Does the succulent Haworthia cooperi bloom? Cultivation methods and recovery tips for shriveled leaves

Haworthia cooperi is a succulent plant of the genus Haworthia in the family Asphodelaceae. The plant is small and exquisite, with crystal-clear, translucent leaves that are rich in variation, making it one of the more popular small succulents in China in recent years. So does Haworthia cooperi bloom? What are the cultivation methods? According to flower enthusiast Ms. Wu, Haworthia cooperi does bloom, but it is not a flowering ornamental plant, and the flowers are not attractive either.

Will Haworthia cooperi die after blooming?

Haworthia cooperi will not die after blooming, but as mentioned in the first question, its flowers are not attractive, and while blooming it consumes nutrients, so most flower enthusiasts choose to cut off the flower stalks. However, some flower enthusiasts want to collect seeds. What needs to be told to flower enthusiasts here is that Haworthia cooperi requires cross-pollination between different plants to set seeds.

Cultivation methods for Haworthia cooperi

Haworthia cooperi prefers a cool, semi-shaded environment, with its main growing season in spring and autumn, and is an “intermediate type” variety among succulents. It is drought-tolerant but not cold-tolerant, dislikes high temperatures, humidity and scorching sun exposure, and is afraid of deep shade as well as waterlogged soil.

1. Light: During the growing season, it should be given plenty of light. If too shaded, the plant will become loose and not compact, with thin, elongated leaves and poor transparency of the “windows”; if the light is too strong, the leaves will grow poorly and turn light reddish-brown, and sometimes intense direct sunlight will even scorch the leaves, leaving unsightly marks; plants grown in semi-shade have thick, plump leaves with high transparency.

2. Water: During the growing season, watering should follow the principle of “don’t water until dry, and water thoroughly when you do”. Avoid waterlogging, and even more so avoid rain, especially prolonged rain, all to prevent root rot; but it should not be kept dry for long periods either, otherwise although the plant will not die, the leaves will shrivel, the leaf color will become dull, and it will lack vitality. Haworthia cooperi likes an environment with a certain amount of air humidity. When the air is dry, you can often spray water on the plant and its surroundings to increase air humidity. During the growing season, you can also cut off the upper half of a transparent colorless beverage bottle and cover the plant with it for care, so that it grows in a small environment with moist air. This can make the leaves plump and the transparency of the “windows” even higher. But in the high-temperature summer season, the beverage bottle must be removed, to avoid the plant dying from stuffy, humid conditions.

3. Fertilizer: During the growing season, for vigorously growing plants, apply a decomposed, dilute liquid fertilizer or a low-nitrogen, high-phosphorus-potassium compound fertilizer once a month. Newly potted plants or weaker-growing plants do not need fertilizing; nor is fertilizing needed during the dormant period in high summer temperatures or low winter temperatures. Fertilizing should preferably be done on a clear morning or evening.

Points to note when caring for Haworthia cooperi:

1. Roots: Because the root system of Haworthia cooperi secretes acidic substances that cause soil acidification and make the roots age and become hollow, it can be repotted once a year in spring or autumn. During the growing season, if the plant is found to have stopped growing and the leaves are shriveled, it is very likely that the roots are damaged, and the pot should be turned out promptly to sort out the root system. When repotting, cut off the aged, hollow roots, shorten overly long roots, keep the thick white new roots, and replant with fresh potting soil. Newly planted plants can be sprayed frequently but watered sparingly, which will help them resume growth as quickly as possible.

2. Soil: The soil should be loose, fertile, well-draining and airy, containing lime, with relatively coarse particles. A common mix is 2 parts leaf mold and 3 parts coarse sand or vermiculite, with a small amount of lime-based material such as bone meal mixed in. For premium varieties such as Haworthia cooperi ‘Souhaku’ and Haworthia cooperi var. pilifera, artificial materials such as akadama soil, orchid stone, Kanuma soil and Satsuma soil can also be used, but an appropriate amount of peat or sphagnum peat should be added to increase the soil’s organic matter content.

3. Flowers: The flowers of Haworthia cooperi have little ornamental value. If you do not want to keep seeds, you can pull the flower stalk off from the base to avoid consuming too many nutrients and affecting the plant’s normal growth. Note that the flower stalk should not be cut with scissors; it should be pulled off by hand while swaying it side to side, which can prevent residual flower stalk from remaining between the leaves and adversely affecting the growth of new leaves later.

What to do after Haworthia cooperi shrivels? How to revive it?

1. Causes of shriveled leaves in Haworthia cooperi

1. Poor root development

If a newly acquired Haworthia cooperi develops shriveling as it is being grown, the first thing to consider is whether the roots have not developed well. Because the roots cannot absorb nutrients from the soil, Haworthia cooperi relies on the nutrients in its leaves to sustain itself, which leads to shriveled leaves. If during cultivation you find that Haworthia cooperi has not grown for a long time and its leaves have become shriveled, you can consider digging it up and repotting it with fresh soil.

2. Light

Haworthia cooperi likes a cool, bright light environment. If the temperature is too hot and Haworthia cooperi is kept in strong light for a long time, shriveled leaves may occur.

3. Humidity

Many forums have introduced the method of enclosed growing for Haworthia cooperi. Enclosed growing is essentially a care method that provides a high-humidity environment. Haworthia cooperi grown in a higher-humidity environment will have more succulent, plump leaves. If the environment where Haworthia cooperi grows is too dry and moisture cannot reach the leaves, shriveled leaves are likely to occur.

4. Waterlogging

Haworthia cooperi is a shallow-rooted plant, so it does not need a very deep pot during cultivation, and the soil should also be loose and well-draining. During watering, waterlogging must be prevented, because if the potting soil becomes waterlogged, Haworthia cooperi is prone to root rot, the leaves cannot absorb nutrients, they shrivel, and then dry up and die.

5. Rain

Haworthia cooperi has crystal-clear, plump leaves, but this does not mean it can withstand rain, because after rain, the rainwater slides down along the leaves and collects at the roots, creating waterlogging at the roots, which easily leads to root rot.

6. Frost damage

Haworthia cooperi likes cool, shady conditions but is not cold-tolerant. Haworthia cooperi grown indoors in winter will suffer frost damage due to low nighttime temperatures, and after frost damage, shriveled leaves will appear.

2. How to revive Haworthia cooperi after it shrivels

There are many causes of shriveling in Haworthia cooperi, so the treatment methods after discovering shriveling also differ. The main approaches are as follows:

1. For leaf shriveling caused by root rot after overwatering or rain, you can directly dig out the plant and repot it with fresh potting soil. The new potting soil only needs to be slightly moist. The rotted root parts must be completely removed, and you can also peel away some of the skin at the root area to expose the stem. The shriveled leaves also need to be cut off to prevent them from continuing to draw nutrients. After that, wait quietly for the plant to grow new roots.

2. For leaf shriveling caused by frost damage, the shriveled leaves likewise need to be cut off for the same reason as above, and then the plant should be placed in a sunny spot to bask, preferably behind a screen window or tinted glass, because scorching from strong direct sunlight must also be avoided.