Haworthia - types of striped, pearl and others
Content:
Haworthia came from South Africa to Europe at the beginning of the 18th century. The plant is cultivated all over the world. More than 150 species of perennial succulents with decorative leathery leaves covered with stripes and specks belong to the Havortia genus. In indoor floriculture, it is valued for its original appearance and unpretentiousness.
Description of the plant
Haworthia is a short plant with a low growth rate. Most species form a basal rosette. They are similar to aloe, but are more compact and showy due to the peculiar structure of the leaves and color. The color of the leaves varies from light to dark green, with bluish, silvery, brownish tints. The shape of the leaves is lanceolate, the surface is rough. Volumetric strokes and specks of white or dark green color give the plant a picturesque look. It is worth considering how Haworthia blooms.
Composition from haworthia
Haworthia can bloom at any time, but more often it occurs in summer. Whitish small flowers appear on a thin peduncle. The flowering of Haworthia is of no decorative value and in some cases the peduncles are removed so as not to weaken the plant.
Unpretentiousness allows you to use Haworthia for landscaping any interior. It takes up little space and grows slowly, therefore it is often used in succulent compositions in bowls and on rocky hills.
Main varieties
The genus belongs to the Asphodelic family. Due to the ability to form hybrids both within the genus and with related species (gasteria, aloe). This is a fertile material for breeders.
Common types in indoor floriculture:
- Striped (or Haworthia fasciata) is one of the most common indoor species. Haworthia fasciata has a dark dense rosette, which is decorated with clear transverse white stripes. The leaves are pointed, slightly curved. Most of the white streaks are located on the underside of the sheet. Caring for haworthia striped at home consists in moderate watering and timely transplantation.
Haworthia fasciata
- The drawn haworthia has a rosette of elongated triangular leaves, which are covered with small white tubercles on both sides. Decorative outgrowths are arranged chaotically, sometimes merging into stripes.
Drawn Haworthia
- Sticky is a tall hybrid reaching 20 cm in height. Small triangular leaves are concave and nested. They grow in three rows and form spectacular columns that resemble snake scales from a distance. Color adds decorativeness - in some varieties, a reddish or salmon shade is added to the main green.
Haworthia sticky
- Haworthia sinuous is distinguished by a small trunk and small triangular leaves, the lateral surfaces of which are bent upward. The species is covered with small white dots.
Haworthia meandering
- Scaphoid forms compact rosettes of light green fleshy leaves with pointed ends. The broad, concave leaves resemble a boat.There are lighter, slightly translucent areas - leaf windows. Their purpose is to weaken the effect of the scorching sun. The view quickly gives out child outlets and fills up the free space;
Scaphoid Haworthia
- Haworthia pearl is distinguished by large rosettes of dark green leaves, on which there are white round bulges resembling pearls. It blooms, like most succulents, with miniature bell-shaped flowers on long peduncles.
Pearl look
- Reinwardt - forms a stem up to 20 cm high, on which are densely planted, overlapping each other, short dark green leaves with a pointed top. They have decorative convex tubercles.
Haworthia reinwardtii
- Blunted or Haworthia retuza - has a wide rosette of fleshy hard leaves with truncated tops. The color is from bright green to reddish, with a lack of lighting, the red tint intensifies. Lived on the leaves are visible.
Haworthia retusa
- Chess (checkered) forms stemless rosettes with fleshy triangular leaves arranged in a spiral. On the upper part of the leaf plate there is a checkered pattern consisting of a grid of light and dark lines. The reverse side is covered with small tubercles. The edges of the leaves are sometimes decorated with denticles. Chess Haworthia is capable of forming shoots from underground stolons. In this species, a daughter rosette may appear at a distance of several centimeters from the mother plant.
Chess variety of Haworthia
Often in flower shops, the haworthia flower, the types of which are very diverse, are presented as "haworthia mix". At the same time, several varieties are planted in pots, which make up a spectacular composition.
