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Cow Tongue

Gasteria gracilis (gas-TEER-ee-uh oh-BLEEK-wuh)

Family: Asphodelaceae Non-native

This gasteria is a small slow-growing succulent from South Africa in the asparagus family (Asphodelaceae). Grow in pots with several drainage holes in a medium suitable for cacti and succulents. They can be taken outdoors during the summer but give them protection from the hot afternoon sun. Unlike many succulents, they can tolerate some shade. Inside give them bright light and allow the soil to dry between waterings. They can be fertilized during the growing season with a fertilizer for cacti. The fleshy, stemless leaves form a rosette and are deep green to gray and speckled with white dots. The flowers appear on long stems with dangling bi-colored tubular flowers in winter and spring. Grown in a pot, it generally stays 6 inches tall, but grows larger in its native habitat. Use the plant in a rock garden, drought-tolerant garden or container. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Fungal diseases and root rot can occur if overwatered. Watch for mealybugs and spider mites

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 42 attributes.

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Houseplant; Succulent
Life cycle
Perennial
USDA zones
10a, 10b, 11a, 11b, 12a, 12b
Light
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Dry
Available space
Less than 12 inches
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping; Erect
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Rosulate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Fleshy
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Thick stemless succulent leaves in a rosette that often have speckles.
Flower color
Green; Orange; Pink; Red/Burgundy
Flower value
Showy
Flower shape
Bell; Tubular
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Long stems with dangling tubular bi-colored flowers generally in late winter to early spring.
Bloom time
Spring; Winter
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
South Africa
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Houseplants
Landscape theme
Drought Tolerant Garden; Rock Garden
Design feature
Small groups
Garden tags
#houseplant #interiorscape #slow growing #variegated #succulent #container plant #drought tolerant #bicolor #partial shade tolerant #rock garden #showy leaves #drought tolerant garden
Problems & Resistance
Resistant to
Drought; Dry Soil
Propagation
Division

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.