July plant of the Month (2006) Haworthia coarctata ssp

A more in-depth look at individual succulent species, a new one is added each week.
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templegatejohn
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July plant of the Month (2006) Haworthia coarctata ssp

Post by templegatejohn »

Haworthia coarctata ssp. Adelaidensis Haw.

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Growth Habits: Forms clumps of rosettes up to 5in (12 cms.) diameter of dark green fleshy leaves that are tightly packed, with attractive white tubercule markings. The plant is not a particularly fast grower, but given the correct growing conditions is one of the more beautiful Haworthia, of which there are many.

Scientific name:
Haworthia coarctata

Common names:

Synonym: Haworthia reinwardtii var. huntsdriftensis, Haworthia greenii, Haworthia reinwardtii var. pseudocoarctata, Haworthia musculina, Haworthia greenii var. silvicola, Haworthia reinwardtii var. committeesensis, Haworthia reinwardtii var. fallax, Haworthia fulva, Haworthia reinwardtii var. conspicua, Haworthia fallax, Haworthia reinwardtii var. chalwinii, Aloe coarctata, Haworthia reinwardtii ssp. coarctata, Haworthia reinwardtii var. coarctata, Haworthia coarctata, Haworthia coarctata, Haworthia coarctata, Haworthia coarctata var. haworthii, Haworthia coarctata var. kraussii


Etymology:
The genus Haworthia is named after Adrian Hardy Haworth, an English entomologist and botanist. Coarctata means crowded.

Origin: The plant originates from South Africa on the Eastern Cape.

Light: As with many Haworthia this plant prefers light shade and will even do well in shade. In light shade the plant will have leaves of a rich green. In sun the leaves will turn a reddish brown.

Compost:
Virtually all the Haworthia species need well drained soil. Many of them have a nasty habit of losing their roots . These will grow again, but if the compost is constantly wet the plant will probably rot and die.

Water:
Needs regular watering in the summer months.

Flower: The flower is white to pinkish and again as with most Haworthia is on a long stem that lifts it well above the plant body.

Fruit: The fruit is relatively large and rounded to elongate.

Min. temp:
This plant does very well with a cool winter temperature and is hardy to 30°F (-1°C)

Cultivation: Haworthia in general and this species in particular are not difficult to grow and keep looking healthy as long as you know their needs, which have been mentioned above, i.e. at least some shade. They can be grown in a spot that would be too shady for many other plants.

Habitat: The area where the plants grow contains the Addo Elephant Park game reserve and was once part of Zulu Land. I know very little about the area except that it can be extremely dry even though there is a large river system in the area in which the species grows.

Comments: I have always had a soft spot for the Haworthia genus and over the years have had many of the species. Their flowers are nothing to write home about but the genus has so many different forms, sizes and shapes that a collection of nothing but Haworthia would look stunning and in the main they are not large plants so quite a large collection can be accommodated in a relatively small space.
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