Discovering a distinctive succulent to complement your indoor or outdoor garden? Delve into the diversity of Haworthia plants! From the expertise of Melissa Strauss, delve into the myriad Haworthia varieties available for you to cultivate!
Haworthia, charming small succulents originating from Southern Africa, bear similarities to Aloe and Echeveria regarding care requirements. Thriving in sunny spots with periodic watering, they are low-maintenance and resilient plants.
Their petite size and undemanding care make Haworthia ideal for indoor settings. Despite their adaptability indoors, these plants thrive when placed outdoors, especially during warmer seasons and can be shifted indoors near a sunny window when temperatures drop. In regions without harsh freezes, Haworthia can be cultivated outdoors year-round or planted directly in the ground.
Slow-growing by nature, Haworthia benefits from spring fertilization to kickstart their active growth phase. Throughout their growth period, regular watering in well-draining containers is encouraged. Let’s delve into the diverse array of this exquisite plant species.
Baker Haworthia
‘Baker Haworthia’ showcases a round rosette of thin, light green leaves.
Scientific Name: Haworthia bolusii
Bloom Time: Late Spring
Geographical Location: Africa
Sun Exposure: Full Sun to Part Sun
Plant Zone: 9-11
The Baker or bolusii Haworthia sports a fuzzy, plump appearance resembling a compact ball with intricately arranged thin, light green leaves. Unique to this variant is the presence of fine hair-like spines covering the leaves, offering protection from intense sunlight and heat. In spring, Baker produces tall inflorescences up to 20” in height, supporting delicate white flowers adorned with reddish-brown veins.
Cathedral Window
‘Cathedral Window’ boasts a wide rosette of fleshy, plump leaves.
Scientific Name: Haworthia cymbiformis
Bloom Time: Late Spring
Geographical Location: Africa
Sun Exposure: Part Sun
Plant Zone: 9-11
Also known as Boat-Formed Haworthia, Cathedral Window features attractive wide rosettes of light green leaves, which blush with a faint pink hue when exposed to direct sunlight. During late spring, this succulent produces tubular pale pink flowers with greenish-brown veining, adding to its allure.
Crowded Haworthia
‘Crowded Haworthia’ showcases dense rosettes with fleshy leaves adorned with small white tubercles.
Scientific Name: Haworthiopsis coarctata
Bloom Time: Late Spring
Geographical Location: Africa
Sun Exposure: Full Sun to Part Sun
Plant Zone: 9-11
Named Crowded Haworthia for its prolific offset production, this variant thrives as a filler plant, rapidly filling available spaces with its compact, upward-growing rosettes. Coarctata features leaves that turn hues of red and purple when subjected to favorable stress conditions, alongside producing tall flower spikes in spring, adorned with tiny greenish-white blooms.
Concolor
‘Concolor’ is an attractive variety with long dark green leaves speckled with white.
Thriving on neglect, this variety is ideal for novice gardeners. ‘Concolor’ features striking long dark green leaves speckled with white, with the speckles more concentrated at the edges, adding to its allure.
Haworthia species are highly heat-resistant, entering a dormancy period in midsummer to cope with high temperatures. During spring, ‘Concolor’ produces delicate thin flower spikes with small white blooms.
Cooper’s Haworthia
Cooper’s Haworthia has plump translucent leaves with deeper green veins.
Scientific Name: Haworthia cooperi
Bloom Time: Summer
Geographical Location: Africa
Sun Exposure: Full Sun to Part Sun
Plant Zone: 9-11
A fascinating species, Cooper’s Haworthia showcases plump, translucent leaves that appear jelly-filled, with light green hues and dark green veining. Its translucency allows light to pass through, creating a unique glow when backlit.
Preferring indirect bright light, it shies away from direct sun exposure, thriving best in partial shade in its natural habitat, making it a perfect houseplant. Optimal sun exposure includes 3-4 hours in the morning with protection from afternoon sun.
Fairies Washboard
‘Fairies Washboard’ forms a slightly spiraling rosette of dark green leaves with transverse ridges.
Scientific Name: Haworthiopsis limifolia
Bloom Time: Summer
Geographical Location: Africa
Sun Exposure: Full Sun to Part Sun
Plant Zone: 9-11
Rapid-growing yet petite, Fairies Washboard charms with its reference to tiny woodland creatures. Available in regular and variegated forms, the colors range from dark green to almost yellow, with the variegated variation sporting stunning yellow longitudinal striping.
Its leaves form a whimsical slightly spiraling rosette, characterized by horizontal ridges adding texture and interest. Yellowing leaves in non-variegated plants signal a need for increased sunlight. Limifolia mainly grows during summer, requiring increased hydration during this period.
Horse’s Teeth
‘Horse’s Teeth’ is a small succulent plant with grey-green leaves with flat, rectangular tops.
Scientific Name: Haworthiopsis truncata
Bloom Time: NA
Geographical Location: Africa
Sun Exposure: Full Sun
Plant Zone: 9-11
Showcasing dark green leaves with a flat, rectangular shape, ‘Horse’s Teeth’ is a small succulent. This plant features dense rows of leaves and is often found in clay pots with decorative pebbles enhancing its appearance.
This particular species showcases a rectangular cross-section.
Scientific Name: Haworthiopsis truncata
Bloom Time: Late Spring
Geographical Location: Africa
Sun Exposure: Part Sun
Plant Zone: 9-11
Recognized by its scientific name, Haworthiopsis truncata, its leaves appear to be cut off midway, with flat tops, resembling a rectangular shape. Instead of the usual rosette formation, these truncated leaves grow densely in rows.
