15. Glomerata
G. glomerata features thick, short, tongue- or strap-shaped leaves that are grayish green or blueish green. These leaves have rounded or squared off ends with sharply pointed tips.
Commonly known as Kouga gasteria or Kouga beestong – just like G. glauca – the texture of the foliage is rough, covered with tiny tubercles, but no spots.
These succulents don’t form rosettes as they mature, but instead the leaves remain in two opposite rows.
However, they are prolific offset producers, forming dense clumps that have a rounded, mounding appearance, with plants reaching about four inches tall and one foot wide.
The species name glomerata, which means clustered, refers to the densely clumping growth habit of this gasteria, which produces reddish pink to orange flowers with green openings in spring.
G. glomerata grows on rocky quartz and sandstone cliffs, and is adapted to hot summers and mild winters.
16. Gracilis
G. gracilis is not formally recognized as a member of the Gasteria genus but it is nonetheless out there in the horticultural world and is frequently sold by succulent sellers.
These gasterias display a lot of variability – plants can have spear-, strap-, or tongue-shaped leaves that are upright to upcurved, and may be green with speckles, grayish green, or pale green tinged with yellowish pink.
They tend to be two to three inches wide and about three and a half to four inches tall.
With a species name that means graceful or slender, the flowers of G. gracilis can bloom any time of the year, but generally do so in the middle of winter through spring.
17. Green Ice
‘Green Ice’ is another intergeneric hybrid like ‘Flow,’ described above.
Some say ‘Green Ice’ is a hybrid of Gonialoe variegata and a Gasteria, while others claim it’s a cross between Gasteria cultivars ‘Little Warty’ or ‘Old Man Silver’ and Aloe descoingsii.
Whatever the truth of its parentage, the botanical name is x Gasteraloe ‘Green Ice.’
‘Green Ice’ has triangular leaves in dark green with wide, silvery to light green margins held on compact, spiky, clumping rosettes. The leaves are flecked with striking, high contrast white spots.
When exposed to intense light, foliage takes on a paler, pinkish hue.
These clumping plants reach eight to 12 inches tall and wide. They start off growing in a fan-like shape, but as they mature they take on a whorled growth habit.
Flowers are tubular, pinkish red at the base, and yellowish green at the mouth.
x Gasteraloe ‘Green Ice’
You can find ‘Green Ice’ starter plants in two-and-a-half-inch pots from Hirt’s Gardens via Walmart.
18. Liliputana
A naturally occurring variety of one of the species we have already encountered, G. bicolor var. liliputana may be the smallest gasteria out there!
G. bicolor var. liliputana has narrow leaves that are smooth and shiny, and dark green with light spots.
These succulents have a densely clumping growth habit, and can reach just one to four inches tall and wide, displaying foliage that mostly curves down and is arranged in a spiral.
This recipient of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit in 2012 has flowers that are reddish pink and can appear all year long, but are borne most often in winter and spring.
The variety name liliputana refers to the tiny, lilliputian nature of this gasteria, inspired by the fictional island of Lilliput from Jonathan Swift’s book, “Gulliver’s Travels.”
In this gasteria’s native range, G. bicolor var. liliputana grows in rocky soils, is adapted to summer rain and dry winters, and is hardy to about 30°F.
Live Gasteria Liliputana Plant
You can purchase a live G. bicolor var. liliputana plant in a four-inch pot from Planet Desert via Amazon.
19. Little Warty
Certainly the most iconic of all the gasterias, ‘Little Warty’ has it all – variegation, stripes, bumps, and plenty of offsets.
This cultivar is a cross between G. batesiana, mentioned above, and cultivar by the name of ‘Old Man Silver.’
Good luck finding ‘Old Many Silver’ now – ‘Little Warty’ now tops the popularity charts!
There’s plenty of variability, but what you’ll usually find is a succulent with mostly upright leaves, streaked with light green or silver on a dark green background, and speckled with tiny spots.
The leaves are strap shaped to triangular, with sharp points on the tips, and are covered with small bumps, which give the plant its cultivar name.
The foliage is either arranged in two opposite rows, or in a partial or full rosette shape.
‘Little Warty’ produces offsets which give the plant a clumping growth habit, with a height of six to eight inches and an eight-inch spread.
A winner of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit in 2012, the flowers are pink, and can appear at any time from late winter through summer.
Live Little Warty Plant
You can purchase ‘Little Warty’ plants from the Succulents Box Store in your choice of a two- or four-inch, clay or plastic pot via Amazon.
Learn more about ‘Little Warty’ here.
20. Marmorata Variegata
G. marmorata variegata is another gasteria with a bit of an identity crisis, but since she’s so beautiful, I’m including her anyway.
This succulent has triangular strap-shaped leaves that are patterned with a veil of grooved, white and silver vertical stripes, covering a background of dark green and bands of white dots.
These variegated leaves look like they were hewn from marble – thus the name marmorata, with the foliage growing upright to spreading and curving up at the ends.
This gasteria is sometimes classified as G. nigricans var. marmorata f. variegata.
