How to Grow and Care for Zebra Haworthia

Haworthiopsis attenuata

Are you look for a lush works that ’s easy to care for , takes up little room , and has a funky vibe ? If so , zebra haworthia should fit the bill .

With striking , zebra - like stripes on coloured gullible foliage , these rosette - shaped succulent have spiky leaves . But they are n’t cacti , and wo n’t make your fingers any hurting !

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H. attenuata.

In this clause , you ’ll see about the origins of this singular flora and its fundamental needs in terms of short , piddle , soil , and clime .

While we ’ll focus primarily on growing it as a houseplant , we ’ll also touch on outdoor refinement for those of you in warmer zones .

If you ’ve never grown zebra haworthia before , this information will get you off to an excellent start with your new houseplant .

H. attenuata.

On the other hand , if you ’ve tried rise zebra haworthia , and ( let ’s just say it ) – give out , you ’ll learn what may have gone wrong .

Keep reading and the next metre you land one of these attractive little succulents home , you ’ll be prepared to maturate a felicitous , healthy , and long - lived houseplant .

In this scout , we ’ll be covering all you need to know to grow and care for zebra haworthias .

Before we get started , be sure to also read or bookmark ourcomplete usher to growing haworthiasif you ’re look for more general guidance .

Here ’s what ’s come up :

What You’ll Learn

What Is Zebra Haworthia?

Zebra haworthia ( Haworthiopsis attenuata ) is a small succulent with spiky leaf that grow in an attractive rosette shape .

As the plant matures , it take shape a mat - like cluster as it grow offsets , or sister plant , alongside the mother industrial plant .

Individual plant life are around two and a half to six inches all-inclusive , and two and a half to ten inches tall – with leaf acquire to about three in long .

The benighted green , succulent leaves are slim with pointed end and motley type are dark unripened with yellow , white , pink , orangish , or unaccented green variegation .

The dreary green contribution of the leaf take on copper , crimson , or purple chromaticity as plants are let out to more direct sunlight .

The leaves have raised , white marking on their surfaces known as tuberosity , the intention of these is to allow the plant to expand and contract with fluctuating water availability .

This is one of the many wonderful features that makes zebra haworthia such an adaptable houseplant !

While best known for the striped patterns that give this plant life its rough-cut name , zebra haworthia , different miscellanea of the species have unlike tuberosity patterns .

These stigma give the leafage a rough grain , and can help oneself succulent lovers recognize distinct mixed bag – but not always easily . Even on the same plant there can be mutant , pee-pee identification somewhat tricksy .

Though these succulents may not flower when grown indoors , in summertime plants produce outdoors may acquire small , lily-white , tubular flowers on stalks that can be up to 15 inches tall .

Cultivation and History

This succulent is aboriginal to Mozambique , Namibia , South Africa , and Swaziland , where it grows in sparsely vegetate , rocky and grassy habitats among larger plants that provide some nicety from the red-hot sun .

With its aloe - like soma , it may not surprise you to learn that zebra haworthia was first classified botanically in 1804 in theAloegenus .

In 1812 the coinage was reclassify as a member of theHaworthiagenus , a pigeonholing of plants known in particular for their translucent green leaves .

But – since there ’s never a muffled moment in taxonomy ! – in 2013 and 2014 , theHaworthiagenus was subdivided , with some of its member reclassified asHaworthiopsis , and others rename asTulista .

While the genusHaworthiais named after botanist Adrian Haworth , Haworthiopsismeans quite merely “ like Haworthia . ” The species epithet , attenuata , refers to the manner in which the leaves taper to a point .

Despite those botanic reclassification , zebra haworthia stay categorize in the Asphodelaceae category , have-to doe with to such succulent first cousin asChristmas carol aloe , lace aloe , gasteria , andaloe vera – but also to less obvious relatives likedayliliesand red hot pokers !

Within theHaworthiopsisgenus , this succulent has some close relatives that also make good houseplants – H. coarctataandH. reinwardtii .

Zebra haworthia is also sometimes called zebra plant life , though there are other houseplants that go by that name – such as Aphelandra zebra flora , andcalathea zebrina , a character ofprayer plant .

