Zebra Plant Haworthiopsis attenuata

The Zebra Plant is a popular succulent houseplant native to South Africa. It is small in size with a rosette of stiff, opaque, linear leaves that are covered in attractive white spots. The plant is a species of the Haworthiopsis genus that formerly included species that have been moved to the Haworthia genus, a distinction that generally depends on the characteristics of their leaves. In general, succulants in the Haworthiopsis genus have opaque, linear leaves, either basal or rosette, with white spots on the back of the leaves, as found on the Zebra Plant. On some species, these spots are joined to form bands. Haworthia, on the other hand, tend to have translucent epidermal windows on the tops of the leaves. Note that the divisions among these genus are still being debated. For example, This plant is sometimes mistaken for and sold under the much rarer species Haworthiopsis fasciata– they can be distinguished by the fact that H. attenuata has a bumpy surface all around its leaves while H. fasciata's upper leaf surfaces are smooth.

The Zebra Plant is a slow growing succulent, but has a long life span of up to 50 years. In the wild, these plants grow in very harsh conditions and are commonly found buried in sand. For gardeners, they are easy to grow, preferring a well-draining soil mix. Also, unlike other Haworthiopsis or Haworthia, this plant can grow well indoors or out and will tolerate mild frost. While they are somewhat tolerant of low-light conditions, they prefer full sun or bright direct light, which also produces the best colors in the leaves. Zebra Plant produces pups and offsets and to propagate these plants, separate the pups or remove the offshoots from the parent plant.

Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems:

Excessive watering can cause root rot.

VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Houseplants, Succulents, and Cacti", a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens.