| Life form | Succulent |
| Family | Aizoaceae – Aizoaceae |
| Origin and distribution | South Africa. In nature, there are 33 species, some are on the verge of extinction. |
| Ease of cultivation | Easy with small complexities |
| The size | Depending on the type of 5 to 15 cm tall |
| Growth rate | Low |
| Lifespan | Perennial |
| Temperature | Faukaria easily tolerates temperature changes, in summer it grows best at a temperature of + 77-86 ° F, although according to some data it can withstand even the heat up to + 122 ° F. In winter, for normal development, a low temperature of about + 41-50 ° F is needed, but the plant even tolerates a temperature drop of up to 33 and even 23 ° F. |
| Humidity | Dry air is better suited, spraying is not needed. If it is necessary to remove dust from the leaves, it is better to do this with a dry cloth |
| Lighting | Faukarya needs the brightest light for at least 3 hours of direct sun, it must be placed on the southern window. If there is not enough light, artificial illumination can be used. |
| The soil | A light breathable soil is necessary for succulents. It can be made up of a mixture of turf, leaf, peat and sand. Good drainage is necessary. |
| Watering | In the summer, watered as the earth’s coma is completely dry. In winter they water much less often, and if the plant is kept in cool conditions, it is not watered at all. Excessive hydration, especially in winter – the main danger, threatening the decay and death of plants.Do not use too cold water for irrigation. Also, when watering it is desirable to try not to fall on the leaves and the base of the sockets, so that the water does not stagnate in the axils of the leaves, which can lead to decay. |
| How to fertilize | Apply fertilizing for succulents, diluted approximately twice. Fertilize about once a month. In winter they do not fertilize. |
| Reproduction | Seed propagation is used, which is very small. Sprinkle them with the surface of the substrate from coarse sand or its mixture with peat and lightly sprinkled with soil. The substrate is sprayed. Cover with glass. Germinate in the warmth at a temperature of + 68-77 F, periodically spraying the substrate and regularly airing. Soil should not be too wet, but should not dry completely. Seedlings appear after 7-14 days. After the first two leaves appear, the seedlings are dived into a permanent substrate. It is much easier to propagate the plant vegetatively. You can use the division into sockets when transplanting. Each separated baby with roots is dried and then planted in a permanent soil. If the children have no roots, then it should be dried for about 2 days, and then placed in a moist substrate.During the first month, do not expose to direct sun. The plant can be placed in a bright environment only when a new growth appears. It is even easier to root cuttings cut from the parent plant at a right angle. On the mother plant, the slice is sprinkled with crushed charcoal, and on the cut off knife by a powder of a rooting stimulant. Dry the cutting within 24 hours. Further it is germinated in moist sand, the rooting lasts usually about three weeks. |
| Bloom | Faukarya blossoms in late summer – in autumn large (up to 5-8 cm) bright yellow flowers, flowering lasts for about two weeks. Flowers open in the morning and close in the evening. |
| Transplant and care | Adult plants are transplanted approximately every 2 years, when the pot becomes small for the plant, the young – every year. The pot should be wide and shallow. After transplantation, it is advisable not to water the plant for at least two weeks. In summer, you can take out to the open air, but it is better to keep in the shade, as excessive sun exposure can lead to burns. |
| Difficulties | The main pests: spider mite, mealybug, aphids, rootworm. Lack of flowering is most often associated with insufficient coverage or keep warm in winter. In this case, the plant also stretches, the rosettes become less compact, and the leaves are shallow and pale. Leaves turn black at the beginning of decay as a result of waterlogging. Also, the resulting drooping and light leaves may become a consequence of waterlogging in winter and spring. Affected leaves must be removed and used to prevent spraying the plant with a fungicide. If the leaves become soft, it also serves as a sign of excessive watering when growing in heavy soil. It is necessary to remove the plant from this substrate, remove the affected rotted patches and dry it for several days. Then put the plant in a loose slightly moist substrate. Sometimes such plants can not be saved. |
| Beneficial features | – |
| Toxicity | The plant is not poisonous |
