Haworthia (Haworthia) - a miniature plant from the subfamily Asphodelova. This South African succulent is named after its explorer, British botanist Adrian Haworth. In nature, Haworthia lives on dry rocky or sandy soils. Often, such plants are found near larger shrubs and trees, creating a sparse shadow for them.
Haworthia has fleshy leaves that make up a basal rosette. Usually it is located near the ground, but some plant species have a short stem. The leaves have a dark green hue, there may be teeth or hairs on their edge. Like other succulents, this plant can accumulate moisture in them, which is needed to survive periods of drought. Many species protect themselves from the scorching sun with leaves with raised white dots, which give them additional decorative effect. Some varieties have translucent windows on the surface of the foliage, allowing sunlight to better penetrate the tissues.
Haworthia bushes can often form side shoots. At home, the plant can bloom, but its small white flowers do not attract much attention.
Brief rules for growing haworthia
The table shows brief rules for caring for haworthia at home.
| Lighting level | The lighting should be bright, all directions except the north are suitable. Varieties with solid green leaves can be shaded in the summer heat. |
| Content temperature | The temperature regime for the pot culture is almost not important: Haworthia feels good in normal room conditions, but in winter it is advisable to reduce the temperature to +12 or +15 degrees. |
| Watering mode | During the growth period, the soil is moistened moderately. The plant should be watered after the top layer of the earth has dried. If a dormant period begins in winter, water it about once a month. |
| Air humidity | Air humidity is not important for growing Haworthia, ordinary room is suitable. |
| The soil | You can use ready-made soil for cacti. |
| Top dressing | Held monthly from mid-spring to late summer. Fertilizers for cacti can be used, but the recommended dosage should be halved. |
| Transfer | Transplants of young specimens are carried out annually, adults are moved three times less often. The procedure is best done in the spring. |
| Bloom | Nondescript enough. In floriculture, the plant is valued for its elegant leaves. |
| Dormant period | Weakly expressed.The plant usually rests in winter, during this time it can be removed to a cooler but lighter room or placed further from heating appliances. |
| Reproduction | Seeds or vegetatively, separating the “baby” rosettes. |
| Pests | The plant can infect mealybugs and scale insects. They are fought with the help of insecticidal preparations. |
| Diseases | Decay due to excess moisture or stagnation in the outlet. |
Main features of Haworthia
Despite the unpretentiousness of the plant, when growing haworthia, basic requirements must be observed. This will allow you to get a beautiful and healthy bush.
- For planting a succulent, low wide pots are selected, at the bottom of which a layer of drainage is laid. The desert habitat taught the Haworthia to a rather poor soil. The soil for them is made up of sheet earth and turf, adding to them baking powder in the form of perlite, crushed brick or fine gravel. They can make up to one third of the volume of the soil. The resulting mixture should have a slightly alkaline or neutral reaction.
- Haworthia loves the sun, so any direction is suitable for its cultivation, except for the shady north side. Lack of light can affect the brightness of the color of the sheet plates. But bright direct rays can damage the beauty of the plant, so during hot hours it must be shaded. Otherwise, the leaves may turn brown and begin to dry out at the tips.
- In the spring and summer, the flower is watered moderately. If, during the rest period, the plant is moved to a cooler area, the frequency of watering should be reduced to once a month.
Caring for Hawortia at home
Haworthia is a non-capricious plant that takes up little space, so almost everyone can grow it. Taking care of a flower means following basic care procedures.
Lighting
Haworthia grows and develops well under artificial light, has nothing against partial shade. But with natural light by the window, the plant can show all its beauty. But species with a variegated color (for example, striped haworthia) can lose their decorative effect if they are shaded.
On hot days, the bush can be removed from a sunny place and transferred to moderate shade. For this, open, cooler corners are also suitable - a balcony or a veranda. To ensure the supply of fresh air, the room with the Hawortia should be regularly ventilated.
Temperature
The plant has no special temperature requirements. In winter weather, Haworthia feels normal at room temperature, on summer days it can stand on an open balcony.
Watering mode
Watering the Hawortia is only worth well-settled water. In this case, the soil should only be slightly moistened: the plant does not need abundant watering. In summer, it is watered when the topsoil begins to dry out. In winter, the frequency of watering depends on the temperature in the room where the plant is kept. If it was moved to a cool place, watering is reduced to monthly. In a warm room, a one-time watering in 2 weeks will be enough. At the same time, water should not flow into the outlet: this often leads to the development of diseases. In addition, from waterlogging, Haworthia leaves can begin to wither and fall off.
If the plant lacks moisture, then the tips of the leaves begin to deteriorate, acquire a brown color, dry out and die.
Humidity level
Due to its fleshy leaves, Haworthia is insensitive to moisture levels, so the flower does not need to be sprayed.
Soil and pot selection
For planting, a rounded, wide, but not too deep container is selected. Excessive pot depth can lead to stagnation of liquid at the roots. It is also not recommended to choose a pot "in reserve" - a little tightness will have a positive effect on the appearance of the Haworthia. A sufficient drainage layer is certainly placed on the bottom of the pot. As a soil, you can use ready-made soils for cacti, adding a little clay, as well as small pebbles or expanded clay.This will help drain off excess water.
The rosettes of the planted bush must be completely above the ground. But it is worth watching the exposure of the roots, pouring earth into the pot as necessary. If this is not done, the roots of the plant can dry out too quickly.