Another species that is also hollo zebra plant is one of the members of theHaworthiopsisgenus – H. fasciata . In fact , many nurseries wrongly labelH. attenuataasH. fasciata . The latter is actually rather rare in finish .

Zebra haworthia is vulnerable in its native home ground due to over - collecting and habitat loss – so ensure you purchase yours from a nursery dedicate to sustainable growing practices .

For those in warmer climate , this succulent can be arise outdoors class labialise inUSDA Hardiness Zones10 and 11 .

Zebra Haworthia Propagation

There are a few different ways you could propagate newHaworthiopsisplants – including via offsets , which is the method acting we ’ll hatch here .

If you ’d like guidance for starting novel industrial plant using substitute method , be certain to read our pathfinder to propagate succulent .

In addition to extension via offsets , we ’ll also pass over how to transplant get-go and plants purchased at the greenhouse or garden center .

From Offsets

Zebra haworthias farm beginning – also be intimate as pups – around the understructure of the mother plant .

If you ’d like topropagate these outset , you ’ll demand wait until they have theme of their own . you could determine this by removing the plant from its pot and see the out sharpness of the root ball .

etymon may not form until the offset is roughly half the size of the mother plant . Once the offset has etymon , ensure to propagate during a period of dynamic growth – spring or summer .

Here ’s what you ’ll postulate for this project : a acute pair of sterilized lopper , and four - inch decorative or greenhouse pots for the offsets . Whichever type you use , make certain the pots have drain holes in the bottom .

If you ’re using a decorative smoke that has a single , large hole in the bottom , you ’ll also call for a meshing pad to set over the hole on the interior of the deal – this will foreclose the growing medium from falling out .

Fiberglass Mesh Screen Pad

you could purchase a pack of 100 two - column inch fiberglass mesh topology projection screen pads from the Maqihan Storevia Amazon .

And of course , you ’ll also necessitate some growing spiritualist .

These succulents are pretty adaptable to different types of potting medium , so there ’s not just one recipe for an acceptable mix – the main factors you ’re look for are that the medium is well draining   and has plenty of moxie .

Aneasy way to make your own mixis to start with a succulent growing culture medium and add additional pumice or coarse river sand .

Rosy Soil Cactus and Succulent Mix

I wish to start with one part Rosy Soil Cactus and Succulent Mix , available via the Rosy Soil Storevia Amazon , and mix in one to two parts quarter - in horticultural pumice stone for extra grit .

Horticultural Pumice

You ’ll find two - quart bags of quarter - in horticultural pumice available for purchase from the JK Global Imports Storevia Amazon .

When you have all the provision you need , remove theHaworthiopsisclump from its pot – you may need to shove the pot to get rid of the plant .

Next , shake up off the get sensitive , then use a sharp span of sterilizedprunersto snip off the offshoot from the mother industrial plant .

Before returning the mother plant to its pot or transplant the outset , earmark the injury from the cuts to callus over for about a week . During this time , plainly place the plants on a plate in a juiceless location out of lineal sunlight .

Once the wounds have callus , transplant the pups , and repay the mother plant to its pot .

From Transplants

When potting up offsets or repotting mature plants , you ’ll involve maturate mass medium , such as the admixture recommended above .

If you desire to repot a specimen that has outgrow its pot , you ’ll also need a new container – remember to choose one that ’s just one sizing larger than the current container .

Also – I ’ve said it before , I ’ll say it again – make trusted to choose a pot that has drain holes .

If you have your heart set on a special ornamental pot that hasnodrainage hole , pot the houseplant into a nursery pot with holes that will fit inside your fancier container . That way you’re able to dispatch the succulent from its decorative cachepot when watering .

Four - inch - wide pots are a good size for offset , and may also work for individual plants that have n’t yet grow into clumps , depending on the size of the radical mass of the specimen .

look for a decorative option that will align with your houseplant ’s funky look ?

Check out these four - inch , ceramic , black , patterned planters that come equipped with drainage pickle , mesh screen pads , silicone jade , and bamboo saucers , usable in sets of four from the Omaykey Storevia Amazon .

Ceramic Black Patterned Planter

When you have opt your Mary Jane , fill it about one third of the fashion full with fresh farm medium .

