Origin and Habitat: Japan (Nursery produced cultivar)

• Gasteria cv. Fuji Yuki
• Gasteria obtusa f. variegata cv. Fuji Yuki

Description: The cultivar FUJI YUKI is a medium size plant ( clearly affine to G. bicolor) and one of the most decorative variegated gasteria hybrid. The variegation on it is very beautiful.
Stems: Stem very short (almost stemless) that may become elongated to 10 cm with age.
Rosettes: 7-15(-25) cm in diameter with basal leaves.
Leaves: Fleshy, fat, pillowy tongue like, Smooth, shiny green speckled wide with white dots and variably striped with silver, cream or yellow. 5-12 cm long and 2 to 3,5 cm. wide. Distichous or sligtly spirally rosulate.. Leaves may turn red if plant is stressed.
Flowers: Small up to 2 cm, pendulous, tubular, bicoloured reddish-pink and green that look like little stomachs. The inflorescence can be branched and tall.
Blooming Time: Flowers can be produced any time of year, peaking in midwinter to spring.
Remarks: One problem with Gasteria is that there are so many hybrids between species, hybrids with Aloes and Haworthia, seedling variability, and differences between juvenile and adult plants, that it becomes almost impossible to distinguish many forms from one another. Particularly the name obtusa is used for wildly different forms and can ingenerate confusion.

Notes: The Japanese name "Fuji Yuki" means "Snow of Mount Fuji".

Cultivation and Propagation: They are of easy culture which makes them a good houseplant and can be an excellent subject for the beginning gasteriaphile (it can grow easily on window sills, verandas and in miniature succulent gardens where they are happy to share their habitat with other smaller succulent plants, or in outdoor rockeries) Need light shade to shade, but will take full sun part of the day. (with some sun exposure the leaf develops a nice reddish tint and remain compact) They are tolerant of a wide range of soils and habitats, but prefer a very porous potting mix to increase drainage. During the hot summer months, the soil should be kept moist but not overly wet. The plants are fertilized only once during the growing season with a balanced fertilizer diluted to ½ the recommended strength. During the winter months, water only when the soil becomes completely dry.
Propagation:Gasteria is easily propagated by the removal of offshoots or by leaf cuttings in spring or summer. To propagate by leaf cuttings, remove a leaf and let it lie for about one month, giving the wound time to heal. Then lay the leaf on its side with the basal part buried in the soil. This leaf should root within a month or two, and small plants will form at the leaf base. They can also grown from seed.