Zebra Haworthia

About

Zebra haworthia is a small succulent that forms a tight rosette of stiff, pointed, dark green leaves banded across the outside with raised white stripes, like the markings of a zebra. It stays small, rarely more than a hand’s width across, which makes it a favourite for a bright windowsill or a small pot.

It looks like a miniature aloe, and it is a distant relative, but it is easier and safer for a home. It stays compact, tolerates a range of conditions, and is non-toxic, unlike some true aloes. It was long known as Haworthia attenuata before being moved into the genus Haworthiopsis.

It is often confused with the very similar Haworthiopsis fasciata, and the two are grown identically, so the distinction rarely matters to a grower. Either makes a tough, slow, undemanding little succulent for a bright spot.

Appearance and character

Leaves are stiff, thick, pointed and dark green, arranged in a tight rosette, and marked on the outer surface with raised white bands and dots, the zebra striping that names the plant.

The rosette is compact, eight to fifteen centimetres across, and slowly offsets to form a small clump of rosettes around the parent over time.

Flowers appear on a tall, thin stalk that rises well above the rosette, carrying small, tubular, pale pink or white flowers. They are modest, and the plant is grown for its patterned foliage instead of for bloom.

New offsets, or pups, grow around the base of the rosette, and these can be separated to make new plants once they have their own roots.

Where it is from

Haworthiopsis attenuata comes from the Eastern Cape of South Africa, where it grows in bright, dry, rocky places, often tucked among stones or in the light shade of larger plants. It is adapted to strong light, drought and poor, gritty soil.

That origin explains its succulent needs, storing water in its thick leaves and coping with long dry spells, bright light and poor soil. It tolerates cooler conditions than many houseplant succulents, but cold, wet compost rots it, so sharp drainage matters most.

How it grows

It grows slowly, adding a few leaves a year and offsetting around the base to form a small clump. It needs little and tolerates being left alone, which is much of its appeal.

Pot it in a very free-draining, gritty cactus mix in a small pot, and water only when the mix has dried out completely. Growth is slow, so it rarely needs repotting more than every couple of years, usually to remove offsets.

Give it bright light, with some gentle direct sun, for the best colour and compact growth, and keep it above about 5 deg C. In too little light it stretches and pales; in scorching midday sun it can redden or burn.

Separate offsets in spring or summer once they have roots, letting the cut surfaces dry for a day before potting them into gritty mix.

Through the seasons

Spring brings renewed growth as light increases, the best time to repot and to separate offsets.

Summer is the main growing season, though growth is always slow. Water when the mix dries fully and give bright light.

Autumn growth slows as light falls. Reduce watering as the season turns.

Winter the plant rests. Keep it cool to warm but above about 5 deg C, and water very little, since cold, wet compost in low light is what rots it.

Care difficulty

Moderate, and close to easy once the watering is right. It tolerates dry air, a range of temperatures and long gaps between waterings, and only needs bright light and sharp drainage. The single common mistake is overwatering, which rots the roots, so it responds to restraint. Treat it as a succulent and it is very forgiving.

Watering

Water sparingly, letting the gritty mix dry out completely between waterings, then water thoroughly and let the excess drain away. In winter, water hardly at all, since the plant is resting and cold, wet compost rots it.

The thick leaves store water, so the plant copes far better with being forgotten than with being kept moist. If the leaves shrivel slightly it is thirsty; if they go soft and translucent it is overwatered.

Warning signs, diseases and pests

Root rot from overwatering is the main danger, showing as soft, translucent, yellowing leaves and a loose plant. Cut back watering hard, improve the drainage, and if the roots have gone, let the rosette dry and re-root it in fresh gritty mix.

Mealybugs sometimes hide in the rosette and among the roots as small white woolly tufts. Dab them off with a cotton bud or treat with horticultural oil, checking the root ball at repotting.

Stretched, pale growth means too little light. Move the plant somewhere brighter, and it will grow more compactly, though it will not undo the stretched leaves.

Growing environment

Bright, indirect light with some gentle direct sun suits it best, keeping the rosette compact and the markings crisp. Too little light stretches it and fades the colour, while harsh midday sun can scorch or redden the leaves.

Warmth is welcome but not essential, and the plant tolerates cooler rooms than many succulents as long as it is kept above about 5 deg C and dry. It is untroubled by dry air and needs no humidity.

Give it a gritty, free-draining mix and a small pot, on a bright windowsill or in a well-lit room. It suits a shallow dish or a group of small succulents.

Feeding

Feed lightly, a couple of times over spring and summer, with a dilute cactus fertiliser. The plant grows slowly and needs very little, and heavy feeding forces soft growth and can scorch the roots.

Do not feed in autumn or winter while the plant rests. Fresh mix supplies enough for the first months after repotting.

Troubleshooting

The leaves have gone soft and see-through. Overwatering. Cut back watering hard, improve the drainage, and re-root the rosette in fresh gritty mix if the roots have rotted. This is the main way to lose the plant.

The plant is stretching and going pale. Too little light. Move it somewhere brighter with some gentle direct sun, and new growth will be more compact and better coloured.

The leaves are shrivelling. Usually too dry for too long. Give it a thorough watering and let the mix dry again; the leaves should plump back up. This is a smaller problem than overwatering.

Is it safe around pets? Yes. Haworthias are listed as non-toxic to cats and dogs by the ASPCA, which makes it a safer choice than the true aloes it resembles, such as aloe vera.

How do I make more plants? Separate the offsets that form around the base once they have their own roots, let the cut surfaces dry for a day, and pot them into gritty mix. It is slow but reliable.