Remove the plant from its sometime pot if you have not yet done so – squeeze the sides of the pot can assist to ease it out .

If the plant life is becoming jolly rootbound , loosen the roots . you may use a fork to tease the root apart if needed .

put the rootage ball into the sess and check to see if it is positioned at the good point – you need a half inch to an column inch of blank space between the top of the growing medium and the rim of the pot . take out or add growing medium if ask .

Once the plant is at the right stratum , fill in around it with more develop sensitive , tapping it down gently to move out any zephyr pockets .

Instead of watering right away , wait a week before watering freshly transplant zebra haworthias .

How to Grow Zebra Haworthia

Zebra haworthias are easy to care for , making these succulents excellent choice as houseplants .

When you prefer a specimen , make certain to inspect it for signs of disease or pests – you ’ll learn what to expect for later on in the article , so keep reading .

Although these succulentsare sometimes wrong refer to as cacti , they are n’t well conform to inhabit their life infull sunall mean solar day long . Instead , when grow outdoors situate them in clear tone where they will obtain a few hours of direct Dominicus during the cooler parts of the sidereal day .

Indoors , offer these plant collateral bright luminance , potentially with three to four hours of direct Sunday in the morning .

Keep in intellect that with increased light intensity , these succulents will develop reddish colour on the leave . Very red leaves may mean your works is expose to too much direct sunlight .

Conversely , if your zebra haworthia bulge to reckon light green or even milky at the center rather than dark green , screw that your plant is not gettingenoughlight .

If you ’re using alight m , propose for around 500 to 1000 foot candles – if you are n’t able-bodied to achieve that in your place , consider using agrow lightto supplement .

Learn more about using a calorie-free meter in our article .

While these succulent plants have a natural power to stack away water , the amount of moisture your zebra haworthia will need is directly related to the amount of brightness level the houseplant meet . If you are providing some direct Dominicus , you ’ll need to water more often .

Do n’t water until the growing medium is almost completely teetotal – except in wintertime , when you should allow the soil dry out all . This may be as long as a month or more , depending on the weather condition in your menage .

If you are n’t sure whether it ’s time to urine or not , mistake on the side of underwatering rather than overwatering . You ’ll do less damage with a bit of negligence than with too much care .

Make indisputable to irrigate the surface of the soil evenly , and give it a honest drench until water black market out of the drainage hole in the bottom of the pot .

Are you wonder if you involve filtered water supply for your houseplant ?

Read our clause tolearn more about the estimable H2O for succulents .

Regarding spring up medium , as discussed previously in this article , choose a mix that is very spirited or start with a commercial-grade cactus and succulent mix and add additional grit . The ideal soil pH is 6.1 to 7.8 .

Zebra haworthias grow comfortably when temperature are between 70 to 95 ° F and they call for good air circulation .

Some gardeners report that these succulent suffer cold damage at temperatures below 50 ° F , while others claim they are tolerant of temperatures down to freeze or slightly below .

So if you are acquire yourHaworthiopsisplant outdoors for part of the twelvemonth , you ’ll want to watch the thermometer and be certain to riposte your lush indoors in autumn before the weather condition cools .

desire to get word more about farm succulent out of doors ? Be sure to read our article !

Growing Tips

Maintenance

When it make out to uphold your succulent , there are only a few thing to be mindful of : pruning the folio tips , repotting , and fertilizing .

allow ’s set about with pruning .

There are dissimilar factors that can cause the tips of a zebra haworthia succulent to sour brown : high-pitched temperature , too much direct sun , and deficient water .

If your houseplant is systematically bring on chocolate-brown tips , you may need to re - interpret the guardianship recommendations in this guide to help you aline firing and water .

In the interim , though , if the dark-brown tip bother you , you could choose to prune them . expend a desex couplet of sharp garden pruners to snip off the brown bakshish .

Since zebra haworthias are tiresome growing plants , you wo n’t need to repot these succulent very often – only every two to three years .

When that two or three yr mark make out around , contrive to repot during spring or summertime , when the houseplant is in an active full point of maturation .

When it ’s fourth dimension to repot , you have the choice of simply change out the grow medium and returning the specimen to the same mess , or potting up to a larger container .

insure the roots and if the specimen is potbound or fulfill up the pot with offsets , you ’ll need to take a new container that ’s one size larger .

ensure the tummy has drain holes , and if you are reusing a container , be sure to clean it and pass over it down with atomic number 1 hydrogen peroxide .

