Zebra Haworthia; Caring For And Propagating The Easy, Non-Toxic Succulent
The Zebra Haworthia is a wonderful succulent with many qualities.
Native to the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa, the Haworthiopsis, (whether is Fasciata or Attenuata variety), is an extremely easy to grow and to propagate plant.
In addition to its ease of maintenance, hardiness, and drought tolerance, this plant is non-toxic to children and pets! Can you ask for more?
Before we look at the Zebra Haworthia needs, let’s shed some light on the plant’s name, varieties and similarities to other plants that may confuse you.
The scientific name Haworthiopsis is replacing the obsolete name Haworthia, but they are the same thing. This plant is still commonly known as Zebra Haworthia, or Zebra Cactus.
The Zebra Plant, is an entirely different plant!
There are a few varieties of Haworthiopsis, but the most common are the Haworthiopsis Fasciata and the Haworthiopsis Attenuata. Even though there are subtle differences between these two plants, they can be cared for the same way, so don’t stress too much about which type you have.
However, what confused me quite a bit, as I was browsing through the IKEA’s plant department, was finding a Zebra Haworthia looking plant labeled as Aloe Vera…🤨
I had to buy it just for the sake of researching it 🤓, (and for no other reason, of course!).
It turned out that IKEA was right. I had bought an Aloe indeed…An Aloe Humilis, to be precise.
I discovered that the Zebra Haworthia and the Aloe Plant are related with the same sub-family, (Asphodeloideae).
This research proved two things:
- It is quite easy to confuse Aloe varieties with Haworthiopsis varieties, (and vice versa).
- IKEA sells pretty cool plants!
Check out the pictures below to see differences between Zebra Plant varieties and between Zebra Plants and the Aloe Humilis.
Haworthiopsis Fasciata.
This type of Zebra Cactus has wider and smoother inner leaves. Based on my experience, this type of Zebra Haworthia grows faster.
Haworthiopsis Attenuata.
This type of Zebra Cactus has thinner and bumpier inner leaves. Its leaves are also more splayed out.
Aloe Humilis.
If you observe it well, you notice that this plant doesn’t have those white tubercles, (white bands), on its leaves, but mostly random dots with small spines along the edges.
Its main stem structure, and the way the leaves grow along the stem is different from the Zebra Cactus.
zebra haworthia - light
The Zebra Haworthia thrives in bright, indirect light.
It does quite well with even a few hours of direct morning sunlight, as long as it is not exposed to too many hours of direct, scorching afternoon sun.
Ideal locations are North and East window sills, making sure there are no cold drafts or that the leaves are not touching the glass.
Southern window’s proximity with limited hours of morning sun is also great, as long as the leaves are far enough from the glass and its magnifying effect.
Western exposures are fine, as long as the direct sunlight is screened by sheer curtains.
zebra haworthia - humidity & temperature
This succulent adapts pretty well to any humidity levels you may have in your home, as long as it is placed in a spot with good ventilation.
Make sure that “ventilation” does not translate into close proximity to any drafts, neither cold or warm.
The Zebra Haworthia doesn’t tolerate temperatures below 50F/10C.
It is best to keep it between 60F/15C – 85F/29C during Spring and Summer and bring it to a colder room that doesn’t go below 50F/10C during Fall and Winter, when it typically goes dormant outdoors.
It is ok to keep your Zebra Haworthia at consistent temperature year round too.
Haworthiopsis Attenuata. Zebra Haworthia Attenuata.
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zebra haworthia - water & fertilizing
Like many other succulents, it is best to under-water the Zebra Haworthia, rather than over-watering it.
It is a good practice to generously water the plant once a week to every ten days from Spring to Fall, still making sure that the soil has dried out between waterings.
Water every two weeks, (or when the soil has dried out), between Fall and Spring.
The amount of water a plant needs is proportional to the amount of light it gets. More light means the soil dries out faster, which it means the plant will need water more often.
Limit your fertilization to once a month between Spring and Fall and drop it completely from Fall to Spring.
I use a cactus liquid plant food 2-7-7 for all my cacti and succulents.
This little Zebra Haworthia Attenuata is a present I received from a friend of mine, who has divided her big plant.
zebra haworthia - repotting & propagating
I have to say that I had to repot my Zebra Haworthia Fasciata more often than the Attenuata one. I definitely noticed the Fasciata variety growing faster and sprouting offsets at a faster pace, regardless of their location or type of pot they are planted in.
You know it’s time to repot your Zebra Haworthia when the plant and its offsets are bursting out of the pot. I’ve even seen offsets growing out of the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot, (not mine though!!).
In many instances the top feels heavy and the pot topples on the side.
I always recommend to only go one size bigger than the existing pot when repotting plants. However, I know that greenhouses have the tendency to sell succulents in extremely small pots.
In addition to that, the Zebra Haworthia has deep roots, so make sure the pot is big enough for the roots but not too big for the roots to drown in. Click here for more details on repotting houseplants.
Two things are important when repotting Haworthias;
- The type of pot. Use a terracotta pot with drainage holes. Proper drainage is critical for this plant. Terracotta is a porous material that allows the soil to dry out faster, rather than maintaining the soil moist.
- The type of soil. Use a cactus/succulent soil mixed with perlite to add drainage. (1 part perlite to 4 parts soil).
The Zebra Haworthia can be propagated by stem cut or by offsets.
The offset method is the most common and by far, most successful method.
As the plant grows, you’ll notice one or more offsets sprouting at the base of the plant.
Those offsets will become your new plants!
I recommend you wait until the offsets are at least 2″ in height before you pull, (or cut) them.
Once you’ve pulled, (or cut) your offsets, allow them to dry out for a couple of days before planting them in a small pot of soil.
That’s right! In the case of the Zebra Haworthia, you don’t need to place the cuttings in water to root before planting them!
How easy is that?
In this picture you can appreciate two offsets sticking out of the right side of the pot.
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