How to Grow Haworthia cooperi var. obtusa? A Complete Guide to Care Methods
Haworthia cooperi var. obtusa prefers a cool, semi-shaded environment. Its main growing season is in the cooler spring and autumn months. It requires a certain amount of air humidity, is drought-tolerant, not cold-tolerant, and dislikes high temperatures, humidity, and harsh sun exposure. It is afraid of deep shade and waterlogged soil. In production, it is generally grown in pots in greenhouses or planted in beds in the ground. Now let's take a look at how to grow Haworthia cooperi var. obtusa!
Growing Temperature for Haworthia cooperi var. obtusa
Haworthia cooperi var. obtusa is suitable for growing in an environment that is warm in winter and cool in summer. During high summer temperatures, the plant enters a dormant or semi-dormant state, with growth slowing or stopping completely. It can be placed in a ventilated, cool, and dry location for care, avoiding harsh sun exposure and prolonged rain, and it should not be overwatered. Stop fertilizing, and wait until the weather cools in autumn before resuming normal care.
In winter, when the minimum nighttime temperature is around 8°C and daytime temperatures are above 20°C, the plant can continue to grow and should be watered normally. If watering is restricted, the plant will enter a dormant state. It can tolerate low temperatures of 3°C to 5°C, and even short-term lows of 0°C. If kept in an environment below 5°C for a long time, the plant will not die, but frost damage marks will remain on the leaves. The outer leaves of the plant are especially prone to frost damage, and the damaged leaves turn white and cannot recover their original appearance.
Therefore, the overwintering temperature for Haworthia cooperi var. obtusa is best maintained above 5°C.
Light Regulation for Haworthia cooperi var. obtusa
It is quite sensitive to light. If the light is too strong, leaf growth will be poor and the leaves will turn light reddish-brown. Sometimes intense direct light can even scorch the leaves, leaving unsightly marks. On the other hand, if the growing location is too shady, the plant will become loose and less compact, with thin, elongated leaves and poor transparency in the “windows.” Such a plant is very difficult to restore to its original quality; one can only wait for this batch of etiolated leaves to gradually fall off and for robust new leaves to grow.
Plants grown in semi-shade have thick, plump leaves with high transparency. Therefore, from May to September, a layer of shade netting can be added, and from October to April of the following year, the shade netting should be removed to provide full light.
Choosing the Growing Soil
Haworthia cooperi var. obtusa is suitable for growing in loose, fertile, well-draining and aerated sandy soil that contains lime and has a relatively coarse particle size. A common mix is 2 parts leaf mold and 3 parts coarse sand or vermiculite, with a small amount of bone meal mixed in. For high-end varieties such as ‘Haworthia cooperi var. obtusa “Yulushoujin”’ and ‘Haworthia cooperi var. pilifera’, artificial materials such as akadama soil, orchid stone, and kanuma soil can also be used, but an appropriate amount of peat soil should be added to increase the soil's organic matter content.