If the tooth root have n’t outgrown the current container and you ’re just changing out the potting medium , remove the old growing spiritualist and add it to yourcompostpile , then proceed with repotting as discussed in the transplanting section above .

Fertilizing is not something you ’ll need to do often for your zebra haworthia , tote up to the low criminal maintenance charm of this succulent .

Overfertilizing can have works to become etiolate – in these succulent this causes the foliage to scatter outwards from their compact ontogeny habit , revealing the light immature to white section at the base of the leaves .

So fertilize only once or twice a year during spring or summertime using a gentle fertiliser formulated for succulents and cacti such as Dr. Earth ’s succulency .

Dr. Earth Succulence Pump and Grow Fertilizer

you may buy a 16 - ounce bottle of Dr. Earth ’s Succulence Pump and maturate Fertilizer from Dr. Earthvia Arbico Organics .

check more about how to fertilize succulents in our template .

Cultivars and Varieties to Select

In plus to the species plant , there are a few varieties ofH. attenuatato choose from when you decide to take one of these abode or blow up your ingathering .

But you may want to start out with the neat species !

The tubercle ofH. attenuataform zebra - same stripes and dots on the bottom sides of their leaves .

On the circus tent of leaves , you ’ll chance a handful of white dots contrasting with the dark-green leafage .

Zebra Haworthiopsis

you may buy a small zebra haworthia in a 2.5 column inch pot from Hand Picked Nurseryvia Walmart .

If you ’re concerned in some of the cultivated and natural varieties available , here are a few options :

Clariperla

The marking onHaworthia attenuatavar.clariperladon’t form stripes . Instead , they attend like scatter pearls of different sizes .

These gem - corresponding tubercle are diffuse on both the tops and the undersides of the leave-taking .

Glabrata

H. attenuatavar.glabratais a variety that has fewer tubercles , giving the plant a smoother appearance than the square metal money .

Also known asHaworthiopsis concolor , this variety is also a lighter subtlety of greenish than the specie .

Enon

H. attenuatavar.attenuata‘Enon,’also known asH. attenuataf . EnonorH. attenuataf.tanbais a nanus form of the mintage that touch just three to five inches magniloquent .

The short leaves give them a triangular frame , and they are speckled with bloodless tubercles .

This physical body of the coinage is a cliff dweller , and the leaf topside are often still rather than marked with tubercles .

Radula

While the straight species has large tubercles that form stripes , the leave of absence ofH. attenuatavar.radulaare thickly continue with tiny tuberosity , have the foliation a rather rough texture .

These small , legion livid marking also give these houseplants a silvery appearance .

Variegata

H. attenuataf.variegatais a form of the metal money that has diversification which can be argent white , icteric , pink , or orangish .

Variegation appears in vertical chevron , and more than one color can look on the same plant . This form is more slowly - grow than the unripe sort .

Wide Zebra

‘ encompassing Zebra ’ is a cultivar ofH. attenuatathat has wider ashen stripe than the square species .

‘ Wide Zebra ’

you could purchase your own ‘ Wide Zebra ’ specimen in a four in pot from the Moon Sun Cactus and Koi Gardens Shopvia Amazon .

Managing Pests and Disease

These houseplant tend to be rather carefree , and are seldom bothered by disease or pest plague .

Of course , it helps if you start off with a level-headed specimen !

Here are a few issues to bet out for as you choose a houseplant , and once you bring the zebra haworthia home :

Insects

Zebra haworthia is quite resilient and is n’t easily damage by most pests , nominate it an easy - care houseplant .

If you are bringing home a new specimen or have placed your houseplants out of doors for the summertime , check theHaworthiopsisfor these insect :

Have you noticed small flies zipping around your houseplant ? These are probable fungus gnats .

Fungus gnats are more of a problem around plant with moist potting medium that turn back a lot of organic issue .

So if you have been a routine hard handed with thewatering canor get your houseplant home in a growing mass medium that containspeat , you may have accidentally created a welcoming surroundings for these worm .

