All you wanted to know about Haworthias, Gasterias and Astrolobas: Haworthia variegata var. hemicrypta

H. variegata var. hemicrypta, Grootkloof, Potberg

Haworthia variegata var. hemicrypta M.B.Bayer

hemicrypta: half-buried.

H. variegata var. hemicrypta is small plants, with rosette 2 - 3 cm in diameter. Colour is light green, moderately variegated to plain green. Leaves are long and slender, with small teeth on the margins. It grows in sandstone gravel and usually is very cryptic, only with leave tips visible above ground. It is slowly proliferous species.

Distribution map

H. variegata var. hemicrypta was described by Bayer from Potberg area. There are few known populations. I have observed two - one was on steep mountain slope, plants grow there in rock crevices and form small clusters. Leave colour and white translucent dots on the leaves are very attractive. Second population is on lower slopes, almost on flat - here plants grow amongst grass with only leave tips visible and their colour is more or less plain green. In Bayers book "Haworthia Revisited" are plants from Swellendam included under var. hemicrypta, but they belongs to floribunda var. major species, which Bayer has later confirmed.

H. variegata var. hemicrypta is not much widespread in cultivation, which is a pity, because some clones are very attractive. Propagation can be done by offsets or seed. In cultivation they do not need any special requirements.