Growing Haworthia: window plants

The Haworthia pictured here are a variety of different species, not very expensive and easy to grow. As you can see, some leaves are pointy or prickly, some are round and smooth and there is an infinite variety in the plants. Mine are looking either red or pale because I grow them outside and it has been a long, hot summer. If you go to a local nursery, you might be disappointed by the greenness of the plants on offer but this is how they look when exposed to harsh sunlight for a few hours a day. They will become greener over winter as the sunlight becomes gentler.

The beauty of these plants lies in the translucent leaf tips that shows when the light is behind them; in nature they grow close to the ground with only the windowed tips visible - an adaptation to avoid sunburn

Haworthia cymbiformis var. transience

Haworthia Cooperi var. pilifera

This is Haworthia reticulata var hurlinghii, which doesn't have windows, but reticulations (chain-markings)

These are all inexpensive, easy to grow and suitable for beginners. The great thing about them is that they tend to make lots of offsets and turn into big clumps or mats so if you have friends or family that like succulents, the clumps can be separated out and small plants given as gifts