Every gardener secretly wants at least one succulent in its collection. And if you are an innate hunter of unique specimens, Haworthia cooperi a.k.a. Cooper’s haworthia is a must-have.
Haworthia cooperi, usually known as Cooper’s haworthia, is an adorable species of flowering succulents in the Asphodelaceae family. This succulent originates from the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa. It grows mostly in the lowland plains of its native habitat.
Even if it is a pretty rare species, Haworthia cooperi still enjoys lots of popularity as an ornamental plant around the world. It is an absolutely peculiar succulent that has very few growing demands from its owner. In general, Haworthia cooperi will have an excellent time with some bright light exposure, warm temperatures, well-draining soil, and seldom watering.
Keep reading to find out more about this unique-looking succulent!
About Haworthia Cooperi
- Many people confuse Haworthia cooperi with its close relatives Haworthia cymbiformis, H. marumiana, or H. mucronata. Although they look very similar, Haworthia cooperi has distinctive leaf and bristle patterns.
- Haworthia cooperi comes with plenty of interesting options to choose from. The most common varieties include H. cooperi var. cooperi, H. cooperi var. dielsiana, H. cooperi var. doldii, H. cooperi var. leightonii, H. cooperi var. pilifera, H. cooperi var. tenera, H. cooperi var. truncata, and H. cooperi var. venusta.
- Haworthia cooperi with the H. cooperi var. pilifera and H. cooperi var. truncata cultivars have gained the prestigious Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society.
- Cooper’s haworthia has numerous uses in various landscape decorations. This succulent will look marvellous in rock gardens, desert gardens, succulent gardens, and also in one-of-a-kind containers like teacups, baby shoes, or lovely basic pots.
- Haworthia cooperi makes for nice-looking companions to many eye-catching species of plants. The most suitable companions are Desert Rose, Kalanchoe, Lavender, Rosemary, Salvia, Yarrow, or other species of cacti and succulents that have similar growing requirements.
- This succulent is non-toxic to both humans and animals. You can grow your Haworthia cooperi absolutely anywhere near your curious kids or pets without worrying about their safety.
Haworthia Cooperi Features: An Overview
- This plant belongs to the Haworthia genus that contains about 60 species of small succulents. Some other well-known succulents from this genus are H. angustiflora, H. bayeri, H. bolusii, H. cymbiformis, H. mirabilis, H. parksiana, and H. truncata.
- Haworthia cooperi is an evergreen perennial that grows at a pretty slow pace and forms low dense clumps of rosettes. It can reach a maximum height of 12 inches (30 cm) and up to 3.2 inches (8 cm) in diameter.
- The leaves of Haworthia cooperi are thick, fleshy, succulent, and measure up to 1.8 inches (4.5 cm) in length and 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) in width. The rosettes of leaves are usually light green with transparent tips and darker longitudinal lines.
- While most varieties have spiny tips and bristles along the margins of their leaves, others may feature tiny teeth on the entire surface of the leaves. Likewise, some varieties may have no bristles at all.
- The blooming period of Haworthia cooperi can last from spring through summer. During these seasons, the succulent will produce white to pinkish-white flowers that come with green to brown veins on long stalks of up to 16 inches (40.6 cm).
Growing Haworthia Cooperi
The secret of thriving succulents is as shocking as it is appealing − give them as little attention as you possibly can. And Haworthia cooperi is no different! Believe us, the only time when you will have to spoil your Haworthia cooperi is at the beginning of the road. But once you find the perfect environment to keep it, things will be nice and easy.
When it comes to lighting, Haworthia cooperi will show the best performance under lots of bright light all year round. If your succulent begins to show some yellow, white, or red-tinged leaves, this may be an indicator that it receives too much sunlight. Whether you are growing your Haworthia cooperi indoors or outdoors, indirect light will usually be its best friend.
Temperature-wise, this succulent can handle a wide variety of conditions pretty well. The ideal temperatures for Haworthia cooperi to show nice results range from 68 to 72 °F (20-22 °C). In general, it prefers warm temperatures during the summer months but cool in the winter. However, do not expose your succulent to extreme conditions like frost. It can only withstand winter temperatures that drop to 30 °F (-1 °C).
