Haworthia coarctata is a tropical succulent plant that grows in the form of a rosette. The thick and tall leaves marked with white stripes give your garden a special look that no other succulent has.
Learn more about this plant through the information our gardening experts have provided you with, while you introduce it into your garden.
Contents
What Is Haworthia Coarctata?
Haworthia coarctata is a beautiful plant from the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. This tropical succulent plant grows in clumps and it is best known for the white ribbings on its ribs.
Haworthia Coarctata Care
Haworthia succulent is very easy to grow and does not require much attention. Just follow the care guidelines below:
– Getting Your Haworthia Coarctata
You can get your haworthia coarctata seeds and plants from garden shops and nurseries.
If you are a first-timer, you should buy matured plants and not seeds, to prevent you from making any major mistake, as matured haworthia coarctata are hardy.
When buying your haworthia coarctata, make sure that you purchase it in your USDA hardiness zone so that you can be sure that the plant will grow in your home (i.e. the right temperature).
– Right Soil or Potting Mix
Like other succulent plants, haworthia coarctata needs well-drained soil. Moreover, it can grow in any substrate that cacti grow in. If you want to make a potting mix for the plant you should know that it’s very easy.
Just mix sand and compost in a ratio of two or three-part sand to one-part compost, so it would be a ratio of 2-3:1.
– Light
This beautiful succulent plant needs full to partial sunlight. So long as your plant has more than four hours of direct sunlight, you are good to go. The lighting need of the plant depends on your preferred color of leaves.
If you grow haworthia coarctata in full sunlight, i.e. six or more hours, the leaves will appear purple-red. In partial sunlight, which would be four to six hours of sunlight, the leaves will be dark green. The white ribbings on the leaves will stay no matter the amount of sunlight the plant is exposed to.
The best way to tell that your haworthia coarctata needs more light is when it begins to grow taller than it should and it also appears weak. You should give more light to your plants if they look weak.
Place them on south-facing windowsills for potted plants, or a location that receives more than six hours of sunlight, for rock or succulent garden plants.
– Water
Like other succulent plants, you should be very cautious when watering your haworthia coarctata. Here are some ways to water the plant:
- Soak and dry: You can water your haworthia coarctata plants by soaking them with water and waiting until the soil is dry completely before you water them again. You should only use this method of watering when you are very sure that the soil or potting mix is well-drained. Before you water the plant again, dip your finger into the soil or potting mix. Only water the plant when at least two inches of topsoil is dry.
- Misting: Misting refers to spraying water droplets on the leaves or lower ends of your haworthia coarctata. You can mist the plant once or twice weekly in the growing season. You can also spray some droplets of water on the soil around the plant.
Only water your haworthia coarctata in the growing season, so during the spring and summer. Do not water it in the fall or winter. Also, if you are having doubts about watering your plants, wait a day or two before watering them.
– Nutrient
Haworthia coarctata can grow in nutrient-depleted soil. In a new potting mix made with compost, you do not have to add nutrients to your plants until two years after planting them. In your garden soil or old potting mix, you should get a succulent or cactus fertilizer and fertilize your haworthia coarctata once per month in summer.
You do not have to give your haworthia coarctata fertilizer in the fall and winter because the plant does not grow in those seasons.
Propagation
You do not have to buy more plants if you have already purchased your first haworthia coarctata. There is another way to get more plants and that is by propagation. There are two common ways to propagate haworthia coarctata:
– Offsets
When mature enough, usually after flowering, haworthia coarctata produces offsets. When you notice new shoots, sprouts, or offsets close to your haworthia coarctata, you can leave them to form a clump, or you can transfer them to new pots or locations.
To transplant your haworthia coarctata offsets, use a brush to brush off the top inches of the garden soil or potting mix to reveal the point where an individual offset is attached to the mother plant.
Carefully pull the offset (with as many roots that can follow) and leave it to dry for a day or two. Plant the offset in a new pot afterward. You should water the offset just the way you would water the mother plant.
– Leaves
Haworthia coarctata is a special plant that you can propagate by its leaves. Look for a large and healthy leaf in the tight rosette of your plant and pull it from the plant. Keep the leaf on a surface where it can be exposed to light. Leave the leaf for several days and you should see a new plant growing from the edge of the leaf.
