All you wanted to know about Haworthias, Gasterias and Astrolobas: Haworthia cooperi var. isabellae

Haworthia cooperi var. isabellae, W of Hankey

Haworthia cooperi var. isabellae (V.Poelln.) M.B.Bayer

isabellae: for Mrs Isabella King.

Haworthia cooperi var. isabellae is proliferous species with rosettes from 3 to 5 cm in diameter. In nature they often form larger clusters. It has light green narrow leaves with quite dense and relatively long marginal spines.

It belongs to cooperi type of plants. Bayer in Haworthia Revisited recombined it to gracilis group and recently he add all gracilis varieties under cooperi.

Distribution map

It occurs from Baviaanskloof in the West up to Humansdorp in the East. It is very variable species - in size of rosette or leaves. Several new species were described by Hayashi and Breuer from this element, I will publish here only some of them, in case I agree with the combination. From Rooikloof, Baviaanskloof was described H. pilosa. It is smaller and with very dense spination. In Baviaanskloof are several "intermediate" forms with cooperi and decipiens/mucronata element. From Loerie Dam are was described H. ligulata. It has much larger rosettes and forms dense clusters in time (see separed article). Very interesting plant was discovered recently N of Joubertina - it resembles bolusii type of plant, but must have connection with isabellae.

H. cooperi var. isabellae in cultivation grows without any troubles and propagation is easy by offsetts or seedlings.