Haworthia pygmaea
| Light | Bright, indirect light; protect from harsh direct sun |
|---|---|
| Water | Moderately in the growing season; keep dry through summer dormancy and cold spells |
| Soil | Gritty, fast-draining mix (see Soil and potting mix) |
| Temperature | Frost-free; USDA zones 9b–11, mild winter rest |
| Propagation | Offsets and leaf cuttings; seed for variety |
| Toxicity | Non-toxic to cats and dogs |
Haworthia pygmaea is a small, slow-growing rosette succulent from the Western Cape of South Africa, best known for the fine glistening papillae that coat its leaf windows. Those tiny raised bumps catch the light to give the flattened leaf tips a frosted, sugary sheen that has made the species a longtime favourite among Haworthia collectors.
Description
Haworthia pygmaea forms a compact, stemless rosette, usually only a few centimetres across, that stays low and often sits partly retracted into the soil. The leaves are thick, blunt and inward-curving, their upper surfaces flattened into translucent "windows" — a feature shared with many of the so-called retuse haworthias, which in habitat let light down into a body largely buried in gritty ground.
The species' signature trait is the dense covering of fine papillae over these window faces. Depending on the plant, this frosting ranges from a light dusting to a thick, near-continuous coat of glittering white bumps, and selection for ever-denser papillae has produced some strikingly sugar-coated forms. Slender flower spikes carry small, pale, greenish-white tubular blooms typical of the genus; they are modest, and the plant is grown firmly for its foliage.
Distribution and habitat
Haworthia pygmaea is native to the southern Cape of South Africa, in the region around Mossel Bay in the Western Cape. It grows in well-drained, stony ground, frequently tucked among rocks or low vegetation that gives it dappled shade and shelters the retracted rosettes from the fiercest sun. Like most haworthias it endures long dry spells by drawing down into the soil and living off its plump, water-storing leaves.
Cultivation
This is a forgiving little plant so long as it is not kept wet. Grow it in a gritty, sharply draining mix in a pot with ample drainage, and give it bright but filtered light — enough to keep the rosette tight and compact, but shaded from scorching direct sun that can bleach or mark the delicate windows. An east-facing sill or lightly shaded greenhouse spot suits it well.
Water moderately while the plant is in active growth, letting the soil dry out between waterings, and ease off during the heat of high summer and through winter cold, when the plant naturally rests. Overwatering, especially in a heavy mix or during dormancy, is the main cause of loss through root and base rot. See Watering and Repotting for general technique.
Propagation
Established clumps offset over time, and these pups can be separated and rooted once they have a little size — the simplest and most reliable method (see Propagation — offsets). Individual leaves, carefully detached with a clean base, can also be struck as cuttings, though haworthia leaves root more grudgingly than those of many other succulents. Seed is used chiefly to raise variety and to select for heavier papillae, but seedlings are slow. See Propagation — seed for the full method.
Common problems
- Rot — from overwatering or a poorly draining mix; the base or lower leaves soften, discolour and collapse.
- Marked or bleached windows — too much direct sun scorches the translucent leaf faces, dulling the prized frosted surface.
- Etiolation — in too little light the rosette stretches and loosens, losing its neat, retracted form.
- Pests — mealybugs (white fluff between and beneath the leaves) and root mealybugs are the usual troublemakers; see Pests and diseases.
See also
- Haworthia — the genus overview
- Soil and potting mix · Watering · Repotting
- Propagation — offsets · Propagation — cuttings · Propagation — seed