Haworthia retusa

Haworthia retusa, Droerivier
Haworthia retusa (L.) Duval

retusa: with leaf-tips bent back thumb-like.


H. retusa comes from area around Riversdale. It is very closely associated with H. turgida (in Bayer´s newest revision he included H. turgida under H. retusa). In area around Heidelberg H. retusa may integrate to H. mutica or H. retusa var. nigra.

Plants usually grow single or seldom proliferous (form "geraldii"). The forms vary in cultivation and both dark and light green forms may occur. The darker forms may have some relationship to H. magnifica and the light forms to H. turgida.  Old variety fouchei  is much more robust, var. geraldi is smaller, forming dense clusters. When I visited Komserante, locality of both forms, I observed that geraldii was in full flower with some fruits, but fouchei, which grows on the same ridge few hundred metres away hadn´t any sign of flowering yet.

Bayer include all three species recognized by Scott viz. H. geraldii, H. fouchei and H. multilineata under H. retusa. Breuer recognize H. geraldii as a valid species. In Bruce´s actual ideas, H.retusa is connected to H.mirabilis.


Distribution map

Around Riversdale you can find H. retusa nearly on every hill or place where origin vegetation is remaining. Usually it grows under bushes or among stones. Sometimes above ground, sometimes well withdrawn in soil. I have seen plants almost 15 cm in diameter, in 99% solitary. On several places it grows near to H. magnifica,  in few cases natural hybrids were observed. Population from Kruisriver was described as H. vernalis, plants from here are somehow intermediate between retusa and magnifica. (see separed article)

In cultivation H. retusa belongs to easy species - if you grow them in more sunny position, nice leaf color and white lines will appear. Best method of propagation is from seeds, but in case of proliferous plants - offsetts. Easy method is also leaf propagation.

Haworthia retusa, SSE of RiversdaleNEW PHOTO
Haworthia retusa, SSE of RiversdaleNEW PHOTO
Haworthia retusa, SSE of RiversdaleNEW PHOTO
Haworthia retusa, SSE of RiversdaleNEW PHOTO
Locality of H. retusa, SSE of RiversdaleNEW PHOTO
Haworthia retusa, Droerivier
Haworthia retusa, Droerivier
Haworthia retusa, Droerivier
Locality of Haworthia retusa, Droerivier
Haworthia retusa, Soetmelkstrivier
Haworthia retusa, Soetmelkstrivier
Locality of H. retusa, Soetmelkstrivier
Haworthia retusa / retusa v. nigra, Pienaarsrivier t-off
Haworthia retusa / retusa v. nigra, Pienaarsrivier t-off
Haworthia retusa / retusa v. nigra, Pienaarsrivier t-off
Haworthia retusa / retusa v. nigra, Pienaarsrivier t-off
Locality of H. retusa / retusa v. nigra, Pienaarsrivier t-off
Haworthia retusa, W. Soetmelksrivier
Haworthia retusa, W. Soetmelksrivier
Haworthia retusa, W. Soetmelksrivier
Haworthia retusa, W. Soetmelksrivier
Haworthia retusa X H. magnifica, W. Soetmelksrivier
Locality of H. retusa, W. Soetmelksrivier
Haworthia retusa 'fouchei', Komserante, NE. Riversdale
Haworthia retusa 'fouchei', Komserante, NE. Riversdale
Haworthia retusa 'fouchei', Komserante, NE. Riversdale
Haworthia retusa 'fouchei', Komserante, NE. Riversdale
Haworthia retusa 'geraldii', Komserante, NE. Riversdale
Haworthia retusa 'geraldii', Komserante, NE. Riversdale
Haworthia retusa 'geraldii', Komserante, NE. Riversdale
Haworthia retusa 'geraldii', Komserante, NE. Riversdale
Locality of H. retusa 'geraldii', Komserante, NE. Riversdale
At this locality grows together with H. minima and very close to H. retusa 'fouchei' and H. magnifica 'asperula'.

Haworthia retusa, W. Riversdale
Haworthia retusa, W. Riversdale
Haworthia retusa, W. Riversdale
Haworthia retusa, W. Riversdale
Locality of H. retusa, W. Riversdale
Haworthia retusa, Werner Frehse Reserve
Haworthia retusa, Werner Frehse Reserve
Haworthia retusa, Werner Frehse Reserve
Haworthia retusa, Werner Frehse Reserve
Haworthia retusa, S of Riversdale
Haworthia retusa, S of Riversdale
Haworthia retusa, S of Riversdale
Haworthia retusa, S of Riversdale
Locality of H. retusa, S of Riversdale
Haworthia retusa, Riversdale Airport
Haworthia retusa, Riversdale Airport
Haworthia retusa, Riversdale Airport
Haworthia retusa, Riversdale Airport
Locality of H. retusa, Riversdale Airport


Synonym:
Aloe retusa, H. fouchei, H. retusa var. multilineata, H. multilineata, H .retusa var. solitaria, H. solitaria, H. retusa var. densiflora, H. geraldii

 
Known localities:

  • 8 km W. Riversdale (3421AA)
  • Along Corenete River, 10 km NW. Riversdale (3421AA)
  • 4 km N. Riversdale (3421AA)
  • SW. Riversdale (3421AA)
  • Grootvlei, near Riversdale (3421AA)
  • Blinkbonnie (3421AB)
  • Zeekoegat (3421AB)
  • Ferguson Drive (3421AB)
  • 3 km N. Riversdale (3421AA)
  • 5 km E. Riversdale (3421AB)
  • Vet River Road (3421AB)
  • 14 km E. Riversdale (3421AB)
  • Riversdale commonage (3421AB)
  • Riversdale (3421AB)
  • 3 km E. Grootvlei (3421AB)
  • Werner Frehse Reserve (3421AB)
  • S. Riversdale (3421AB)
  • SE. Riversdale (3421AB)
  • Blombos, S. Riversdale
  • 1,5 km SE. Riversdale (3421AB)
  • Kweekraal, W. Riversdale (3421AA)
  • Pienaarsrivier turn-off (3421AA)
  • Plattekop (3421AB)
  • Soetmelksrivier (3421AB)
  • Jakkalskop (3421AA)
  • 3 km S. Riversdale (3421AB)
  • Riversdale Skool (3421AB)
  • 1,6 km NE. Riversdale (3421AB)
  • Riversdale Airstrip (3421AB)
  • 2 km SE. Riversdale (3421AB)
  • Droerivier, SW. Riversdale (3421AA)
  • Ratelkop, W. Riversdale (3421AA)

4 comments:

The Succulent Dish said...

Hey. I've got a retusa that doesn't seem to be drinking the water that I give it. Can you help me with this?

Kuba said...

Hi,
the reason can be, that it has lost its roots (you can check it), in that case clean the old dead roots, keep it dry for week and start wattering slowly again.

Othervise be carefull not to over-watter it.

kuba

Anonymous said...

how often do you water a retusa??

Emilygrace said...

I wait until mine is completely dried out then basically soak it. It's only in 1" of dirt so this doesn't take a lot of water. I've had good luck with once every 2-3 weeks... Better too seldom than too often though