Tiger's jaws, Faucaria tigrina

Real tiger jaw originally comes from South Africa, but as an exotic houseplant it is an easy-care insider tip. Faucaria tigrina, or living stone, as the plant is also known, is easy to cultivate and is therefore a good choice even for beginners in plant care. Nevertheless, there are of course special features to consider.

Real tiger jaws prove that exotic beauty doesn't have to come with a lot of effort. Faucaria tigrina not only delights with the unusual appearance of the thick-fleshed leaves, but also develops eye-catching flowers with appropriate care. Although growing and cultivating the South African plant is easy, there are some requirements that need to be considered. The following tips and instructions will help to successfully care for the plant and avoid typical mistakes when cultivating the exotic.

Location

As mentioned at the beginning, Faucaria tigrina comes from South Africa and is spoiled by the sun in its original home. As a houseplant, real tiger's jaws therefore prefer a bright location. Although it also keeps itself in the light shade, direct sun and thus a window sill facing south is better. Because only if the tiger's jaws receive enough light will it form flowers. If you are satisfied with the serrated leaves, you can also choose a location to the east or west.

In summer, the houseplant can also be placed on the balcony or in a sheltered spot in the garden. Wind and cold rain should not affect the Faucaria tigrina directly, but the blazing midday sun is not a problem.

substrate

Tiger's jaws require a primarily mineral substrate that is moderately water-retentive, yet airy and light. Are suitable:

• pumice
• A mixture of cactus soil and pumice gravel
• A combination of equal parts sand, pumice and cactus soil

Pour

Watering the real tiger's jaws is already the most complex part of the care. And this one doesn't require much work either. From spring to autumn it is watered with floating water or, even better, the pot is submerged until the substrate is full of water. The substrate is allowed to dry slightly between waterings. Since it is a succulent plant, the tiger's jaws also tolerate being dry and shriveling up from time to time.
In winter, on the other hand, Faucaria tigrina is only watered in sips so that the substrate does not dry out completely. In any case, no water should remain in the pot or saucer after watering, as this quickly leads to root rot and the tiger's jaws suffer immensely from the waterlogging.

The best choice when watering the animal's jaws is rainwater, but it also tolerates stagnant or soft tap water.

Fertilize

When it comes to fertilization, the real tiger's jaws are very frugal. It is perfectly sufficient to supply it with additional nutrients twice a year. Cactus fertilizer is suitable as a means, which is administered for the first time around March or April. The second fertilizing is carried out in August or September.

It is beneficial to dissolve the fertilizer directly in the irrigation water, as this way it is evenly distributed in the substrate.

propagation and cultivation

The propagation of the real tiger's jaws is possible both by seeds and by cuttings. If you want to try your luck yourself and get the seeds from an existing plant, must wait until the flowers form, which can be as early as the second year of life. In addition, Faucaria tigrina is self-sterile, so it is not enough to cultivate just one plant. At least three specimens that are close to each other and spend the summer outdoors are better.

If the flowers have been successfully fertilized, fruiting bodies form after they dry up. Only when these have also dried up can they be removed and the seeds removed from them. The germination is then as follows:

1. A shallow bowl filled with a mixture of sand and pumice and with good water drainage should be chosen as the breeding vessel
2. The substrate is either cast floating or dipped until it is completely soaked with water.
3. The seeds are only placed on the substrate and not covered with it, since they germinate in the light. To promote germination, the planter is covered with transparent foil, plastic or glass. Alternatively, it can also be placed in an indoor greenhouse.
4. Prepared in this way, the Faucaria tigrina seeds are brought to a bright location without direct sunlight, where there is between 18 and 23°C, i.e. normal room temperatures.
5. The Tiger's Jaw seeds need consistent moisture to germinate. If the substrate dries, it should be washed again or sprayed heavily. The cover reduces evaporation, but should be aired daily to prevent mold.
6. Germination usually occurs within four weeks, at which point the cover can be removed, but the substrate should still be kept moist. At the age of twelve weeks, the young plants can be pricked out and slowly accustomed to direct sunlight.

seed

The propagation of the real tiger jaw via seeds is quite easy and can be done indoors all year round, but requires a little patience. The chances of success for this are very high. The rooting of cuttings is also possible and usually faster, but does not work in every case. If you still want to try it, you will find help and tips in the following instructions:

1. In late spring, a head cutting is cut off with a sharp and freshly disinfected knife. To do this, an outer leaf is removed just above the ground. The moist interface is powdered with rooting aid.
2. To prevent mold and rot, the cut surface should be allowed to dry before setting the cutting. Depending on the size and temperature, this can take a few hours or a day.
3. The cutting is placed one to two centimeters deep in the substrate described above. Alternatively, the leaf can be pressed lightly into the substrate and stabilized with sticks.
4. The substrate is moistened and the planter is placed in a bright location.
5. If the Faucaria tigrina cutting grows successfully, it should grow after about four to six weeks no longer let them pull out of the substrate and gradually continue to grow or leaves form.

hibernate

Real tiger jaws need appropriate overwintering for healthy growth and a long lifespan. If it has been outside during the summer, it can remain here until temperatures are between 5 and 15 °C. Only then is it brought into the house, where it should remain cool but bright.

When cultivated as a houseplant, the temperature in the winter quarters should initially be at least 15°C and can be lowered gradually or maintained at this level.

As already mentioned, Faucaria tigrina is also watered during the winter. Depending on the temperature, a little water can be given every two to four weeks so that the substrate does not dry out. If the thick-fleshed leaves appear increasingly wrinkled and seem to be shrinking, the watering quantity can be increased slightly. Nevertheless, the phenomenon is perfectly normal and nothing to worry about. The plant will recover in spring.

Typical maintenance mistakes

The most common care mistakes are made in the culture of the real tiger jaw when choosing the location and substrate as well as when watering. Faucaria tigrina needs a lot of sun and should be in rooms with low humidity. It is also unfavorable outdoors if they are exposed to rain but there is insufficient water drainage. It is then recommended to plant the succulents in shallow bowls with large drainage holes and only use pumice gravel as a substrate.

When watering, you should also make sure that less is more. The substrate is allowed to dry out from time to time and the leaves lose volume. Although this is not necessarily visually appealing, the succulent plant recovers easily the next time it is watered. Unlike waterlogging. The real tiger jaw tolerates this very badly, even if it is only short-lived. If you don't want to constantly pay attention to an exact dosage when watering, you should choose a flat bowl with good drainage and a saucer as a planter.

Conclusion

Real tiger jaw is an exotic and easy-care succulent that already attracts attention with its serrated leaves. From cultivation to overwintering, a little knowledge is enough to keep the South African plant healthy and to enjoy the Faucaria tigrina for a long time.

Learn more about cacti & succulents