Related Plants: Aloe, Gasteria, Kniphofia, Poellnitzia and Astroloba

No of Species:  61 (divided in 3 subgenus), 169 subspecies, varieties and forma per Bayer 1999.

A genus of small flowering plants/herbs endemic to South Africa. Haworthia were named for the British botanist Adrian Hardy Haworth, by Henri Duval in 1809. They are all perennial and succulent, that is they have fleshy leaves to varying degrees to enable them to survive relatively dry conditions. Flowers are non-descript and the plants are grown for their leaves and general shape. Although they rarely exceed 8" (200mm) in height, clump forming species can spread quite a distance, but most can be contained in no more than 4"-6" (100-150mm) pots, making them ideal for a window sill collection. They are not frost hardy.

As a genus they are quite variable, even within individual species and hybridisation in nature is common, making IDs and nomenclature difficult at times. But it is this variability that also makes them attractive to collectors.

Three Subgenus

The genus is divided into three subgenus based on flower cross section shape and petal arrangement.

Haworthia. 41 Species. Defined by a triangular or rounded triangular cross section, petals tend to be elongated triangles. This group includes so called "weed" species such as cymbiformis, not a description I would apply to them and such wonders as the jewel like magnifica var. splendens and the slow growing springbokvlakensis.

Hexangulares. 16 Species. As the name suggests the flower cross section is six sided almost circular, petals almost lily like arrangement This group includes most of the hard leafed Haworthias, like the most commonly known Haworthia attenuata (often sold as the Zebra Plant), with one exception bruynsii, which is almost retuse in appearance.

Robustipedundunculares. 4 Species. Again as the name suggests robust, the flower has a swollen base, petals often give the appearance of a star of David in arrangement. While the smallest group this includes the largest Haworthias, the largest of which is pumila which off course means dwarf, not as odd as it seems as was Aloe pumila.

Cultivation & Propagation

More to follow. Contributions welcome.

All the plants as per Bayer 1999 Haworthia Revisited

Follow the Subgenus or Species link for more information with images.

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