How to propagate Haworthia cooperi var. obtusa? Introduction to common propagation methods

There are many varieties and horticultural forms of Haworthia cooperi var. obtusa, with common ones including Haworthia cooperi var. pilifera, Haworthia cooperi 'Hime', Haworthia cooperi var. truncata, Haworthia cooperi var. picturata, Haworthia cooperi var. venosa, Haworthia cooperi 'Diyu', Haworthia cooperi var. leightonii, Haworthia cooperi var. obtusa, and Haworthia cooperi variegata. Today we will introduce the propagation methods for Haworthia cooperi var. obtusa.

Division propagation of Haworthia cooperi var. obtusa

Haworthia cooperi var. obtusa can be propagated by division combined with repotting, or by digging up young offsets from beside the mother plant during the growing season. Both rooted and unrooted offsets can survive; rooted ones can be planted directly, while unrooted offsets should be dried for 1 to 2 days until the wounds are dry before planting. Newly planted plants should not be watered too much to avoid rot; after new roots grow, normal care can be resumed. During the growing season, you can also choose plump, healthy fleshy leaves for leaf cuttings. After insertion, keep the potting soil slightly moist; they will easily root at the base and produce small buds, which can be planted separately once they are slightly larger.

Seed propagation of Haworthia cooperi var. obtusa

Sowing is also one of the propagation methods for Haworthia cooperi var. obtusa, but it requires artificial pollination. Seeds can be sown as soon as they are collected. The sowing soil can be made by mixing 3 parts vermiculite with 2 parts leaf mold or peat soil. Before sowing, it is best to sterilize the soil at high temperature to eliminate pathogens and insect eggs inside. After sowing, cover with a piece of glass; seedlings will emerge in about 20 days. After emergence, remove the glass, pay attention to ventilation, do not let the soil become overly dry, and transplant the seedlings when they become too crowded. Among the sown seedlings, some variant plants may appear. You can select young plants with compact form, thick fleshy leaves, high transparency of the "window", and prominent vein patterns to keep as stock plants. If you find seedlings with leaf color different from the others, also pick them out; they may grow into a precious variegated variant plant.

How to grow Haworthia cooperi var. obtusa

1. Watering: Like most plants, when watering Haworthia cooperi var. obtusa you should follow the principle of "do not water if not dry, water thoroughly when watering". To avoid root rot, the pot should be kept free of standing water and prolonged rain. Once the soil is dry, it needs to be watered immediately. If the soil is too dry, the plant's leaves will shrivel and lose vitality. Note that to judge whether the potting soil is dry, you need to poke your finger down about 3 cm; if it is dry, it needs watering.

2. Humidity: Haworthia cooperi var. obtusa likes humid air. When the surrounding air is relatively dry, you can use a sprayer to spray water around it to increase the humidity of its growing environment. If this still does not produce obvious results, you can cover it with a plant cover and spray a little water mist inside the cover. To let Haworthia cooperi var. obtusa breathe, you need to uncover the cover every day and let it ventilate for about ten minutes. Note that in the hot summer weather, closed humid cultivation must not be carried out.

3. Fertilizer: Haworthia cooperi var. obtusa does not like fertilizer. If you want to repot it, there is no need to fertilize it. If you want the plant to grow a bit faster, you can apply two light fertilizer applications during its growing seasons in spring and autumn. Note that newly potted plants and weaker Haworthia cooperi var. obtusa must not be fertilized, to avoid burning the plant to death.

4. Repotting: Unlike many plants, Haworthia cooperi var. obtusa needs repotting almost every year. This is because the roots of Haworthia cooperi var. obtusa secrete an acidic substance that gradually acidifies the soil it depends on, adversely affecting the plant's growth. Generally, we set its repotting time in spring or autumn. If you find during the growing season that it basically does not grow and its leaves have low water content, it is very likely caused by the soil being too acidified, and it should be repotted immediately.