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

Haworthia mucronata, Coetzeespoort, NEW PHOTO

Haworthia mucronata Haw.

mucronata: pointed.

H. mucronata is slowly proliferous species, in size it varies from 6 to 12 cm in diameter, leaves are incurved, broadly ovate-lanceolate, with translucent margins and keel, both often spined.

Distribution map

H. mucronata in general is a common species extending from Barrydale to Oudtshoorn. At Barrydale itself the plants are rather pale green with elongated sparsely setate leaves (from here was original H. unicolor described). Eastwards the plants are more robust and often glabrous, usually distinguished by particulary dark-purplish colouration on leaf tips. The further eastwards one progresses the more setate the plants become until Oudtshoorn, near Cango Caves, where the plants are comparatively small and more softly setate (H. unicolor var. helmiae).

It is still unclear relationship between H. mucronata and H. arachnoidea var. nigricans (H. aristata sensu Breuer). They do appear to cohabit (Grootrivier near Ladismith) and in many cases it is difficult to separate them. M.B.Bayer described four varieties under H. mucronata - var. mucronata, var. habdomadis, var. inconfluens, var. morrisae and var. rycroftiana. Plants growing in Tradouw Pass, which are intermediate forms between mucronata and arachnoidea is described as H. tradouwensis. Plants from area around Calitzdorp are described as var. calitzdorpensis. In this article I will show only "typical" mucronata from area between Calitzdorp and Oudtshoorn. I will publish each variety in its own article. The plant from Schoemanspoort were described as 'apta'.

H. mucronata is moderate difficult species, we have to be cautious with wattering - if wattered in wrong time or watter gets into the rossette, the plant can rot easily. Propagation should be done by seeds or offsetts.