The Haworthia
plant is a succulent perennial plant and the plant is also called pearl, zebra
cactus, star window, and cushion aloe. The Haworthia plant is a large genus of
small, slow-growing succulent plants that look like mini aloe plants with
rosettes of fleshy green leaves generously covered with white pearly warts or
bands. Are Haworthias easy to grow? The Haworthia plants are commonly kept as
indoor plants, the plant requires bright light but not all-day full sun, preferring
temperatures between seventy to ninety-five degrees Fahrenheit. This wonderful
succulent perennial plant thrives in sandy, well-draining soil.
Haworthia Plant Info
The common name:
The common names are star window plant, Haworthia, pearl plant, zebra cactus,
cushion aloe.
The
botanical name: The botanical name is Haworthia.
The family: Haworthia
plant belong to the family Asphodelaceae.
The plant type:
Haworthia is a succulent, perennial.
The mature size: The mature size is about three to five inches tall
and wide; some species can reach twenty inches tall.
The Sun
Exposure: Haworthia plants prefer full, partial shade.
The soil type:
The plant does best in sandy, well-drained soil.
The soil pH:
Neutral
The Blooming
time: The Blooming time is summer.
The flower color:
The flower color is white.
USDA
Hardiness Zones: nine to eleven.
The native area: Haworthia plants are native to Africa.
How to Care for Haworthia
The
following are the main care requirements for growing Haworthia:
You need to
provide bright light with some shade if there's a hot afternoon sun.
Make sure
you water the plant when the top inch of the soil dries out. Try and avoid
overwatering, however don't let them dry out completely.
You can plant
in sandy, well-draining, neutral soil; Haworthia is best planted in spring or
early summer.
You can grow
Haworthia plants in any kind of container, but the container must have ample
drainage holes.
The Haworthia
plants can be feed in the spring and summer months when the plant is actively
growing.
Light
requirement
The Haworthia
species actually like bright light but not exceptionally strong direct
sunlight. Haworthia plants make attractive small potted houseplants and the
plant can be moved outdoors for the summer months.
In the plant
native environment, the plants are often found in the slight shade of a rock or
other object. In regions without frost, the plants are sometimes grown outdoors
in ground. The Haworthia plants can tolerate direct morning sun, but harsh
afternoon rays can burn the plant foliage. White, red, or yellow leaves usually
signify too much sun on the plant. If Haworthia plants is not getting enough
light, its green color will fade. The Indoors Haworthia plants will do best
near an east- or west-facing window.
Soil requirement
The Haworthia
plants like sandy or gravelly soil with excellent drainage. You can use a
cactus potting mix or another fast-draining potting soil for container plants. You
can mix the soil with perlite, aquarium gravel, or pumice in other to improve the
soil drainage.
Haworthia Watering
Make sure
you water the plant whenever the top inch of the soil has dried out during
spring and summer, also make sure the soil is never waterlogged. Reduce
watering to just enough in the fall and winter to keep the plant leaves plump. Don’t
ever allow water to collect in the rosette; this can lead to rot.
Temperature
and humidity requirement
Most Haworthia
species actually like warm temperatures between seventy to ninety-five degrees
Fahrenheit in the summer and cool temperatures down to fifty degrees Fahrenheit
in the winter. The Haworthia plants can be damaged when temperatures fall to forty
degrees Fahrenheit and lower. Humidity isn't an issue for the Haworthia plants.
The plant actually requires good ventilation, most especially at night when the
plant takes in carbon dioxide for photosynthesis.
Fertilizer
requirement
Make sure
you follow the label instructions to fertilize the Haworthia plants during the
spring and summer growing seasons with a cactus fertilizer. Do not feed the
plant during the fall and winter.
Hawthoria
Propagation
One of the
easy ways to propagate Haworthia plants is by its offsets, the tiny pups, or
new plants growing from the base of a parent plant. Haworthia plants propagation
by offsets prevents the parent plant from becoming overcrowded. A convenient
time to propagate Haworthia plant is when the plant has overgrown its container
and needs to be repotted. The Hawthoria plant is best propagated by the
division of its offsets.
Haworthia repotting
The Haworthia
plants are small plants (usually growing no more than five inches tall). The Haworthia
plants are relatively slow-growing. The plants are often produced in small
clusters in wide, shallow dishes. But they also can be planted individually in
containers. A small unglazed clay container is perfect because it will allow
excess soil moisture to escape through its walls. Drainage holes in the
container are important for good drainage.
After a
while, clusters will naturally enlarge as the parent plant sends out offsets. A
group will typically outgrow its container every 3 to 5 years. If a larger
container isn't necessary, repot the Haworthia plants with fresh soil.
Repotting the Haworthia plants need to occur in the spring to early summer. Make
sure you use a wider container with a new potting mix or split the cluster into
separate containers.
Pest control
The Haworthia
plants are free of most pests, with one common exception which is mealybugs. Mealybugs
are small, oval insects that suck the juice out of the plant foliage and it can
be easily controlled by simple physical removal or insecticidal spray. Furthermore,
if the soil is too moist, you might have problems with fungus gnats. Actually remedying
the over-wet condition is often what you need to do to solve the problem.
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