While they tend to be more of a nuisance than a real pest , if populations get out of control , their larvae can damage the rootage of the houseplant .

There are different ways you could contain these insects on houseplants , but first make trusted you identify the gadfly right .

Learn how to identify and curb fungus gnats .

Once you determine that fungus gnats are indeed a job for your succulent – re - appraise your lachrymation unremarkable and inspect your pot medium .

If the growing metier is too mellow in organic matter , count repotting with the type of mixture recommend above .

Do you see sluttish brown scarring on the edges of the foliation ? If so , your succulent may have a mite plague .

There are dissimilar types of mites that can overrun succulents and the bad of them are impossible to see without a microscope , making recognize and handle the problem a bit dodgy .

Before treating a mite plague on a houseplant , be indisputable you ’ve aright identify the plague .

pick up more about identifying and controlling mites on succulents .

When mealybugs show up , they are usually noticeable by their white , fuzzy appearance .

But not all mealybugs provender on the foliage of plants – and you may be more likely to find these bugs feeding on the roots of your zebra haworthia than on its tough , succulent leaf .

Since they are below the growing medium , root mealybugs are punishing to observe , and you may not even see polarity of damage on the aboveground portion of the houseplant – though an plague can eventually cause yellow leafage and stunted growth .

To check your specimen for root mealy bug , revoke the succulent out of its pot and scrutinise the stunned edge of the root ball .

base mealybugs take care like grains of rice . They can be difficult to differentiate from small pieces of perlite in the soil , but grab a magnifying glass and take care closely – mealybug have short antenna and sometimes clunk together . They ’ll be on the plant ’s roots if they ’re there .

If you substantiate that there are stem mealybugs on your succulent , first and frontmost – quarantine your plant so that these bug do n’t diffuse to your other houseplants .

Next , it ’s time to clean the roots and repot !

Remove the plant from its pot , then sweep off as much of the produce metier as potential and dispose of it .

Dip a cotton plant swob in isopropyl intoxicant and dab the mealybugs to kill them . You may also want to put some rub alcohol in a spray nursing bottle and spray the root globe .

Discard the old potting sensitive , airstream and sterilize the pot , and add novel maturate medium .

You may take to repeat this process until the pests are go .

determine more about controlling mealybug infestations .

Disease

The chief disease you ’re potential to meet with these succulent isroot rot , a precondition usually brought on by a combination of overwatering and deficient light stage .

However , lack of drainage hole in pots and poorly drain growing medium can also lead to this disease .

Root rot can actually make plants dry out , and you may observe shriveled leave .

Prevention is good – follow the sluttish and weewee recommendations indicated above , and choose both a peck and grow metier that put up excellent drain .

Learn more about foreclose and grapple rot in succulents .

Best Uses for Zebra Haworthia

In accession to keeping a single specimen or clump in a pot , zebra haworthia can also be grown in mixedsucculent planterswith plants that have similar growth requirements , such asjade , echeveria , andhens and skirt .

If you ’re feeling specially whimsical , you might even consider including this houseplant in asucculent fairy garden !

Also , thisHaworthiopsisspecies makes a full reserve for aloe if you want anontoxic houseplant optionthat ’s safe for households with pets or young kids .

And if you ’re interested in long - lived houseplant likeChristmas cactus , hoyas , andweeping figure , add zebra haworthia to your listing – this succulent can live on for several decades in finish !

Quick Reference Growing Guide

Your Spiky Succulent’s True Stripes

With this guide you ’ve learned the fundamental indigence of this cute lilliputian succulent – provide it with plenty of bright illumination , add on with a few hours of direct sunlight , and water it only when the potting medium is almost wry .

Remember that this succulent will thrive more on negligence than on over attention , and will be a trusty , low - maintenance companion for years to come !

If you ’d like to find out more about succulent , we have more noesis for you right here :

photograph by Kristina Hicks - Hamblin © involve the Experts , LLC . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.See our TOSfor more inside information . Product photos via Dr. Earth , Hand Picked Nursery , the JK Global Imports Store , the Maqihan Store , the Moon Sun Cactus and Koi Gardens Shop , and the Omaykey Store .   Uncredited photograph : Shutterstock .

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Kristina Hicks - Hamblin