sufficient light, graptoveria opalina becomes very weak and susceptible to various pest infestations and diseases. Make sure that your plants receive six or more hours of direct sunlight daily.
In winter or whenever there is not enough access to sunlight, you can grow your graptoveria opalina under grow lights.
– Pest Infestation
You are not the only one who finds graptoveria opalina beautiful. Pests such as mold, aphids, mealybugs, etc. can attack your plant if you give them the chance.
Most of these pests usually attack plants that are already in poor conditions, so you should give your graptoveria opalina access to sufficient sunlight of six or more hours, as we said previously.
– Root Rot
Due to the tender nature of graptoveria opalina plants, you may notice that some leaves are becoming brown, falling, and your plant is dying. The major cause of the damage or death of a succulent such as graptoveria opalina is root rot.
Root rot is caused by harmful fungi that attack plants sitting in too much water. Graptoveria opalina plants do not need a lot of water and when they do get too much of it, their roots start to decay. To correct root rot, use the tips below:
- Do not water the plant for two to three weeks: If root rot occurs in the growing season, cease to water the plant for a considerable long period so that the damaged roots can wither away.
- Remove the plant from that location: If your plant does not receive direct sun (for six or more hours), it can be attacked by root rot due to humidity. Keep the graptoveria opalina on a south or east-facing windowsill.
- Water cautiously only in the morning: If you water your plant in the morning, sunlight can help remove excess water by evaporation. Remember to water the plant only once per week or wait even longer before you do water it.
Remember that you can easily propagate your sick or attacked graptoveria opalina to get more, if most of the far gonmother plant is tooe to save.
Cool Details About This Succulent
– Identifying
Graptoveria opalina is easy to recognize with the following features:
- Plant physiology: Graptoveria opalina is a very attractive succulent plant with leaves arranged to form a rosette. Graptoveria opalina can grow eight inches tall and six inches wide.
- Leaves: The upright-held, thick, and smooth leaves of graptoveria opalina are blue-green and have pink tones on their tips and margins under the right light condition. The leaves are very soft and tender to touch.
- Flowers: Graptoveria opalina has a short and branching inflorescence with yellow flowers. The flowers have orange centers. Graptoveria opalina produces flowers in late spring.
Clearly, graptoveria opalina is indeed a very beautiful plant.
FAQ
Is Graptoveria Opalina a hard succulent to grow?
Graptoveria Opalina is a relatively easy succulent to grow, making it suitable for beginners in succulent care.
What season does Graptoveria Opalina grow best?
Graptoveria Opalina thrives best during the spring and summer seasons when provided with ample sunlight and warmth.
Is Graptoveria Opalina toxic to touch?
Graptoveria Opalina is non-toxic to touch, making it safe to handle without any harmful effects.
Conclusion
Now you know everything that you need to about graptoveria opalina. Here are some cool take-home points that you should remember:
- Any broken rosette of graptoveria opalina can form a new plant
- Graptoveria opalina is best planted in USDA zones 10a-11b
- The minimum temperature to grow the beautiful plant is 30-50 F
- You can propagate your graptoveria opalina by using the seeds, offset, or even leaf cuttings
- Graptoveria opalina can grow in nutrient-depleted soil, but you can also apply quarter-strength fertilizer at the beginning of the growing season.
Don’t you think that graptoveria opalina succulent is a very beautiful plant that you should add to your garden? Go plant some right away and use our guide to help you out with its care process.
