Miniature Aloe Tulista pumila

The pearl plant is a small, slow-growing succulent native to South Africa and member of the day lily family (Asphodelaceae). The genus Tulista was formerly included within Haworthia (q.v. for a discussion of the differences between the genera). The specific epithet, pumila, means "dwarf," which made sense when it was treated as a species of Aloe. Ironically, this species is the largest species of Tulista.

This plant will tolerate full sun but prefers partial shade. Grow these plants in a well-drained, cactus or succulent potting medium. Pearl plants prefer warm temperatures during the summer and cool winters. It is hardy to USDA zones 10a to 11b and will tolerate temperatures as low as 30 degrees Fahrenheit. Allow the top of the soil to dry out between waterings. The plant is propagated by seeds and offsets.

The pearl plant is grown more for its showy leaves than for its flowers. The pearl plant forms a rosette of thick, fleshy, olive-green to dark brownish-green leaves that are covered in white tubercles. The plant measures 2 to 8 inches tall and 2 to 6 inches wide. The leaves measure almost 6 inches long and about 1-inch wide. They are triangular to broadly lanceolate, erect, but sometimes curved. The flowers bloom in the summer and are waxy, green to brownish-white and grow on thin stalks measuring up to 16 inches long. 

This small, low-maintenance plant makes an attractive miniature succulent to display in your kitchen window. In warmer climates, it may be grown outdoors in a rock garden. This plant is non-toxic to animals and humans. 

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:  It is generally disease free but is susceptible to mealybugs.