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

Haworthia rossouwii, Koppies West, NEW PHOTO

Haworthia rossouwii V.Poelln.

rossouwii: after Mr. Rossouw

H. rossouwii (before known as H. serrata) is smaller species with narrow, acuminate leaves with spines along margins and keel. Color is bright yellowish green with some translucent lines. Flowers are large and white, resemble forms of multifolia on the other side of Langeberg mountains. It is a slowly proliferating species. It resimbles H. mirabilis var. sublineata from Bredasdorp area.

Distribution map

H. rosouwii is growing in the area between Bredasdorp and Heidelberg. This area is very agricultured and it survives on the rocky and steepest parts of the hills. At Oudekraalkop, where H. serrata was originally decribed, it grows together with H. maraisii and forms of H. magnifica var. atrofusca. It grows in short grass and amongst the stones. At Soutkloof, N of Bredasdorp, H. rossouwii plants are often forming smaller clumps and grows much more in rocky slopes in crevices, often with Gasteria carinata. These two forms are looking different in habitats, but in cultivation they become more identical. Bayer includes as varierities of rossouwii several other plants: calcarea, petrophilla and minor, but for now I will use these var. as they were described originally - H. mirabilis var. calcarea, H. variegata var. petrophilla and H. heidelbergensis var. minor. Recently was discovered small serrata like plant from just S of Heidelberg, which is more small and delicate with more numerous leaves. It was described as H. neorossouwii. It is a nice plant and I will discuss it under new article.

H. rossouwii is not difficult species to grow, it is not yet very common in our collections. Propagation should be done by seed or offsetts.