Haworthia SCABRA 'TUBERCULATA'

Haworthia SCABRA 'TUBERCULATA' - Tuberculate rough haworthia, Haworthia scabra 'Tuberculata', Haworthia TUBERCULATA.

Haworthia is a genus of miniature and dwarf succulent herbaceous plants in the asphodel subfamily (Asphodeloideae). Many species are cultivated as houseplants. The genus is named in honor of the English botanist Adrian Haworth.

It is a perennial evergreen succulent from South Africa with many slow-growing varieties. Plump leaves form a rosette up to 10 cm (4 in) in diameter on a virtually absent stem. Different haworthia species differ mainly in the shape, color, and texture of foliage. Often plants produce numerous lateral shoots, forming dense mounding clumps.

Fleshy dark green leaves are arranged either at ground level or on a short, slightly elevated stem. Some varieties resemble houseleeks in appearance. Many species have translucent window-like areas at the leaf tips that allow light to penetrate into internal tissues. In some haworthias, the leaves are covered with white tuberculate growths resembling hardened sugar glaze. Leaf margins can be smooth, dentate, ciliate, or awned. Small white flowers are typical of most species.

Haworthia scabra has rough leaves covered on all sides with small tubercles. It is a very heterogeneous species with several distinct forms. Rosettes are highly variable in size, from 30 mm to 150 mm (1.2 to 6 in). The plants have a short leafy stem; some forms have few leaves, while others bear many. Some forms multiply well by offsets, while others remain solitary.

It usually grows leaves in three tiers, although some varieties exhibit a five-tiered leaf structure. Many forms display spiraling of leaves. The dark green, firm, thick leaves with warty surfaces are convex on the underside, broad at the base and tapering to the apex, 7-8 cm (2.8-3.1 in) long and 2.5 cm (1 in) wide. There are forms without distinct tubercles, featuring smooth leaf surfaces. The inflorescence is sparsely branched, with straight-tubed flowers. Flowers usually appear in November and December.

A rather slow-growing species native to arid regions of South Africa. Cultivation requires patience. In nature, it grows in very well-drained sandy soil, usually under bushes or rock outcrops that serve as partial protection from the sun.

Sowing is performed on the surface of a cactus substrate, the container is covered with film, and the soil is moistened. The seeds are germinated at a temperature of around 22 °C (72 °F) in a bright spot, avoiding direct sunlight. Sprouts require ventilation. Both overwatering and desiccation of the sowings must be avoided.

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Haworthia is considered quite simple to grow. As with all succulents, the most common mistake is overwatering. To avoid these problems, a drainage layer is added at the bottom of a wide shallow container, over which a non-acidic well-drained substrate is poured. In the winter period, watering is done only after the soil has dried out; in other periods, the soil is kept in a slightly moist state. Misting is not required.

Repotting is also unnecessary, as the plant feels great for many years in the exact same container. Haworthias require bright diffused light, while they are ready to tolerate direct sunlight only in spring and autumn. In summer, a weak solution of cactus and succulent fertilizer can be applied once a month.