Gasteria D. Nella

Gasteria ‘D. Nella’ takes on the appearance of a small plant sculpture: a compact rosette and fleshy, speckled foliage that remains decorative all year round. Similar to aloes in temperament, it thrives in pots indoors. Place it on a shelf in the living room or office, or in a temperate greenhouse. Its slow growth and very modest requirements make it good for beginners.

The Gasteria genus belongs to the Asphodelaceae family (formerly Xanthorrhoeaceae). In the wild, Gasteria are mostly found in South Africa, where they colonise dry, rocky areas, sometimes in partial shade. 
The ‘D Nella’ selection is also known as ‘D.Nella’ or 'D'Nella' and is part of a horticultural series distributed by Deltacactus. The plant develops slightly arched, dark green, thick leaves, shaped like a broad, pointed tongue with numerous light green, even white, pits. They can reach 15 cm in length. Over time, the rosette widens and may produce a few offsets, forming a small clump. In spring, a mature young plant may, under certain conditions, send up a stalk bearing pendulous, tubular flowers, tinged with pink and green.

Cultivating Gasteria is easy for beginners if you remember the rule "better too dry than too wet"; overwatering is the main cause of failure. It is happy in a bright living room, a frost-free conservatory, a well-lit office, or on a well-exposed windowsill.
During summer, you can move Gasteria ‘D. Nella’ outdoors, placing it in partial shade or bright light without scorching sun, and sheltered from repeated rain. Wait until night temperatures exceed 12-15°C, bring it back inside as soon as night temperatures approach 10°C.

To showcase it, opt for simplicity: a terracotta pot, a ceramic planter, or a shallow bowl will highlight its rosette. It also fits well into a "desert" display on a tray, with light gravel and a few stones. For companion plants, choose Aloe rauhii 'Cleopatra', Crassula ovata ‘Hobbit’, with its mini-bonsai appearance, and Ceropegia woodii ‘Variegata’, for example. The whole arrangement works very well on a bookshelf, a console table, or a shelf near a window.