How to Grow Haworthia Houseplant

Pearl plants are a great choice for small spaces! They are easy to maintain and look beautiful too! Here’s everything on How to Grow Haworthia Houseplant!

Haworthia, like other succulents, is also easy to grow and quite a low maintainance. As its fleshy leaves don’t grow much tall, this makes it ideal for small spaces. It’s a slow grower, which means you won’t have to go through the trouble of re-potting anytime soon! Here’s everything and more on How to Grow Haworthia Houseplant!

Botanical Name: Haworthia

Common Names: Zebra cactus, Pearl plant, Star window plant, Cushion aloe

USDA Zone: 9-11

Check out our article on beautiful succulents here. 

How to Grow Haworthia Houseplant

There are two easy ways to propagate this plant. The ideal time for propagating Hawothia is in spring or summer.

• From Offsets: Propagating Haworthia is easy from a parent plant. Do this by separating the offset at the base of the using a sharp knife. Don’t use much force than necessary as it can damage the parent plant.
• From Leaves: Growing a new plant from the leaf is one of the easiest propagation methods. Just snip a healthy and firm leaf from the stem of the plant. Propagate it in a soil mix after drying it for a couple of days and mist water regularly until it sprouts.

Choosing a Variety

With over 80 Haworhia cultivars, you might get confused as to which one to plant. They differ mainly in the size and patterns on the foliage. You don’t need to worry about requirements as they all have the same needs. Go for a variety that you find the most attractive. You can even plant multiple Haworthias in a single pot. 

• Haworthia reticulata: Its fleshy leaves have tapered ends, wrapped with marginal thorns. It produces a multitude of offsets around its base.
• Haworthia cooperi var. Picturata: It has a clump of round, fleshy leaves with small spines. It produces flowers during March and April.
• Haworthia transiens: The pale green-colored leaves of this variety have a translucent tip. This stemless haworthia has vertical lines on the leaves surface, giving it a unique visual.

Choosing a Container

You can get creative while selecting a container for Hawothias as they are small. Small cups and tin cans can also be used to grow them. No matter the size of the pot, drainage holes are a must!

Requirements for Growing Haworthia

Location

It does well in bright indirect light. East or West-facing windows are ideal. Provide it some shelter during summers, as its leaves will turn white or yellow when placed at a spot where it’s exposed harsh sunlight for long hours.

Soil

Potting it in a well-draining medium is a must. Amend the soil with perlite, aquarium gravel, or pumice. Make sure the soil should not consist of vermiculture and sand as a mix. Generally, the cactus mix is great for planting succulents, which includes Haworthia.

Note: You can also topdress the soil with gravel to prevent its leaves from touching the wet soil.

Watering

It goes without saying that overwatering is the death of Haworthia as its a succulent. Watering once every two to three weeks during morning or evening is ideal. During winters, watering only once a month is ample. The best way to check if they need watering is by poking the finger one and half-inch in the container soil. If it feels dry, then water thoroughly until it comes out of drainage holes. Make sure always to let the soil dry out before the next watering.

Haworthia Care

Temperature and Humidity

An ideal temperature for Haworthia is 20 – 28° C. Humidity levels do not affect this plant much, but good air circulation is a must. So always place it in a well-ventilated spot.

Fertilizer

Haworthia is a slow-growing succulent and doesn’t ask for much feeding. But to encourage their growth, you can use a water-soluble fertilizer like 10-10-10, specifically meant for cacti, and use only half doze as per written on the package instruction. You can even use organic fertilizer like slurry or manure as well. Fertilize it in April to August, but not more than twice. Avoid fertilizing it in winters.

Repotting

As it is a slow grower, it doesn’t need much repotting. But if you observe that the offsets are overcrowding in the pot and look suffocated from the base, then you can re-pot them in a slightly bigger container than the current one.

Pests and Diseases

As with other succulents, it’s also resistant to pests and diseases. The most recurrent problem is the root rot, which happens due to overwatering and soggy soil. Some common pests such as aphids and mites can cause damage. The easiest remedy for them is spraying with neem oil solution.