Graptopetalum (Spotted petals) is a succulent flower of the family Crassulaceae. There are 20 species of plants. It occurs in the arid areas of Arizona, Mexico.
Description of graptopetalum
Graptopetalum is distinguished by dense dense leaves that form rosettes with a diameter of up to 20 cm. There are stemless varieties and shrubs with lush, branched stems. All of them have a rounded dense leaf rosette top or ground. They grow from 5 cm to 1 m. They bloom in May-June for several weeks. 
View of mexican star or bellum
Types of graptopetalum
Species differ in height, nature of growth, color of leaves.
| View | Leaves | Features |
| Amethyst | Fleshy, roundish, bluish-violet. | Shrub. The flowers are white in the middle, red at the edges. |
| Paraguayan (Stone Rose) | Silver gray, with pointed edges. | The shoots are short, the flowers are white, with pink stripes. |
| Mc dougal | Greenish Blue. | A small shrub without branches. |
| Beautiful (bellum) or Mexican star | Thick, triangular, dark green. | Short stem, pink flowers with sharp petals. |
| Pyatitychinkovy | Blue-violet with rounded plates. | The bush is erect, the flowers are large, light pink. |
| Nesting | Gray-green, fleshy, with pointed ends. | The flowers are large. |
| Thick-leaved | Short, thick. | It looks like a small tree with a branched stem. |
| Rusby | Fleshy, juicy, creamy, with spikes at the tips. | Small plant up to 15 cm. |
| Philiferam | Pale green with long antennae, yellow-pink in the sun. | Tall peduncles with pink flowers. |
Home care for graptopetalum
Home care consists in observing several conditions - the correct location, lighting, top dressing, suitable soil.
| Factor | Spring Summer | Autumn winter |
| Location, lighting | Bright, diffused light. | Cool, dry, darkened place. |
| Temperature | + 23 ... +30 ° С. | + 7 ... +10 ° С. |
| Humidity | Prefers a dry climate, no humidification required. | |
| Watering | Abundant, moderate. | Limited, not required in winter. |
| Top dressing | Once a month with liquid fertilizer for succulents. | Need not. |
Transplant, soil, pot
A flower is transplanted every two or three years. Buy soil for succulents or prepare a soil mixture of sheet, sod land, and coarse sand in equal proportions. Top soil is covered with small pebbles. This is necessary to protect the leaf outlet from wet soil. The pot is selected low due to the superficial root system. Drainage takes up ¼ capacity.
Breeding
Succulent is propagated in several ways:
- Processes - they are separated from the flower, treated with a solution of heteroauxin. When the slice dries and becomes covered with a film, it is buried in river sand and covered. Set the temperature to +25 ° C. Every day open, sprayed. After rooting after seven days, transplanted into a pot.
- Leafy cuttings - separate part of the stem and root according to the principle of the lateral processes, without drying.
- Seeds - sown in warm and moist soil. Cover with a film, the temperature is created up to +30 ° C. Seed emerges quickly, but the plant will form in a few months.
Difficulties in maintaining graptopetalum, diseases and pests
The plant is exposed to fungal diseases and pests.
| Manifestation | Cause | Remedial measures |
| Leaves lose their elasticity, fall off. | Lack of watering. | In the summer they water more abundantly. |
| Rotting of the roots. | Excess watering and cold air. | The decayed areas are removed, the sections are washed, treated with a solution of potassium permanganate and transplanted. |
| The flower loses its color, stretches. | Lack of light. | Placed on a sunny windowsill. |
| The tips of the leaves dry out. | Dry air. | Humidify air, increase watering. |
| Brown spots on the leaves. | Spider mite. | They are treated with acaricide (Actellic). |
| White wax coating on the leaves. | Mealybug. | Spray with an insecticide (Aktara, Fitoverm). |