A key indicator of adequate sunlight for this plant is the color of its leaves. Excessive sun exposure can stress the plant, causing the leaves to blush and eventually turn yellow or white. It thrives best when shielded from intense midday sun. During late spring, it produces long flower stalks with white blooms.
Koelmaniorum Haworthia
This haworthia species is recognized by its deep reddish-brown leaf color.
Scientific Name: Haworthiopsis koelmaniorum
Bloom Time: Summer
Geographical Location: Africa
Sun Exposure: Part Sun
Plant Zone: 9-11
One of the distinctive features of Koelmaniorum is the deep reddish-brown hue of its leaves. Unlike many Haworthia species that range from green to blushing under the sun, this one starts with a rich reddish-brown color. These thick fleshy leaves have a textured top akin to aged red clay or painted metal.
Koelmaniorum thrives in lower light conditions, with partial shade being ideal, although more light can enhance its colors. With slow growth, it requires more watering in spring and fall, the periods of most active growth.
The olive green flower stalks of Koelmaniorum have a red cast, bearing small tubular white flowers with reddish-brown stripes.
‘Robust Haworthia’ is a succulent plant with a triple arrangement of leaves neatly stacked on top of each other.
Scientific Name: Haworthiopsis viscosa
Bloom Time: Fall
Geographical Location: Africa
Sun Exposure: Full Sun to Part Sun
Plant Zone: 9-11
Viscosa, a peculiar Haworthia variety, boasts triangular leaves that grow vertically over time rather than spreading horizontally. The olive green leaves with a reddish tint are neatly stacked on top of each other, creating a visually appealing arrangement. In its natural habitat, this plant serves as a food source for local grazing animals.
Robust Haworthia prefers full sun, showcasing vibrant coloration under such conditions. Unlike most species that bloom in summer, this plant produces flowers in the fall.
Star Cactus
‘Star Cactus’ has attractive translucent succulent leaves with pointed ends.
Scientific Name: Haworthiopsis retusa
Bloom Time: Summer
Geographical Location: Africa
Sun Exposure: Full Sun to Part Sun
Plant Zone: 9-11
Haworthia retusa’s unique translucent leaves, reminiscent of Cooper’s, form a star-shaped rosette. The fleshy, pointed leaves with light green stripes display a delicate yet striking appearance. With ample direct sunlight, this plant exhibits a blushing effect, starting at the edges and creating a rainbow-like ombre across the plant. In mid-summer, it produces charming white flowers.
Striata
‘Striata’ has long dark green leaves with spikes at the ends, covered with irregular white stripes.
Scientific Name: Haworthia attenuata ‘Striata’
Bloom Time: Summer
Geographical Location: Africa
Sun Exposure: Part Sun
Plant Zone: 9-11
Striata, a variation of the attenuata species, resembles a miniature aloe plant with its long, spiked leaves featuring bumpy, white stripes. This variety exhibits better cold tolerance, surviving temperatures as low as 23°F outdoors. While it can endure frost to an extent, a hard freeze may damage its fleshy leaves.
Window Haworthia
‘Window Haworthia’ produces translucent, round, thick, succulent leaves with light green veins.
Scientific Name: Haworthia obtusa
Bloom Time: Summer
Geographical Location: Africa
Sun Exposure: Part Sun
Plant Zone: 9-11
Haworthia obtusa, known as ‘Window Haworthia,’ features a cluster of round, translucent, pale green succulent leaves with prominent green veins. This unique appearance adds a touch of elegance to any garden or indoor space.
In full sun to part sun conditions lies a plant zone of 9-11. Take a look at the captivating translucent leaves of Haworthia Obtusa, also known as Window Haworthia. These leaves form a cluster of delicate pale green bubbles when viewed from above. They grow in a rounded rosette arrangement with tops that are translucent and veined in deeper green, intensifying near the plant’s base.
This species showcases a broad range of color variations with the stunning blue “Crystal” variety being a particular favorite. From pale green to brown hues and even a charming pink variety, all boasting the distinctive bubble-like leaves.
Moving on to the Zebra Plant, the Haworthiopsis fasciata, which blooms in summer and originates from Africa. Preferring part sun exposure and falling within plant zone 9-11, this species features heavily striped leaves with a high-contrast pattern. Initially, a tight cluster of deep green leaves emerges, eventually unfurling into a larger star shape. White, latitudinal ridges adorn the leaves, creating a fun bicolor effect.
Next up, the Zebra Wart, or Haworthiopsis reinwardtii, known for its small succulent spiraling rosettes of dark green leaves covered in tiny raised white dots that mimic stripes. This species flourishes in part sun conditions and is hardy in plant zone 9-11. With its short, pointed leaves tightly clustered into spiral rosettes, this charming plant, also known as African Pearls, thrives with bright, indirect light, making it an ideal houseplant.
In conclusion, the Haworthia genus offers a delightful variety of plants with different colors, shapes, and leaf compositions, perfect for collectors. They thrive in a sunny window and require minimal care, making them excellent choices for beginners or anyone seeking low-maintenance houseplants.
James is an environmental gardener and passionate writer who holds a master's degree in agriculture. He graduated from Harvard University with a degree in environmental horticulture and has a particular interest in soil composition. Currently, James works as a researcher in plant research, where he continues to explore and advance knowledge in his field. His combined expertise in environmental gardening and soil science helps him contribute valuable insights to both academic and practical gardening communities.
James is an environmental gardener and passionate writer who holds a master's degree in agriculture. He graduated from Harvard University with a degree in environmental horticulture and has a particular interest in soil composition. Currently, James works as a researcher in plant research, where he continues to explore and advance knowledge in his field. His combined expertise in environmental gardening and soil science helps him contribute valuable insights to both academic and practical gardening communities.
