Haworthia Fasciata of the Asphodelaceae family is a succulent with white stripes that resemble the signature look of a zebra. This plant brings the rare touch of wildlife and the jungle right into your house. If you need a plant that will light up your home garden in a unique way, this plant is for you.
Don’t worry about how to care for this Haworthia genus plant because this post will enlighten you on everything that you need to know.
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What Is a Haworthia Fasciata?
Haworthia Fasciata is a succulent that has its origins in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. This plant, which belongs to the Asphodeloideae, forms rosettes that proliferate from its base. Other names that are often used to refer to Haworthia Fasciata include Zebra Haworthia, Haworthia Succulent, and Zebra Succulent.
Haworthia Fasciata Care
Parenting Haworthia Fasciata is far from being difficult. This section will provide you with everything that you need to know for you to care for a Zebra plant.
Water
The succulent, fleshy leaves of Haworthia Fasciata store water. This is why the plant can go for long periods without being watered. The ability of the Zebra Succulent to hold water is also the reason why the plant can easily be overwatered. This is also the reason why irrigation is not a good idea.
If you live in warmer regions of the globe, water your plant once every week. In cooler areas, watering the Haworthia succulent once every two weeks is fine. Haworthia Fasciata plants are inactive during winter, so significantly reduce your watering frequency during this season.
Soak and Dry Method
When you water your plant, we recommend that you use the “soak and dry” strategy. This method involves thoroughly watering your Haworthia Fasciata until water begins to come out through the drainage holes of your plant’s pot. You then have to leave the plant until the top inch of the soil dries before you can give it another drink.
Light
Haworthia Fasciata cannot complain under relatively higher levels of sunlight, as compared to what other houseplants can tolerate. However, the plant also does well in partial shade.
Indoors, identify a spot where your plant can receive bright, indirect sunlight for at least four hours. You can place your Zebra Succulent in a room that has a huge, uncovered south-facing window.
Summer Exposure
During summer, reduce the duration for exposing your plant to direct sunlight. When exposed to direct sunshine over long periods of time, Haworthia Fasciata can suffer sunburn. This causes your plant to attain a red, purple, or brown color, a scenario that ribs your plant of its stunning beauty.
Placing Zebra Haworthia in the shade for extended periods of time steals the plant’s vigor. The plant becomes weak and so thin. Optimum growth of Haworthia Fasciata is achieved when you are able to avoid the extremes of too much shade or sunlight.
Soil
Grainy soils are normally well-draining, which is why they are the best substrate for growing Haworthia Fasciata. The roots of this plant are highly susceptible to root rot if they are exposed to waterlogged conditions. A soil mix that has good drainage properties helps to prevent your Zebra Succulents from sitting in water.
For best results, we recommend that you buy a commercial cacti mix. This is because this soil mix is pathogen-free, has a balanced pH, and is perfect for preventing root rot. Moreover, you don’t need to mix the cacti preparation with any other soil.
If you decide to make your own soil mix, add pumice, perlite, or aquarium gravel to improve the drainage properties.
Fertilizer
Adding fertilizer can be necessary when your plant grows. You can occasionally give your plant a highly diluted liquid fertilizer every two to three months.
Please, do not add any fertilizers to your Haworthia Fasciata during the winter season.
Temperature and Humidity
The Haworthia succulent has been adapted to desert settings so it can survive even the hottest of days. Temperatures between 70 F and 95 F are the best reference for the plant during summer.
In winter Haworthia Fasciata is happy in temperatures around 50 F. Avoid temperatures that are below 39.2 F because Haworthia Fasciata does not tolerate frosty environmental conditions.
Indoor Cultivation
When you grow it as a houseplant, Haworthia Fasciata thrives well under the room temperatures that are available in your home between spring and autumn. As you approach winter, the Zebra Succulent tends to prefer cooler temperatures.
Just like other succulents, Zebra Haworthia prefers dry conditions. It doesn’t need any humidity. Care should, therefore, be taken if you are growing the plant indoors. You should avoid rooms that are characterized by higher humidity levels, like the kitchen, laundry room, and bathroom.
– Repotting
Haworthia Fasciata is relatively slow-growing, so it doesn’t need frequent repotting. You can repeat your pant after about three years or whenever they appear within a quarter-inch of their container’s edge. Be sure to report your plant into a pot that’s not more than an inch bigger than the current one. Also, ensure that our new pot has enough drainage holes.
Gently remove your Zebra Succulent from its old pot, making sure that you do not damage the plant’s roots. Shake the soil that remains attached to the roots. Put the plant into the new pot, hold it upright with one hand while the other hand covers the plant’s roots with soil. Lightly water your plant until the topsoil is noticeably wet.
Propagation
Zebra succulents are so easy to propagate. Therefore, it is better for you to learn how to multiply these plants and serve yourself the hustle of having to buy another plant each toe you need one.
Moreover, the beauty of this plant can make propagating it a great business venture. Cuttings and offsets are the easiest methods for propagating your Zebra Haworthia.
– Cuttings
This method is effective if you do when your plant approaches the end of dormancy and the beginning of the growing season. Select a young and healthy leaf because it roots well compared to the old leaves at the base of your Zebra Haworthia plant.
Use a disinfected knife to cut off the leaf that you selected. Scissors tend to damage flesh leaves, so avoid using them in this case.
