Scientific Name
Haworthiopsis bruynsii (M.B.Bayer) G.D.Rowley
Common Name(s)
Pad Haworthia
Synonym(s)
Haworthia bruynsii, Haworthia retusa var. bruynsii
Scientific Classification
Family: Asphodelaceae
Subfamily: Asphodeloideae
Tribe: Aloeae
Genus: Haworthiopsis
Etymology
The specific epithet "bruynsii (BROONS-ee-eye)" honors Peter Vincent Bruyns (born 1957), a South African mathematician and botanist.
Origin
This species is native to South Africa (restricted to a small area in the Eastern Cape).
Description
Haworthiopsis bruynsii, formerly known as Haworthia bruynsii, is a small, slow-growing succulent that forms a stemless, usually solitary rosette of green to brownish, highly truncated leaves. The rosettes can grow up to 2.4 inches (6 cm) in diameter and have only 5 to 10 leaves. In the habitat, the rosettes grow sunken beneath the ground with only the translucent tops of the leaves exposed. The leaf tops are flat, usually very rough, or occasionally smooth.
The white flowers have green to brownish veins and appear on slender, unbranched stalks in spring and summer.
Haworthiopsis bruynsii is very similar to Retuse Haworthias. Still, because of the flower (long and wiry peduncle and the six-sided florets at the base), it is a member of the genus Haworthiopsis. It seems to be a case of parallel evolution in a similar environment.
How to Grow and Care for Haworthiopsis bruynsii
Light: H. bruynsii thrives in semi-shaded positions. Brighter light conditions are needed to bring out the leaf coloration. Any window in your home or office will likely be appropriate for this succulent.
Soil: Use commercial potting soil specially formulated for succulents, or make your own well-draining potting mix.
Hardiness: This plant likes warmer temperatures in summer but cooler in winter. H. bruynsi can withstand temperatures as low as 30 to 50 °F (-1.1 to 10 °C), USDA hardiness zones 10a to 11b.
Watering: In spring and fall, when the growth is most active, water H. bruynsi thoroughly, then wait until the top of the soil dries out before watering again. Water your plant less during the winter when its growth slows down significantly. When this plant is mostly dormant during the hottest summer months, water it just enough to keep the leaves from shriveling.
Fertilizing: H. bruynsi is a slow-growing plant that does not require much fertilizer. However, for optimum growth, fertilization is a good idea. Feed only with a dilute fertilizer and only during the active growing season. Avoid summer fertilizing as this succulent is in a 6- to 8-week rest period.
Repotting: When the plant has outgrown its container, repot it into a new, slightly larger pot with fresh soil in the spring or early summer.
Propagation: Since it rarely offsets, H. bruynsi is usually propagated by seed. Sow the seeds in spring.
Learn more at How to Grow and Care for Haworthiopsis.
Toxicity of Haworthiopsis bruynsii
H. bruynsii is considered non-toxic to humans and animals.
Links
- Back to genus Haworthiopsis
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus
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