How to Grow and Care for Your Haworthia Plant

Haworthia refers to an entire genus of small succulents that can be found throughout Southern Africa. The genus is related to the aloes, so much so that most examples of the genus Haworthia resembles nothing so much as miniature aloes. However, it is interesting to note that haworthias have distinctive flowers, which is one of the factors that enable interested individuals to distinguish them from their close relatives.

Why Should You Be Interested in the Haworthia?

There are a couple of reasons why people might be interested in haworthias. One, haworthias come with a fair amount of visual interest. Partly, this is because their green leaves sprout in a rosette pattern, and partly, this is because their green leaves are marked with white bands and warts, thus making for a very striking look that is sure to bring in wandering eyes. Two, haworthias are some of the easier plants to grow, thus enabling them to provide a lot of appeal without needing a lot of investment of time, effort, and other limited resources. Here are important points to keep in mind when it comes to haworthias:

Hardiness Zone 11

For those who are curious, haworthias are suitable for hardiness zone 11, which has lowest average temperatures of 40°F and 50°F. With that said, it should be mentioned that haworthias can be planted in containers with minimal issues, meaning that there are options for people who are interested in them but don’t live in climates that are suitable for plants that come from Southern Africa.

Container Should Have Sufficient Drainage

People have been known to plant haworthias in a wide range of containers, including some examples that can be very whimsical indeed. However, it is important to note that whatever people choose to plant their haworthias in, they need to make sure that the soil has sufficient drainage. If the soil doesn’t have sufficient drainage, interested individuals might need to remove the plant so that they can add a layer of gravel at the bottom of the container to reduce the wicking ability of the soil that sits on top of it.

Needs Light But Not Too Much Light

Haworthias like light but not too much light. In fact, when they are in their natural environment, they tend to be found in the shade of a rock or something similar. Due to this, interested individuals might want to put their haworthias in a room that faces either east or west, which should provide them with a few hours of sunlight on a daily basis but no more than that. Please note that checking the leaves is a good way to gauge whether the plant has been getting the right amount of sunlight. For example, if the leaves are faded, the plant isn’t getting enough sunlight. In contrast, if the leaves are turning either white or yellow, they are getting too much sunlight.

Cactus Mix

Given that haworthias are sometimes called zebra cactuses, it should come as no surprise to learn that they do their best when planted in a cactus mix. Otherwise, consider using very fast-draining potting soil. Bear in mind that sand makes soil less capable at draining, which is why interested individuals should go for either perlite, pumice, or aquarium gravel instead.

Don’t Overwater

Generally speaking, it is recommended to water haworthias on a regular basis in the summer, though the next watering should wait until the soil media has dried out. In the winter, there is less need for watering, so much so that once a watering every other month should be sufficient for the plant’s needs. Never over-water haworthias, with a sure sign being water collecting in the rosette formed by its leaves.

No Need for Humidity

There is no need to provide haworthias with any humidity. However, the plants do need ventilation, particularly at night when they take in CO2 for the purpose of photosynthesizing. As such, some home gardeners have been known to use fans to keep their haworthias well-ventilated.

Fertilizer in Summer

The recommendation is to fertilize haworthias with a cactus fertilizer in the summer, which would be its growing season. In contrast, when it is winter, there is no point to using fertilizer on haworthias.