Haworthia(ha-WORTH-ee-uh) make excellent indoor succulents thanks to low light and water requirements. They have an exotic appearance; some varieties have rigid, bumpy leaves, others have soft, fleshy leaves with translucent “windows”. Slow growing and perfect for beginners, Haworthia are striking plants for desks, counters, window sills, terrariums, mini gardens, and much more. Most are shades of green, but all have interesting textures, features, and shapes. Some will even show shades of red or orange when stressed or given sun. A great place to start if you're new to succulents!
APPEARANCE
Colors: Most are shades of green and can have a light green web pattern or bold white dots or stripes. Some have reddish leaf tips and will flush with more color when exposed to brighter light.
Form: Many varieties have fine hairs and raised stripes, ridges, or bumps that add to their unique appearance. They grow slowly and vary in size, but most are small and low growing—under 6" in height and diameter when full grown.
Foliage: Leaves can be narrow and tapered or wide and fleshy. The wide-leaved varieties can have flattened, see-through tips that have the effect of a stained-glass window.
Flowers:Haworthia will repeatedly send up a tall, narrow stem with tiny, white flowers that stay open only 2-3 days. The blooms are generally considered unremarkable; fortunately, the bloom stalks are easy to remove without damage to the plant.
CARE
Light:Haworthia are notable in their ability to grow even in the low, indirect light typically found indoors. Extra light will bring out stunning red and orange pigments, but direct light (such as from a close, sunny window) can yellow the plant and leave sunburns.
Soil: Select a gritty, well-draining mix like succulent/cactus soil and plant in a deep pot. The extra space will help provide airflow around the roots and give the plant more room to grow. Growing outdoors in the ground is significantly more challenging.
Water: Over-watering quickly leads to root rot and is the most common way to kill or damage Haworthia. As with all succulents, only water when the soil is fully dry. Water deeply but infrequently and keep the pot in a well-ventilated area to accelerate drying. We recommend containers with drainage holes, especially for beginners.
Hardiness:Haworthia are not cold hardy and must be protected from frost. They can only be grown outdoors in zone 10 (30F) and ideally they should be indoors throughout the winter and kept between 60F and 85F year-round.
Propagation: New, small offsets will grow from the base of a mature plant over time. These offsets can be gently pulled away and replanted. Propagation by division and leaf cuttings is also possible for some, but much more difficult.
NOTES FROM THE NURSERY
Haworthia are easy to recommend for anybody looking to grow succulents indoors. Their extremely low maintenance requirements mean Haworthia are also ideal for folks who are new to succulents and gardening in general. When given well-draining soil and deep, infrequent water, they will grow slowly but easily for up to 40 years in conditions too dark for most succulents. Keep your Haworthia out of standing water and they will be the easiest growing, quirkiest looking plant in your home or office.
A good portion of our Haworthia are now in the genus Haworthiopsis. To help customers find them, we still call them all Haworthia, but note the correct genus online in their descriptions.
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Love Haworthia? Watch our video with Debra Lee Baldwin.