Dip the cut end of the leaf-cutting into a rooting hormone to expedite the rooting process. Place the leaf on a flat surface and leave it to dry for a couple of days until it dries and forms a callous at the cut end. Plant the leaf in a pot with potting soil. We recommend the cactus potting mix for this purpose.
Water the leaf potting and put it in a space where it can receive bright, indirect sunlight. Be sure to keep the soil moist, but it should not be soggy. After several weeks, your plant will begin to develop a rooting system. Transplant the plant into a bigger pot when the roots seem to be more established.
– Offsets
Haworthia Fasciata usually has offsets growing from its base. Using these offsets is an advantage because it prevents overcrowding on the mother plant. For this reason, propagation is best done when the parent plant has overgrown its current pot, and you are about to repot it.
Use a sterilized knife to cut off the offsets from the mother plant, making sure that the offset goes with as many roots as possible. Sterilizing the knife can be quickly done using 70 percent isopropyl alcohol. Leave the offsets to dry for about a day so that they can dry. Plant the dried offsets in a pot that has the same potting soil as the parent plant.
Problems
Like many other houseplants, prevention is the best strategy for dealing with pests and diseases. Prevention usually involves following all best care practices, including providing appropriate water, light, soil, temperatures, and humidity conditions.
– Pests
The scale should be your main concern when caring for Haworthia Fasciata, though spider mites can sometimes be an issue. Scaler and spider mites are both sucking pests whose survival is dependent on drawing the sap of your plant.
As small as these pests might appear to be, they destroy your plant’s vitality and vibrancy. Develop a habit of checking your plants for these pests so that you can identify them when the infestation is still low.
Intervention
Neem oil is one of the most effective interventions that you can use against scale and spider mites as it kills the pests at all stages of development. When the infestations are still low, you can mix one part of isopropyl alcohol with three parts of water and spray your plant.
Be sure to test the spray on a small, hidden part of the plant before you can spray the whole Haworthia Fasciata plant. Dabbing the pests with cotton balls that are dipped in 70 percent alcohol is also a great option.
Homemade Insecticide
If the commercial insecticides are expensive for you, consider preparing your insecticidal soap using ingredients that you have at home. Get five tablespoons of liquid dishwashing soap and mix it with a gallon of distilled water to get a gallon of insecticidal soap.
Shake well and put the insecticidal soap in a spray bottle. Spray your Haworthia Fasciata, making sure that the insecticidal soap reaches the hidden parts as well.
– Drooping Leaves
If you notice shriveling or drooping leaves on your plant, this is a sign that you have been overwatering the plant, and so your plant might be suffering from root rot.
– Overwatering
Overwatering clogs all the airspaces in the soil with water, ultimately depriving the roots of oxygen. In a few cases, the drooping might be due to underwatering.
Gently uproot your plant to check if there are still healthy roots. If there are, remove the rotten ones using sterilized scissors and replant the Haworthia Fasciata in another pot whose soil is not waterlogged.
Don’t forget to allow the soil of your plant to dry between waterings. If the roots are all rotten, then your plant is dead; simply discard it.
– Too Much Light
As is the case with red and white leaves, yellowing leaves are an indication that your Haworthia Succulent has been receiving too much light. Transfer your plant from full sunlight exposure to partial shade. Be sure not to put the plant in complete shade.
Facts About the Haworthia Fasciata
– Leaves
The leaves of this plant are the reason why it stands out. Each leaf is erect and laced with white stripes that contrast with the green background on its surface. These stripes that are imitative of the gorgeous art on the skin of a zebra explain why the plant is known as Zebra Haworthia.
The stem of this plant is leafy and miniature to the extent that you might not even be able to distinguish it from the rest of the plant.
– Flowers
Haworthia Fasciata blooms, but this rarely happens when the plant is grown indoors.
When it blooms, Zebra Haworthia produces tiny, tubular flowers that can be white or pink in color, and this happens in summer. The flowers are hung in an inflorescence. Given optimum conditions, Haworthia Fasciata can reach between four and eight inches in height.
FAQ
Should I remove Haworthia Fasciata pups?
It’s recommended to remove Haworthia Fasciata pups to promote healthy growth and prevent overcrowding.
How do you encourage root growth in Haworthia Fasciata?
Encourage root growth in Haworthia Fasciata by providing well-draining soil, avoiding overwatering, and providing indirect sunlight.
Does Haworthia Fasciata attract bugs?
Haworthia Fasciata is generally not attractive to bugs, but ensuring proper care and hygiene can further minimize the risk.
Conclusion
We have gotten to the point where you have to shout, ‘Eureka!” which means “I found it!” You have all the information that you need for you to exercise your ability to be the best parent ever to your Haworthia Fasciata.
Here is a summary of what you learned in this article:
- Haworthia Fasciata has greater tolerance to higher levels of sunlight, but do not put this plant under direct sunlight for too long.
- Well-draining soils promote the healthy growth of your plant.
- Temperatures between 70 F and 95 F in summer, as well as 50 F in winter, are conducive for the proper growth of Haworthia Fasciata.
- You can propagate your Haworthia Fasciata through offsets or leaf cuttings.
- Troubleshoot your watering patterns if you notice drooping or shriveling leaves on your plant.
Well done for getting to the end of this article and attaining all the theoretical knowledge that you need parenting Haworthia Fasciata.
It’s time for getting your practical knowledge and experience as you apply the concepts that you learned from this article. All the best in your Haworthia Fasciata parenting endeavors!
