Friday, June 27, 2008

An Interesting Haworthia Hybrid

Haworthia truncata x cuspidata


Haworthia is a large genus of succulents from South Africa. Some species in the genus are popular as window plants because of their looks and somewhat easy care. I don't normally collect Haworthia specimens, but I really liked the way this one looked. It is an interspecific hybrid of H. truncata and H. cuspidata. This specimen carries the characteristics of each species in several leaves; Cusidata means "pointed" and Truncata means "cut straight across". There is a mix of pointed and truncated leaves on it.

There are many hybrids and cultivars of Haworthia, and some collectors spend a lifetime crossing various species of this genus to develop new plants. Some even cross Haworthia, Gasteria and even Aloe. The collector I acquired this succulent from was an avid hybridizer.

I'm still trying to figure out a proper watering pattern for this Haworthia hybrid. If I wait for the soil to dry, the leaves deflate and look withered. If it is watered too much, it will lose its roots. It needs light shade to grow well in Phoenix. I think my patio, which faces north and has some western sun exposure in the late afternoon, provides too much light part of the day. If I continue to have problems with the leaves, I may just move it indoors where it will have consistent temperature and light.


4 comments:

Julie said...

i adore THIS hAWORTHIA...IT MAKES ME THINK OF MY LOVELY GASTERIA !!! Sorry...my caps were locked! Hope you can find just the right place for it!

kate said...

I used to have a Haworthia that I managed to kill off ... I love the look of them.

srboisvert said...

In habitat they grow shaded by nurse plants. Most growers here in the UK put them under the bench in their greenhouse to simulate this.

On other issue is that pot looks like it might be a bit too large which can result in hidden reservoirs of moisture that can lead to rot. Particularly since with a large pot the upper part of the plant doesn't tend to grow much - the growth is all in the roots because it can be.

Aiyana said...

srboisvert,
Thanks for the info. I do agree that the pot is too large and that will lead to less plant growth and it has.
Aiyana