How to grow a miniature haworthia flower and provide it with proper care

The unusual haworthia plant causes mixed feelings among gardeners: they are attracted by the exotic appearance of the succulent, but are put off by its supposedly difficult care. But those who tried to grow haworthia at home came to the opposite conclusion. The plant tolerates indoor conditions well and is not at all difficult to care for. If you love cacti and succulents, don't miss the Haworthia: it will complement your collection.

Description

Haworthia looks like a miniature aloe or cactus. Its fleshy leaves are collected in neat rosettes and decorated with serrations, accumulating moisture (Haworthia is a succulent). The plant is not a cactus; it is a member of the Asphodelaceae family (monocot flowering plants). Together with their relative aloe, they belong to the subfamily Asphodelaceae.

Haworthia is native to the deserts of South Africa. The succulent has adapted to survive on rocky embankments, sandy soils and among thickets of tough grass. Under natural conditions it grows up to 1 m in height, and at home - no more than 10-15 cm. The flowering of Haworthia is not particularly beautiful. Its flowers are inconspicuous and small. All the beauty lies in the miniature rosette of leaves.

Haworthia is represented by several species. Some have a small stem, but mostly a rosette of leaves grows just above the soil.Haworthia leaves can be covered with a pattern - white convex tubercles. Other differences between the species are the shape, hardness, length and color of the leaf.

Kinds

The genus Haworthia is represented by 150 species. In home floriculture these and other names are used:

• Pearl Haworthia (Haworthia margaritifera). The species has fleshy, oval-shaped leaves that grow 7-8 cm in length and 2.5 cm in width. There is practically no stem. The leaves are strongly pointed at the top, their tips look like antennae. The edges are covered with white spiky teeth. During the flowering period, you can see a long peduncle (up to 60 cm) and light green racemose inflorescences on it.

• Haworthia Cooperi. Miniature succulent. The rosette is formed by light green leaves covered with long cilia. The length of the entire plant is about 2.5 cm.

• Haworthia cymbiformis. This name is given to the species due to the shape of the leaves. They are bluish-green, about 4-5 cm long, 1-1.2 cm wide. The entire rosette grows with a diameter of 8-10 cm. The leaves are smooth, practically without growths.

• Striped Haworthia (Haworthia fasciata). The dark green elongated leaves of this species are covered with white transverse stripes. The rosette of leaves has no stem and grows up to 15 cm in diameter.

• Haworthia limifolia looks like a symmetrical star. The base of the leaf is wide and the tip is narrow. The leaf itself is dark green, covered along its entire length with golden stripes.

Rules of care

How to care for a miniature succulent? For all types of Haworthia, the care requirements are the same. A plant goes through two periods per year: growth and dormancy. By following a few rules, even a beginner will grow a cute succulent on his windowsill. Basic requirements for lighting and heat:

1. The light should be bright, but diffused.The best place for a succulent is an east or west window.
2. There is not enough light on the northern window, the plant may fade. If the flowerpot is forced to be on the south side, then shading is required.
3. If the weather is hot, then the haworthia should be taken out into the fresh air, but not exposed to scorching rays. A balcony or shaded terrace is suitable.
4. At any time of the year, the flower needs access to fresh air, so it is recommended to ventilate the room even in winter.
5. Haworthia can be damaged by drafts and precipitation.
6. The flower loves cool weather, but can also easily tolerate heat up to +45° C. The temperature range from March to October is from +15 to +25 degrees. During the rest period, the temperature in the room should not be lower than +5° C and not higher than +10. In winter, Haworthia should not stand near a cold window.

The flowering of Haworthia is not such a grandiose event, since its inflorescences are not distinguished by grace and bright colors. In addition, the South African guest growing in the room rarely blooms.

Advice
Flowering depletes the haworthia, and the plant may even die. That is why flower growers advise not to tempt fate and immediately cut off the peduncle.

Watering, humidity and feeding

The flower gets by with a small amount of water. Water only the top layer of soil in the flowerpot. In summer, each new watering is done after the soil has dried. Watering conditions in winter:

• at temperatures from +10 to +12° C - once a month;
• if the room temperature reaches 18-20 degrees Celsius, then water it twice a month.

