Zebra haworthia

Zebra haworthia: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Compact rosette, 10–15 cm high and 15–20 cm wide, which forms a small clump over time through offsets.

Leaves

Triangular to lance-shaped, 5–10 cm long, hard and pointed, dark green. The outside carries white tubercles in crosswise bands; the inside is smooth.

Succulent

The thick leaves store water, so it easily survives a dry spell.

Flowers

Small and inconspicuous: white to greenish on a thin, bare stalk. It is grown mainly for its leaves.

Roots

Fleshy and shallow: it does not need a deep pot.

Plants: March–April

Why grow it?

• An almost indestructible succulent: ideal if you sometimes forget to water.
• The white zebra stripes on dark green leaves give the windowsill character.
• Stays small (about 15 cm high) and fits in any pot, even in a dish with other succulents.
• Tolerates less sun than many other succulents: a bright window without midday sun is enough.
• Makes offsets by itself, so you get new plants for free.

Zebra haworthia: where does it grow best?

• Light: a bright spot without strong midday sun, by an east- or west-facing window or a little back from a south-facing one. In full sun the leaves may turn brown or red.
• Temperature: 15–25 °C; not below about 5 °C. Keep it cooler in winter (10–15 °C).
• Soil: very free-draining, lean compost: cactus compost with about half coarse sand or perlite.
• Dry air is no problem; wet feet are.
• Allow for a shallow, wide pot of 8–12 cm; it needs little space.

Light

Sunny or bright, out of direct sun

Potting soil

Cactus compost

Acidity

Neutral

Watering

Sparingly

Size

0.15 m tall, 0.2 m wide

Temperature

Minimum 5 °C

Goes well with

• Aloe: Same light, little water: lovely in a dish of succulents.
• Echeveria: Pastel rosettes that contrast with the white stripes.
• Gasteria: Related and just as easy in a bright spot without strong sun.

Zebra haworthia: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April.

1. Repot in March–April, every 2–3 years or when the pot is full of offsets.
2. Choose a shallow pot slightly wider than the plant, with a hole in the bottom.
3. Fill with cactus compost mixed with about half coarse sand or perlite.
4. Take the plant out of the old pot, remove dead roots and leaves and set it at the same depth as before; the rosette must not sit below the surface.
5. Wait a week before watering so that damaged roots can heal.
6. If you like, scatter a thin layer of fine grit around the rosette to keep the leaves dry.

Care

Water

From spring to autumn, water when the compost is completely dry, about every 2–3 weeks. Do not pour water into the rosette. In winter very little, every 4–6 weeks.

Feeding

From April to September, half-strength cactus feed once a month; none in winter.

Light

Turn the pot now and then. In strong summer sun give it light shade, for example behind a net curtain.

Dead leaves

Gently remove dry lower leaves with tweezers.

Tip: Put it in a bright room without midday sun and wait to water until the compost is completely dry. If in doubt: do not water.

Zebra haworthia: when to prune it?

When: It is not pruned. You only remove withered leaves and faded flower stalks, all year round.

How:

• Gently pull away withered lower leaves.
• Cut a faded flower stalk back to the rosette.
• Remove offsets in spring when the pot gets too full; use them to propagate.

Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Offsets

In March–April, gently pull or cut the small rosettes with roots off the mother plant and pot them in sandy compost. Do not water for a week.

Seed

The seed germinates slowly and unevenly; this is mainly for enthusiasts. Sprinkle it on sandy compost and keep it slightly moist under a clear cover at 20–25 °C.

Zebra haworthia: how does it get through the winter?

• Not hardy: keep it indoors all year round, not below about 5 °C.
• Keep it cool and bright (10–15 °C) and give almost no water: a little every 4–6 weeks.
• Do not put it right above a radiator: dry, warm air with little light gives floppy, stretched rosettes.

Diseases and pests

• Rot: Soft, translucent or black leaves at the base from too much water. Let the compost dry out completely, cut away rotten parts and repot in dry compost. If the rot is far advanced, grow a new plant from a healthy offset.
• Stretched growth: The rosette becomes floppy, long and pale from too little light. Move it somewhere brighter.
• Brown or white patches: Sunburn from strong midday sun. Move it somewhere bright but without direct midday sun; damaged leaves do not recover.
• Mealybug: White cottony clumps between the leaves. Dab them with a cotton bud dipped in alcohol or soapy water.
• Wrinkled leaves: A sign of drought: the leaves become wrinkled and flat. Water well once, then let the compost dry out again.

Through the year

• January: Rest: cool and bright, hardly any water.
• March: Repot if necessary. Take offsets.
• April: Start watering (every 2–3 weeks) and feed once a month.
• May: A bright spot without strong midday sun.
• June: Water when the compost is dry. Feed.
• July: Water when the compost is dry. Give shade in a heatwave.
• August: Water when the compost is dry. Feed.
• September: Last feed. Gradually reduce watering.
• October: Water every 4–6 weeks.
• December: Rest: cool and bright, hardly any water.

Did you know?

• The white ‘zebra stripes’ are on the outside of the leaf; the inside is smooth.
• In the wild it often grows half hidden among stones and low shrubs, which explains why it needs less sun than many other succulents.
• It belongs to the family Asphodelaceae, like aloe and Gasteria.