When the plant has sufficient root or the leaf has almost withered completely, plant the new haworthia coarctata on a pot or a new location.
Repotting
It is totally your choice to re-pot your haworthia coarctata. If you want your haworthia coarctata offsets to grow attached to the mother plant, you will have to re-pot the entire mass in two to three years into a larger pot.
To prevent regular repotting, you should transplant new offset to new pots or locations. The only time that you will need to re-pot your haworthia coarctata is immediately after you buy it from the store.
Potential Problems
Even though haworthia coarctata is very easy to grow so long as you stick with the principle of growing succulents, you may face some challenges while growing the plant.
– Overwatering
Overwatering is a very common mistake that people make when growing succulents. It is better for succulent plants to be thirsty than overwatered. Overwatering can cause root rot, stunted growth, or even the death of the plant.
You should only water your haworthia coarctata in the growing season and also make sure that the soil is dry completely before you water again.
– Wintering Problems
As a plant that is indigenous to tropical regions, haworthia coarctata may die when exposed to winter for a long time. The best way to prevent the death of your haworthia coarctata is to plant it in pots so that you can transfer it indoors during winter and put it under grow lights for 12 or more hours.
– Pests
Haworthia coarctata is regularly disturbed by insect pests such as mealybugs and aphids. It can also be attacked by fungi. Thankfully, you can protect your plants by using insecticides, fungicides, and other pesticides.
It does not matter the problem that your haworthia coarctata is facing, you can look for healthy leaves, pull them, and start new plants with them.
Identifying Haworthia Coarctata
Haworthia coarctata is very easy to identify especially through its leaves. Here are some features of the plant:
- Plant physiology: Haworthia coarctata can grow eight inches tall and two inches wide. The most distinguishable feature of this plant is that it grows in the form of a tall rosette around a stem with long green leaves.
- Leaves: The leaves of haworthia coarctata have white markings like ribbings. These succulent leaves are thick and fattened. Even though the leaves are mostly green, they can become purple-red when stressed under full sun.
- Flowers: Haworthia coarctata produces flowers in summer. The plant’s flowers are small and green. The flower does not have any unique smell or fragrance and relies on wind for pollination.
Haworthia coarctata is truly a beautiful plant. With the white markings on its leaves, your haworthia coarctata will surely get the attention of your visitors.
Uses
Haworthia coarctata is not just a beautiful plant; it has a lot of uses. Here are some of them:
- Ornamental plant: Haworthia coarctata is very suitable for garden pots. For outdoor gardening, this plant is best for rock or succulent gardens. It is very easy to grow and will grow in any garden where other succulents thrive.
- Filler plant: If you have a garden with some spaces between plants, planting haworthia coarctata in those spaces so that it can fill the spaces is a great idea.
- Medicinal plant: In some parts of southern Africa, the leaves of haworthia coarctata are used for medicinal purposes just like the leaves of other succulents such as Aloe vera.
Now that you are interested in growing haworthia coarctata even more than you were before, you can go ahead and implement the advice we have provided you with in our care guide for its care!
FAQ
Is AC bad for Haworthia Coarctata?
AC can be harmful to Haworthia Coarctata as it prefers moderate temperatures. Avoid exposing it to extreme cold or hot air currents.
Is my Haworthia Coarctata male or female?
Haworthia Coarctata’s gender is not distinguishable as it reproduces asexually through offsets or pups rather than by male or female flowers.
Why is my Haworthia Coarctata turning red?
Haworthia Coarctata may turn red due to stress from excessive sunlight or high temperatures. Provide partial shade and ensure proper watering to prevent further discoloration.
Conclusion
As you should know by now, haworthia coarctata is very easy to care for. For important points that you should remember about haworthia coarctata are:
- Haworthia coarctata needs full sun to partial sun
- Soil or potting mix for haworthia coarctata must be well-drained
- Even if your plant is dying, you can easily propagate the leaves to get new plants
- You can easily propagate your haworthia coarctata by using its leaves and offsets.
- In winter, you should take your plant indoors where there is a suitable temperature and give it 12 or more hours of grow light
An awesome and easy-to-grow plant, right? Now, you’ll also be able to experience it thriving indoors or in your garden, by using our plant guide when you buy it or if you already have it!
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