The water should be warm, soft, preferably settled. The direction of watering is under the plant. If water gets into the outlet, the flower may rot. It is advisable to remove excess water from the pan. Air humidity does not matter.

Haworthia will not refuse fertilizers.

Advice
Introduce them between April and August, and eliminate them in the fall and winter.

One feeding per month is enough. Fertilizers are suitable for cacti and succulents. The proportions are two times less than indicated on the package. Avoid fertilizers high in nitrogen.

Transfer

Young plants need a replanting procedure every year. Adults are replanted as needed, usually no more than once every two to three years. The time for transplantation is spring. A sign that an urgent haworthia transplant is required:

• the pot has become small (the leaves will become smaller);
• if the roots die after winter.

The pot for growing Haworthia should be shallow and wide. The root system in such a container will not rot from excess moisture. In pots that are too deep and large, the succulent begins to grow in depth. It is better to grow a succulent in a plastic round pot. In a square container, the roots will take on an unnatural shape.

When removing a plant from an old pot, you need to carefully shake off the substrate from the roots. Rotting and dead areas must be cut off and treated with a fungicide. Before planting, you need to dry the roots for a day if they are healthy, and 10 days if they had to be treated. When placed in a new pot, the haworthia is covered with substrate up to the leaves, but the soil cannot be compacted with your palms.

Soil for succulents is sold at a flower shop. The magazine purity-en.htgetrid.com recommends adding a little clay and fine expanded clay to it. These additives will absorb excess moisture well if you pour the haworthia with a careless movement. Do not forget to place a drainage layer on the bottom of the container; it should occupy 1/3 of the flowerpot.

To make your own substrate, take in equal quantities:

• clay-turf soil,
• leaf soil,
• sand.

Reproduction

There are three methods of reproduction:

1. Children: during transplantation, separate the children that have taken root. Plant them in a separate pot. The substrate must be moist. It is also possible to plant a daughter rosette without roots. It will take root in the substrate.
2. Leaves. They need to be cut off or broken off from the mother socket. The sheet should dry for two days. Then it is planted in soil slightly moistened with water. There is no need to water the leaf for a month. During this time it will take root.
3. It is more difficult to propagate haworthia by seeds; this method is more suitable for breeders.

Reproduction is best done in the spring during transplantation. The container does not need to be covered with a bag or anything else: in a greenhouse, the flower will most likely rot.

Advice
In the first year of life, it is better to hide young seedlings from the bright sun. This will make their root system stronger.

Growing difficulties, tips

Diseases and pests do not bypass the miniature haworthia. What gardeners face when growing succulents:

• scale - gray-brown growths on the back of the leaf;
• aphids - pale green insects settle in the lower part of the leaves;
• root worm - the leaves turn red and become deformed, the soil becomes covered with white flakes.

If these pests are detected, then all diseased parts of the plant are removed. The sections are treated with charcoal and dried. It wouldn't hurt to use an insecticide. An emergency transplant of the plant into healthy soil will also not hurt. It is better to throw away the old pot and substrate.

What are the risks of improper care (symptoms and most likely cause):

1. The leaves take on a reddish or yellowish tint - you have overfed the flower.
2. The leaves are limp and blackened - drafts and too low temperatures.
3. The shoot is elongated, the rosette of leaves is loose - there is a lack of solar energy.
4. Another reason for pulling out a shoot is that the pot is too small.
5. The tips of the leaves dry out - there is not enough moisture, the air is too dry.
6. Blackening of foliage - excess moisture in the soil.
7. Brown spots on leaves - exposure to the sun.

Haworthia is good to grow in a florarium. She is matched with neighbors with similar care requirements. Haworthias of several species and other succulents get along well. The composition is made up a little chaotically and is decorated with stones, pebbles, colored sand, and interesting figures. A florarium with haworthias is an interior decoration that adds a touch of exoticism.

Interesting haworthia

Some interesting facts about the exotic flower:

1. In addition to its miniature size, the plant has another advantage: the lifespan of an indoor specimen reaches 30 years!
2. The name Haworthia comes from the English botanist E. Haworth, who determined its place in the classification of plants.
3. Folk sign: haworthia preserves positive energy in the house.

This graceful dwarf succulent has already won many hearts. It's your turn to experience the charm of Haworthia. Caring for a dwarf succulent will not take much time and effort, but you will be proud of the result.