Top dressing
It is recommended to fertilize haworthia during the entire growing season, feeding is carried out about once a month. Complex formulations for cacti are suitable, but the indicated dosage should be halved. Top dressing is advised to be combined with watering so as not to overmoisten the soil. From autumn to mid-spring, you do not need to fertilize the plant. An excess of nitrogen for a plant is very harmful, in addition, excess nutrients can lead to a change in the color of the leaves.
A newly transplanted flower does not need additional feeding for the whole season.
Transfer
Due to the compact size of the bush, the haworthia transplant is not difficult. It is produced when the plant ceases to fit in an old pot. Haworthia leaves in this case begin to shrink. Younger, more actively growing specimens move annually. More adults are transplanted every 2-3 years. The bush removed from the pot is checked for signs of rot and dried or damaged roots are removed. All sections should be treated with an antiseptic.
Bloom
During flowering, a long peduncle with small nondescript flowers appears from the Haworthia rosette. Due to the fact that the flowers are not too decorative and take away a lot of energy from the plant, it is recommended to remove the peduncles immediately after they appear. This will allow the bush to not waste energy on the formation of buds. In addition, some species die immediately after flowering or ripening in the event of pollination.
Breeding methods of Haworthia
Cuttings
When the side rosettes have formed their roots, they can be carefully separated from the mother bush and immediately planted in a pot of moist soil. Spring is considered the best time for this procedure. If a separated stalk with several leaves did not have roots, before planting, its cut must be powdered with ash, dried for several days, and then placed in a container with moist light soil, for example, with sand. When the cutting takes root, it is transplanted into regular soil.
Haworthia can also be propagated by leafy cuttings cut at an angle. After separation, they must be dried and then planted in the sand. It takes about a month to root. At the same time, it is not worth watering the sand before the roots develop; you can only slightly spray its surface from a spray bottle. It is not recommended to cover the cuttings with jars or bags - greenhouse conditions in this case are more likely to cause the development of rot than to accelerate rooting.
Growing from seeds
Despite the availability in flower shops, Haworthia seeds do not have a good germination rate and have a long development cycle, so the vegetative propagation method is considered the simplest and most reliable. Most often, breeders resort to such an alternative. Seeds are sown superficially, spreading over loose and light soil or sand. Covering the container with a film or glass, it is removed to a bright and warm enough (up to +25 degrees) place.
Types of Haworthia with photos and descriptions
Haworthia fasciata
Barrelless perennial. The bush is made up of several tight rosettes of thick oblong leaves. From the inside, they have protruding white stripes, and from the front side they are painted in a uniform green color and have a smooth surface. The length of each leaf reaches 5 cm, and the width is no more than 1.5 cm.
Haworthia attenuata
In terms of its characteristics, the look is similar to the striped havoria, but it looks less elegant. Its leaves are decorated with raised dots, which have both contrasting white and green colors. The leaf blades are longer - up to 7 cm with a width of 1.5 cm.
Haworthia tortuosa
This species is also known as the twisty aloe.It is distinguished by a small stem, reaching no more than 15 cm in height. The leaf blades are dark green and short - only up to 2.5 cm in length. There are small growths on the convex seamy side.
Haworthia viscosa
Bushes can vary in height, but usually it does not exceed 20 cm. Leaf blades in rosettes form three vertical rows. The length of each leaf is small - about 2.5 cm. Each leaf has a bent tip, at the base it is dark green, and closer to the edge it acquires a reddish tint.
Haworthia navicular (Haworthia cymbiformis)
The leaves of this variety are indeed rook-shaped. They are uniformly colored in light green tones. The rosette of such a haworthia reaches about 10 cm in diameter, in the presence of lateral shoots, the plant bush can be about 20 cm wide.Translucent windows can be found on the leaves, facilitating the penetration of sunlight.
Haworthia pearl (Haworthia margaritifera)
The stem of the pearl haworthia is almost absent. The outlet includes dense and rigid leaves, pointed to the top. Their length reaches 8 cm, and their width is up to 2.5 cm. On all sides, the dark green foliage is covered with rounded convex specks of white color, larger than those of other types of haworthia. Their presence makes the plant especially spectacular. During flowering, an inflorescence-brush of small greenish flowers is formed on the bush. After its completion, the main plant dies, being replaced by daughter rosettes.
Haworthia chess (Haworthia tesselata)
The fleshy leaf blades are triangular in shape and jagged edges. The main color of the leaf is greenish-brown, with a light mesh pattern. There are small growths on the inside of the leaves.
Haworthia reinwardtii
The rosette of this Haworthia is extended upwards. It is formed by thick triangular leaves arranged alternately. Their length is 3.5 cm, their width reaches 1.5 cm. On the seamy side, rich green leaf blades cover noticeable white dots, which stand out due to their convex shape.
One of the varieties of Reinwardt's Haworthia - "zebrina" has more contrasting white bulges, and its leaves are larger. Young bushes are distinguished by straight stems, which over time bend and lie down under the weight of the weight.
During flowering, forms a long (up to 1 m) peduncle with yellowish-green flowers.
Haworthia retusa
Refers to varieties that have windows. Triangular thick leaves are slightly bent on top. Their length reaches 5 cm. The seamy side is painted in green or brownish tones, and on top the leaves have light strokes and stripes resembling the color of a watermelon. There are varieties that are almost devoid of green color, as well as more pronounced variegated varieties. The "Gigant" variety stands out for its particularly large foliage with veins on the top.
