The Haworthia is not only easy to care for, but also very pretty to look at. Here we give an overview of the most beautiful species and what you should consider when keeping them.
Plants of the genus Haworthia captivate above all with their variety of shapes and patterns. They are extremely popular as houseplants, which is also due to their undemanding and therefore easy care. We will briefly show you what you should still pay attention to when caring for them and provide an overview of the most popular types.
Haworthia: flower, origin and properties
The mostly small and compact plants of the genus Haworthia are native to South Africa and southern Namibia. There they grow mainly in desert-like, dry regions, often on rocky sites and in the shade of other plants. They show extremely slow growth and remain small even in old age. Depending on the species, the rosette-like plants can reach a diameter of 2 to 15 cm.
Like the well-known aloes (Aloe vera), the genus Haworthia also belongs to the succulent plants. These have succulent, often fleshy shoots or leaves to survive in dry areas without much rainfall. Both haworthias and aloes belong to the grass tree family (Xanthorrhoeaceae) and the subfamily of the asphodel family (Asphodeloideae). The surest distinguishing feature of the two genera are the flowers, which, however, do not always appear on our indoor plants. The flowers of the Haworthie are usually white to pale pink. Aloes, on the other hand, have reddish to orange-colored flowers that are arranged in clusters. But the short stature and smooth leaf margin can also be helpful in distinguishing Haworthia from Aloe . Plants of the genus Aloe are often larger and have small teeth on the leaf margin that can be seen or felt.
The most beautiful Haworthia species
The genus Haworthia offers over 160 different speciesEnormous variety of shapes for indoor plant lovers. All species are very easy to care for and quite undemanding. They stay small and can therefore be kept together in a larger bowl. Differences are mainly due to the shape of the leaves as well as the pattern and green color.
- Haworthia fasciata: Small white warts or dots are found on the upright, green leaves of this succulent species, which give the plant its ornamental give appearance. It grows up to 18 cm tall, the leaves are slightly curved inwards.
- Haworthia cooperi: Because of its small, almost rounded leaves, it is also called Cushion Haworthia called . In terms of color, this species appears almost blue-green, sometimes reddish. The leaves can be slightly translucent. It reaches a diameter of approx. 12 cm.
- Haworthia limifolia: Here it is not the colour, but the structural pattern of the leaves, which makes this species particularly popular. The rib-like, three-dimensional structure can also be white here, while the leaves are green to brownish green. The plant can measure 7 cm in diameter.
- Haworthia attenuata: Similar to Haworthia fasciata this species also has a white pattern its green leaves, which consists of more or less white dots. These elevations give the leaves, which are up to 13 cm long, a rough surface. This Haworthia is also called zebra cactus or zebra plant because of its pattern.
- Haworthia pentagona: This species has a rather plain appearance. The leaves are a beautiful rich green color and have no white pattern.
- Haworthia retusa: The leaves of this Haworthia appear triangular to rounded. They can have lines or window-like, translucent structures. The leaf color is brownish green.
- Haworthia truncata: The leavesof Haworthia truncata appear suddenly cut off. This is the main reason why their shape differs greatly from the other Haworthia species. There are small warts on the grey-green leaf surface.
Substrate and Location
As the home of the Haworthia suggests, this plant does not need much water. In summer she likes moderate humidity, in winter she prefers it drier. It is important that the water can drain well. The substrate should be permeable to water and should be preserved for a long time - structurally stable soils with a high mineral content are ideal. This can be, for example, a special succulent soil or a mixture of cactus soil with pumice and quartz sand. It is also possible to make cactus soil yourself. Our peat-free Plantura organic universal soil, for example, is a suitable basis for a particularly sustainable mixture, which supplies the Haworthia with important nutrients over the long term. To make sure water doesn't build up, you can put a layer of potsherds or pebbles in the bottom of the pot.
The Haworthia should be placed in a light spot, but not in direct sunlight. A windowsill facing west or east is well suited for this. It is also possible to put the plant outside in the summer - a location in the semi-shade would then make sense. The Haworthia needs different temperatures in winter and summer. In the resting phase from October to March, temperatures of just over 10 °C are sufficient. During this time, the succulent also needs less water and light. In the summer months it should be correspondingly warmer. The temperature is then ideally between 15 and 25 °C.
The Haworthia does not make high demands on the nutrients. It has moderate nutritional needs and rarely needs fertilizing.
Tip: White, dark red or yellow leaves can indicate too much light, while fading green color is more likely to indicate a lack of light.
Haworthia care: you should pay attention to this
The following applies to undemanding succulents: less is more. When watering, care should be taken to ensure that no water builds upSo the plant never stands in water. It is important not to pour the water on the plant as this can cause the leaves to rot. It is better to pour the water directly into the ground. A few days should pass after watering, so that the soil dries up. Then you can water moderately again. In the summer, watering once a week should be sufficient. In winter, the Haworthia hardly needs any water, so watering every few months is sufficient.
The popular houseplant hardly needs fertilizer. However, in small amounts, a little fertilizer can help plant growth. By using an organic complete fertilizer such as our Plantura organic universal fertilizer, you minimize the amount of fertilizer required. Simply mix a small portion of the purely plant-based granules into the soil each time you repot, and the nutrients contained will then be released slowly and over a long period of time. Weak cactus fertilizers are also suitable. It is important that you only fertilize in summer, i.e. during the main growing season.
In order to give the plant the necessary nutrients, it is usually sufficient to repot it regularly. You don't necessarily have to use a new pot for this. However, replacing the soil is good for the plant and provides it with new nutrients. Repotting should take place about every two to three years in spring or early summer, as this is the start of the main growing season. You should also remove brown or dead leaves. You can also use the repotting to multiply the Haworthia. In summer you can also put them outside in the semi-shade, which also increases the chances of flowering. It is important to slowly acclimate the plant to direct light, otherwise sunburn may occur.
The small houseplant does not need to be pruned except for propagation or to remove dead leaves.
Tip: The most common mistakes when caring for Haworthia are excessive watering, too much sun and overfeeding.
Propagating Haworthia: This is how it works
The different species of Haworthia can be propagated in two ways:
Propagating Haworthia via offshoots
Since succulents often produce offshoots, the easiest method of propagation is to separate the daughter plants. This type of propagation is particularly useful when repotting. In spring, at the beginning of the growth phase, the offshoots often have them tooroots have already formed. You can then simply separate them from the mother plant and plant them in a separate pot with suitable substrate. If there are no roots yet, the cutting can be left to air dry for a few days and then planted in the ground.
Propagating Haworthia from cuttings
Another way of propagating Haworthia is by cuttings. This method is a bit more difficult and does not always work. To regenerate a cutting into a new plant, a leaf of the mother plant is cut off with a sharp knife and allowed to dry for about three days. The cutting is then placed with the cut side down in a suitable substrate, corresponding to that of the mother plant.
The location should also be bright and warm here, the soil must be kept moist. Once roots have formed, you can tend to the plant normally.
Is Haworthia poisonous?
The Haworthia is not poisonous to humans or animals and can be safely placed in the home. The liquid that escapes when the leaves are cut is just stored water that the plant can use in nature during long periods of drought.
Also, aloe vera and its relatives are easy-care succulents that are easy to keep as indoor plants. We give you an overview of the most beautiful aloe species.