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

H. parksiana, Bottelierskop, NEW PHOTO

Haworthia parksiana V.Poelln.

parksiana: see details of the "name" in article

H. parksiana is a very small species with leaves blackish-green, sharply recurved, minutely tubercled, the size is only 3 cm in diameter. It is the smallest Haworthia species. The most obvious relationship could be with H. floribunda, although these two species are separated by the Gouritz River Valley. H. parksiana, apart from being the smallest species, is also possibly the rarest and occurs only in very small numbers in the wild. It grows completely under the protection of small bushes, very well hidden under the fallen leafs or among lichen and moss.

Distribution map

H. parksiana grows in the area between Mossel Bay and Great Brak River. The locality from Little Brak was destroy due to road construction, luckily at least four other localities are known at the moment. The Mossel Bay area receives rain throughout the year, but H. parksiana is particular about not having too much water. In Greatbrak River it grows near to H. pygmaea, H. kingiana, H. chloracantha var. denticulifera and H. chloracantha var. subglauca.

H. parksiana is slowly growing species, but in a couple years it will form small cluster. It can be propagated by offsetts.

H. parksiana was named under somewhat mistaken circumstences. Mr. L.R.Long, who at the time was superintendent of parks for the city of port Elizabeth and was very interested in Haworthias, used the prefix "Parks" to his numbers of those Haworthias which were being grown in one of the city parks. When this Haworthia was sent to Dr. von Poellnitz (who described it), it bore the notation "Parks 636/32" and for some unexplained reason it was named in honour of non-existent Mrs. Parks. This plant was well known to Mrs. van der Bijl of Great Brak about the time Mr. Long receive it.