I have been fortunate enough to appreciate a variety of succulent plants in their natural habitats during my travels of the Cape provinces. This includes my favourite genus, Haworthia. In late 2020, after lockdowns were lifted, I was on a road trip to the Karoo. From what a friend had told me, there were some Haworthia in the area, so I was determined to get some photos. After much walking around and staring between grass tufts, under twigs and behind rocks, I realized that I was actually looking in the wrong ‘spot’. About 50 meters away from where I was initially looking, I finally managed to find the first few Haworthia picta in habitat.
Haworthia picta in habitat
Haworthia picta in habitat
Healthy population
I was excited to see that there were a good number of plants in the locality. There were both mature and juvenile specimens. This means the adults were reproducing successfully, which is good for the future of this species. The area had recently received some good rains, so the plants were all plump, healthy and producing flowers. Other plants in the area included a variety of bulb species, Aloe, Glottiphylum and a few Bulbine mesembryanthemoides. I spent about an hour taking photos before the light started fading. From that short expedition, I felt good knowing that the population was strong and in healthy condition.
I visited the locality again in 2024 and was sorely disappointed to discover that there were not that many plants remaining. My best guess would be that porcupines were the likely culprits, as they are quite prominent in the area and it had been very dry. Porcupine will often seek out succulents like Haworthia due to the high moisture content in their leaves.
But what if it was not porcupines, but people? As with my previous Haworthia in habitat post, I will mention that one needs to be careful about where you purchase any indigenous succulents from. Always ask a nursery to see flora permits, or ask to see seedlings and propagations grown by the nursery. There are many other signs of a poached plant, including general damage, or mud on the leaves and stem. Reputable nurseries will not sell you damaged and dirty plants.
Haworthia picta in habitat
Haworthia picta in habitat
Haworthia picta
Haworthia picta flower
Haworthia picta in cultivation
Below is an example of a Haworthia picta cultivar from the ‘Mosaic’ series grown in cultivation from seed. Note that there is no damage from insects or weathering on this plant. It also has far more intense white markings on its leaf windows. This trait is selected for in cultivation and not something that is generally seen in nature.
Pristine Haworthia picta cultivar from the ‘Mosaic’ series, in cultivation
Written by Harry Lewis, succulent specialist & conservationist