All you wanted to know about Haworthias, Gasterias and Astrolobas: Haworthia sordida

Haworthia sordida, Pienaarspoort

Haworthia sordida Haw.

sordida: dirty looking.

Haworthia sordida is very dark green plant, rosette is stemless, 5-10 cm in diameter, remains usually solitary. When exposed, it turns almost black. The name does not do credit to this very handsome species. Also other species accumulate dust on the leaf surfaces to become dirty looking. H. sordida is probably the eastern equivalent of H. scabra. It is much more finely tubercled and the leaves are nearly always blunt. It occurs from Addo to Steytlerville.

Distribution map

H. sordida is very slowly growing species. When young, leaves are very fine tubercled and turning outward. In adult size leaves are more erect and almost without tubercles. There are several forms - in western part around Steytlerville is var. lavranii described, which is extremely rare in nature, it differs by its size. From area near Bluecliff Station comes form with very long leaves - previously var. agavoides. In discussion is its relationship to H. bruynsii. From the area around Steytlerville was described var. lavranii. This should be much smaller with shorter leaves. Latest discussions point out, that this is probably "only" form of sordida. However I will show plants of them in separed article.

H. sordida is now quite fashionable plant to grow. But it is not easy plant. Beside it so slowly, it needs much more shade, less water and good "light" substrate. It seems to grow better in perlite mixtures (or also pumice). Propagation must be done by seed.

Synonym:

Aloe sordida, H. sordida var. agavoides, H. agavoides