Easy Going

Haworthia fasciata hybrid

Last year I wrote about purchasing a five dollar flat of fire-burned Haworthia plants that had belonged to one of our local Cactus and Succulent Society members who had been seriously burned in a house fire. Hundreds of plants had been rescued after months of neglect from the burned house property. These were then sold during the CACSS annual show and sale.

The plants I bought were really sad looking H. fasciata and H. limifolia hybrids. I had little hope that they would survive, having been scorched badly on one side, and partially knocked out of pots. They had not been watered in months. Well, I repotted them all, and now they all look great! In the photo above you can see some lingering evidence of the scorching on the lower leaves of this plant. It has clumped and grown considerably. I have about eight pots of H. fasciata hybrids now.

I thought they looked good in summer, but during the past two months, they've all really taken off and look their best. One of the reasons may be is that H. fasciata comes from the Eastern Cape of South Africa, and this species is a summer grower. Summer in South Africa is from mid-October to mid-February, so this succulent is currently in its growth phase.

H. fasciata cannot take frost, and does better in Phoenix with light shade in summer. I keep mine on the patio year round. It should be watered when dry. Too much water can result in root rot, however, the plant is easy to re-root. Just repot into new soil after removing the rotted roots and old soil. New roots will begin growing in a few weeks. I'm now glad to have this easy care species in my succulent collection.