Haworthia, home care
Haworthia is one of the few plants that tolerates shade well. In their natural habitat, these succulents are almost completely immersed in the sand, often only the tips of the leaves remain on the surface. In addition, due to the tough epidermis, the plant is practically not subject to decay.
Floriana for Haworthies
Temperature regime
The air surrounding the plant should not be lower than +5 ℃. In winter, the temperature is kept within 10-13 ℃ above zero. In summer, comfortable conditions at a temperature of 20-25 ℃. Higher rates for Haworthia are not terrible.
Watering and feeding
In winter they rarely watered. The rest of the year - a moderate watering regime. The plant is moistened when the soil is completely dry, usually 1-2 times a week. It is advisable that moisture does not get into the center of the outlet, this can provoke rotting.
Haworthia flower, like many cacti, is resistant to dry air. The humidity of the environment does not play a significant role. During active growth, from spring to autumn, fertilizer is applied once a month. Apply fertilizing for succulents or a weak solution of mineral fertilizer. In winter, feeding is not carried out.
Pruning and replanting
If the rosette has become too large for the flowerpot, or many daughter rosettes have grown, the plant is transplanted. Low wide capacity is suitable.
It is best to replant plants in the spring. At this time, the growing season begins and the flower easily adapts to new conditions. Succulent Haworthia grows well in a mixture of coarse sand and nutrient earth, taken in equal proportions.
Reproduction methods
Haworthia propagate by seeds or vegetatively - stem, and sometimes leafy cuttings.Some species can release side shoots - stolons. They are also suitable for breeding.
To obtain seeds, the most interesting species from the point of view of a florist are pollinated among themselves. In case of successful pollination, ripe seeds are collected and sown in a moist, mostly sandy substrate. To create a warm and humid microclimate, cover with foil. Maintain a temperature of +20 ℃. Plants develop slowly, an adult developed specimen can be obtained in two years.
To propagate succulent with stem and leaf cuttings, they are dried before planting. This process, depending on the size of the cutting, can take 1 to 2 days. Then the cuttings are placed in moist coarse sand or perlite, where rooting takes place.
Propagation by cuttings
Daughter sockets are separated during transplantation. The cut is sprinkled with charcoal and young plants are planted in separate pots. This option is the simplest and allows you to get a well-formed socket in a short time.
In some places, the demand for useful plants is so high that, to satisfy it, the question of obtaining haworthia by micropropagation is being considered.
Growing problems
Darkening and rot on the leaves is a consequence of excessive moisture. At the same time, watering is stopped, the affected parts of the plant are removed and the outlet is treated with a fungicide.
Rot on Haworthia
Succulents are less damaged by pests than other indoor plants. However, sometimes a white cotton-like discharge of mealybug can be seen on the Haworthia. Most often they are located in the leaf axils or at the point of growth. In powdery spots, pest eggs are found and their larvae develop. A cotton swab dipped in soapy water removes traces of insects.
Sometimes oval or round wax shields of brownish color appear on the plant. Under them are the larvae of the scale insect, which sucks the sap of plants. The shields are carefully removed with a brush and the plant is treated with soapy water.
Haworthia, planted in summer in open ground, suffer from the attack of slugs. Pests gnaw young leaves, the plant loses its decorative effect and dries up. If there are few slugs, they are collected by hand and destroyed. In the case when the invasion of pests is massive, the drug metaldehyde will help.
Despite the fact that haworthia is an unpretentious and resistant to pests and diseases plant, one should not neglect preventive measures, because the disease is always easier to prevent than to cure. Preventive measures:
- inspection of plants when buying - the leaves of succulents should be dense, without damage and waste products of pests (black dots, cobwebs, plaque);
- quarantine of newly acquired specimens - young flowers are placed separately from the main collection and monitored for two weeks; if no signs of damage are found, place the plant in the place designated for it;
- regular washing of plants.
It is easy to care for Hawortia, thanks to which even novice growers can cope with the cultivation. Experienced amateurs are happy to experiment, composing compositions from different species, growing haworthia in glass containers or creating miniature gardens.