Haworthia cooperi is not the main attraction for fungal diseases or pests. Still, some issues like mealybugs may bother your succulent occasionally. If you notice some white fuzzy little critters on the leaves, you are probably dealing with mealybugs. The first thing you need to do is to remove the intruders with a q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol. After this step, apply insecticidal soap or neem oil once every two weeks until the infestation is gone.
2.5 Inch, Haworthia Cooperi, From Amazon
Planting Haworthia Cooperi
In terms of growing medium, Haworthia cooperi thrives in sandy soils that also come with excellent drainage. Make sure you plant your succulent buddy in a potting mix designed for succulents and cacti. If you cannot find this specific soil, you can prepare your own at home. All you have to do is mix equal parts of potting soil, perlite, and coarse sand.
Haworthia cooperi is typically a low-feeder that can do just fine without frequent fertilizing. In fact, too much feeding can kill this plant in little to no time. Keep in mind that you should fertilize your succulent only when it has reached maturity. Once this happens, feed your Haworthia cooperi with a diluted balanced, slow-release fertilizer once every year during its active growing period.
We recommend you plant your Haworthia cooperi in a terracotta pot that has drainage holes at the bottom. As a general rule, the pot must always be an inch (2.5 cm) wider than the diameter of your succulent. Moreover, a shallow container will improve the overall drainage system as well.
When your Haworthia cooperi begins to outgrow its pot, it is wise to transplant it in another that is slightly larger than the current one. The perfect time to repot your succulent is once every two to three years in either spring or autumn. Some gardeners prefer to add a layer of brick bits or gravel at the bottom of the pot to avoid damaging the plants while repotting and make the process much easier.
Watering Haworthia Cooperi
All species of succulents store generous amounts of water in their leaves. This feature makes them fairly tolerant of drought for long periods but only once they are mature. Being a succulent species, Haworthia cooperi also has very few demands when it comes to watering.
However, you will have to pay some extra attention to it during its first year of growth. Water your succulent whenever the soil has dried out completely to help it settle in its new home. Once established, you can go even for weeks without spoiling your Haworthia cooperi with a drink. But remember that under-watering is always better than waterlogging, so you should check its soil in-between waterings for best results.
Humidity-wise, this succulent has no particular needs. Haworthia cooperi can handle a wide range of humidity levels as long as you are growing it in well-draining soil. But! Make sure you provide your succulent with good air circulation to avoid unpleasant surprises like root rot.
Propagating Haworthia Cooperi
Haworthia cooperi is so cute and easy-going that it would be a shame not to take the opportunity to have more around, especially when propagating them is so simple! The most common way to make more of this succulent is by propagating it through offsets or leaf cuttings. As with most succulent species, propagation may fail even for the most experienced gardeners. But this should not keep you from having a bit of fun!
Mature Haworthia cooperi will send out small offsets or pups that can make for great propagation materials. In either spring or fall, you can separate the offsets from the mother plant using a sharp sterile knife. When taking a cut, try to include a few roots on each pup for optimal growth. Make sure you are doing this gently because the leaves may fall off if you do not handle the succulents with care. After all these steps, you can plant the offsets in their permanent spots and treat them as individual succulents.
If you want to propagate your Haworthia cooperi through leaves, you will have to take the cuttings just below the growing nodes. After this process, place the leaves on a surface for 12 to 24 hours until callous forms on each cut. Once this period has passed, plant the leaves at 2 inches (5 cm) apart from each other in a suitable moist potting mix. Place the container in a shaded area and mist the soil once every two days to maintain it constantly damp. With proper care, you should notice some roots developing after six to eight weeks. When each cutting has two leaves or so, you can transplant them into individual pots.
In Conclusion
With its unique succulent leaves, Haworthia cooperi can spruce up any dull corner. Besides its eccentric rosettes and the impressive number of varieties it comes with, this succulent is also very low-demanding overall, so it is perfect if you don’t have a lot of experience with plants. As long as you provide it with proper lighting, temperatures, soil, and moisture, Haworthia cooperi will keep you company for more time than you might imagine!
